Agricultural Officer (Plant Production and Protection)

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO Country Offices is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

FAO Representation in Equatorial Guinea operates under the Liaison and Partnership model. The current country programming framework (CPF) for Equatorial Guinea covers the five years period from 2019 to 2023 and includes two strategic priorities:

1: Improving the productivity of the agricultural sector in order to strengthen food and nutrition security

2: Improving the protection of the environment, forests and sustainable management of natural resources

FAO is implementing a Unilateral Trust Fund (UTF) Project in Equatorial Guinea aimed to strengthening the agricultural extension service due to the needs of updated trainings for new extension techniques, including participatory and inter-sectoral learning and decision-making approaches, which cover crop management needs, as well as family economy with emphasis on the priorities and needs of actors in the rural sector. Based on the learning-in-action approach, the project aims to promote research and development of innovation and agricultural extension services in Equatorial Guinea for the benefit of farmers in ten (10) prioritized municipalities

This position is located in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

Reporting Lines

The Agricultural Officer (Plant Production and Protection) reports to FAO Representative in Equatorial Guinea. S/he will work closely with the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) and the Agriculture Officer on the Subregional Office for Central Africa and in coordination with the Assistant FAO Representative (Administration). and overall with FAO Representation team of consultants and counterparts at local level.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will perform activities related to rural extension, crop production and protection, farmer group organization and capacity development under the Field Farmer School (FFS) methodology. He/she mainly contribute to the country's programme and portfolio by providing leadership in the management of rural extension methodologies, plant productions and protections related activities.

Key Results

Analytical and database/web services to support programme projects, products and services, including technical service provision and project cycle follow-up.

Key Functions

• Analyses relevant technical social, economic, environmental, and technology information, data and/or statistics for input in various documents related to technical focus;

• Maintains records and updates databases and web pages;

• Provides technical support to various projects;

• Collaborates in the development of training tools and materials and the organization of workshops/seminars etc.;

• Participates in the organization and follow-up of meetings, consultations and conferences, the production of required materials and the provision of information and assistance to partners.

Specific Functions

• Provides technical advice to government counterparts in the field of rural extension and agricultural innovation with special focus on Field Farmer School methodology (FFS);

• Supports inter-institutional coordination with actors at national and local level providing technical leadership and building relationships with key actors of the agricultural sector;

• Participates in advocacy-related activities with actors at national and local level to scale-up rural extension methodologies (e.g. FFS) into public policy cycle;

• Participates in meetings with agriculture technical team at country office and liaises with sub-regional, regional and headquarter officials as necessary;

• Support national counterparts in developing technical documents on the field of plant production and protection, rural extension and agricultural innovation;

• Monitors and reviews project activites in compliance with corporate procedures for project life cycle, including accountability and outreaching activities;

• Supports to the country office the organization of field missions, from the technical point of view;

• Supports country office efforts on identifying resource mobilization opportunities for the agricultural sector.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agriculture, agroecologist rural sociology, rural development, or related fields;

• One year of relevant experience in rural extension and crop management including experience on field farmer school (FFS) methodology;

• Working knowledge of Spanish and limited knowledge of English.

Competencies

• Results Focus

• Teamwork

• Communication

• Building Effective Relationships

• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable;

• Extent and relevance of experience in delivering technical assistance in agriculture extension and rural extension methodologies particularly under the Field Farmer School (FFS);

• Extent and relevance of experience in good agriculture practices and agroecologist techniques for crop management; short cycle tropical climate crops;

• Exposure to human rights-based approach and gender perspective issues are considered a strong asset;

• Limited knowledge of French is considered an asset.