National Expert on Soil Science and Soil Surveying

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established to lead international efforts to combat hunger. Founded in 1945, FAO's mission is 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 sufficient high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With a membership of 195 countries, including 194 member states and the European Union, FAO operates in over 130 countries worldwide. In Sri Lanka, FAO has been active since 1979, with its Representation (Country Office) located in Colombo. The organization contributes to the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework, which supports the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems, focusing on four key areas: Better production, Better nutrition, a Better environment, and a Better life, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Job Overview:
The National Expert on Soil Science and Soil Surveying will play a crucial role in addressing the challenges faced by Sri Lanka's agriculture sector, which is increasingly impacted by climate variability, land degradation, water scarcity, and inefficient land use. These issues have led to low productivity and inappropriate crop selection in various regions. The position involves updating existing agro-ecological zoning and crop suitability information to reflect changing agro-climatic conditions, as well as completing soil profile information for several areas. The expert will support the Department of Agriculture (DOA) through the Natural Resources Management Centre (NRMC) in updating Sri Lanka’s Agro-Ecological Zone (AEZ) map and database, developing a Soil Profile Information System, and preparing digital crop suitability maps and advisories for major agricultural crops. The project aims to integrate various data types, including climate, soil, vegetation, land-use, topographic, and crop-related data, to enhance evidence-based agricultural planning and provide location-specific, climate-responsive crop recommendations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The National Expert will be responsible for a range of key activities, including:

• Supporting the development and updating of the national soil profile information system through field soil profiling, interpretation of laboratory data, database development, and integration of validated soil information into the national soil map.
• Assisting in the updating of AEZ maps and crop suitability assessments by integrating and field validating soil, climate, terrain, and land-use information.
• Conducting capacity-building activities and developing knowledge products related to soil science and surveying.
• Providing technical support to develop the agro-ecological region map and the agro-ecological database of Sri Lanka.
• Updating the soil profile information system, including the soil profile database for various zones of Sri Lanka.
• Classifying the soil series map and database of Sri Lanka.
• Exploring and mapping potential areas for the cultivation of various crops, including annual field crops, vegetables, root and tuber crops, perennial fruit crops, plantation crops, and spices.
• Compiling and submitting final deliverables, including crop suitability maps, soil profile information, agro-ecological maps, and related databases.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements:

• A Postgraduate diploma in Soil Surveying or a closely related discipline.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in soil surveying, land suitability assessment, soil mapping, agro-ecological zoning, crop zoning, or natural resources management.
• A working knowledge of English (C1 level).
• Proficiency in Sinhala and/or Tamil is required.
• Candidates must be nationals of Sri Lanka or residents of the country with a valid work permit.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a Postgraduate diploma in Soil Surveying or a closely related discipline. This advanced level of education is essential to ensure that the candidate possesses the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively contribute to soil science and surveying activities in Sri Lanka.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in relevant fields such as soil surveying, land suitability assessment, soil mapping, agro-ecological zoning, crop zoning, or natural resources management. This extensive experience is crucial for the candidate to effectively navigate the complexities of the agricultural landscape in Sri Lanka and to provide the necessary technical support for the project.

Languages:
The mandatory language requirement for this position is a working knowledge of English at the C1 level. Additionally, proficiency in Sinhala and/or Tamil is required, as these languages are essential for effective communication and collaboration within the local context of Sri Lanka.

Additional Notes:
This position is expected to be full-time and may involve a contract duration that is not specified in the job posting. The role is focused on national recruitment, and candidates must be either nationals of Sri Lanka or residents with a valid work permit. The FAO emphasizes core competencies such as results focus, teamwork, communication, building effective relationships, and knowledge sharing and continuous improvement, which are essential for success in this role.