Junior Specialist on Farmers Market Mapping Support

Job Posting Organization:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is a specialized agency 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. The FAO's mission is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, make agriculture, forestry, and fisheries more productive and sustainable, reduce rural poverty, and enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems.

Job Overview:
The Junior Specialist on Farmers Market Mapping Support will play a crucial role in the FAO's project 'Global Network of Farmers Markets,' which commenced in July 202

• This three-year initiative aims to enhance the engagement of small-scale producers in sustainable food systems and promote economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The position involves working closely with various stakeholders, including farmers, local communities, and FAO representatives, to facilitate the mapping of farmers markets in Tanzania. The incumbent will be responsible for supporting data collection, analysis, and reporting, thereby contributing to the overall objectives of the project, which include strengthening farmers market coalitions, generating evidence on farmers market models, and developing the capacities of farmers market associations.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Junior Specialist will have a diverse set of responsibilities, including: 1) Supporting the organization of preliminary key informants’ interviews and stakeholder meetings to identify and validate the mapping sample; 2) Participating in a three-day remote training on the methodology applied for the study; 3) Facilitating the field implementation of mapping activities, including organizing key informant interviews and focus group discussions; 4) Monitoring the data collection process to ensure accuracy and reliability; 5) Supporting the organization of a stakeholder meeting at the end of the mapping to share findings and explore further support opportunities for Farmers Markets from a policy and programmatic perspective; 6) Performing any other duties as requested by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must meet the following minimum requirements: 1) An advanced university degree in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Science, or a related field; 2) At least one year of relevant experience in data collection and analysis, as well as the formulation of agricultural programs and marketing strategies; 3) A working knowledge of both English and Swahili; 4) Candidates must be nationals of the United Republic of Tanzania or residents of the country with a valid work permit.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in fields related to agriculture, such as Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, or Agricultural Science. This advanced degree is essential to ensure that the candidate possesses the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively contribute to the project’s objectives.

Experience:
The position requires at least one year of relevant experience in data collection and analysis, as well as experience in formulating agricultural programs and marketing strategies. This experience is crucial for the candidate to understand the complexities of agricultural markets and to effectively support the mapping of farmers markets in Tanzania.

Languages:
The mandatory languages for this position are English and Swahili. A working knowledge of both languages is essential for effective communication with stakeholders and for conducting interviews and discussions. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not required.

Additional Notes:
This position is likely to be a full-time role, and candidates should be prepared to engage in fieldwork as part of their responsibilities. The role may involve working closely with various stakeholders, including local farmers and agricultural organizations, and may require flexibility in terms of working hours and locations. The FAO emphasizes the importance of teamwork, communication, and building effective relationships, which are core competencies expected from candidates.