Consultant/PSA

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Established in 1945, FAO has over 194 member countries and works in more than 130 countries worldwide. The organization aims to achieve security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mission is to support the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems, contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Job Overview:
The Consultant/PSA position is integral to the Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) of FAO, specifically within the Crop and Mechanization Systems team (NSPLD). This role focuses on strengthening the value chains of horticultural crops, enhancing input use efficiency, and building resilience to shocks, particularly for small-scale farmers in developing countries. The consultant will be responsible for delivering a work program that promotes sustainable and resilient urban and periurban cropping systems at various levels. This includes providing technical support, conducting assessments, developing training programs, and collaborating with various stakeholders to improve horticultural production systems.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant/PSA will undertake a variety of tasks, including:

• Providing technical support and backstopping for projects and initiatives across FAO regions to enhance institutional and human capacities in horticultural crop production systems.
• Supporting assessments of horticultural cropping systems and recommending innovative practices and technologies to improve productivity and livelihoods.
• Developing and reviewing technical documents related to horticultural crop production and protection, and delivering training programs for agronomists and extension staff.
• Assisting in project implementation from conceptualization to monitoring and evaluation.
• Developing technical specifications for inputs and equipment for horticultural production systems.
• Collaborating with FAO technical teams and partners on sustainable horticultural production topics.
• Performing any other duties as required.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:

• At least one year of relevant experience in areas such as plant genetic resources management, soil management, water/irrigation management, integrated pest and disease management, plant nutrition, and sustainable agricultural mechanization.
• For Consultants: An advanced degree in agriculture, agronomy, crop production, or related fields, or a first-level degree with two additional years of experience.
• Full proficiency in English (level C) and working knowledge of a second FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is an asset.
• For PSAs: Relevant educational background and full proficiency in one FAO language relevant to the assignment.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in agriculture, agronomy, crop production, crop protection, or related fields. Alternatively, a first-level degree with two additional years of relevant experience is acceptable. For PSAs, specific academic or technical qualifications within the required field of expertise are necessary.

Experience:
The position requires at least one year of relevant experience in areas such as plant genetic resources management, soil management, water/irrigation management, integrated pest and disease management, plant nutrition, and sustainable agricultural mechanization. Experience in more than one location or area of work is considered an asset, as is familiarity with the agriculture sector in the English-speaking Caribbean.

Languages:
Full proficiency in English (level C) is mandatory, and a working knowledge (level B) of a second FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish) is considered an asset. For PSAs, full proficiency in one FAO language relevant to the assignment is required.

Additional Notes:
The position is likely to be full-time and may involve international recruitment. Specific details regarding contract duration, seniority level, compensation, and benefits are not provided in the job description.