Digital Villages Community Mobilizer

Organizational Setting

Recognizing the opportunities, but also the potential risks, offered by ICT for accelerating agricultural and rural development, in January 2021 FAO launched the Digital Villages Initiative (DVI) with the ambitious goal to convert at least 1000 villages around the world into Digital Villages. With DVI, FAO is supporting a digital rural transformation process to address agrifood systems’ challenges and improve the livelihoods and resilience of rural communities. ICT is seen as an accelerator that can contribute to the realization of the enormous value of rural areas in many ways – from increasing agricultural productivity to enabling a more holistic digital rural transformation that allows better access to services, markets, networks, critical knowledge, information, and financial opportunities for rural communities.

Following its launch, the Digital Villages Initiative is being piloted in several countries, including Uzbekistan through the Flexible-Multipartner-Mechanism project “Piloting Digital Villages in Central Asia” project. In Uzbekistan, FAO is joining forces with the “Smart Farming for the Future Generation” project to mobilize the youth and rural communities in the co-creation of smart farming technologies. Two villages in Ferghana valley and Andijan region have been pre-selected to engage in a Digital Village transformation process. Hence, FAO is looking for a Community Mobilizer, who will be responsible for mobilizing and empowering up to two target communities to transform into Digital Villages.

Reporting Lines

The Digital Villages Community Mobilizer will work under the overall supervision of the Assistant FAOR of Uzbekistan, the-day-to-day coordination of the Digital Agriculture Specialist, and in close collaboration with the project team.

Technical Focus

Provision of operational, analytical and technical support for the implementation of the FMM project ‘’Piloting Digital Villages in Central Asia’’ that employs a community-led and digitally enabled approach to rural development. The incumbent(s) will contribute to the implementation of FAO’s Strategic Framework linked mainly to Digital Agriculture (BP5).

The Digital Villages Community Mobilizer will be responsible for assisting in mobilizing and empowering up to two target communities to transform into Digital Villages. The role involves helping digital agriculture expert to build strong relationships with community leaders and community members, especially youth, women, elderlies and those involved in the agriculture sector. It also involves assissting icoordination, capacity development and overall ensuring effective community engagement.

The Community Mobilizer is expected to travel across the Ferghana valley (Ferghana and Andijan region), to spend 2 days on average a week with the rural communities, as well as to follow project activities that involve external partners and their coordination.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Support the overall implementation of the “Piloting Digital Villages in Central Asia” project by mobilizing rural communities, and working closely with partners, the FAO country office and the FAO regional office; • In close cooperation with Digital Agriculture Specialist, help assess the social structure of the selected villages, identify vulnerable groups, active members and opinion leaders of the community; • Help identify level of digital literacy, gaps and needs of the selected rural communities through active communication and interaction with various community representatives, including youth, women, religious leaders, farmers and producers; • Assist in organization of interviews and focus groups with community leaders and community members and participate in the development of a DVI Roadmap for digital rural transformation of the selected village; • Assist in cooperation with selected service provider(s) to implement project tasks, ensure that service provider takes into consideration the needs of the rural community(ies) in the implementation of activities, monitor the progress of tasks and the results of cooperation; • Support young people from the village(s) in the replication of smart IoT devices and other innovations; • Visit selected village(s) for at least two days a week, contributing actively to the implementation of the project, help recognize social changes that occurred due to project development and mitigate potential risks to project implementation; • Support the cooperation with nearby rural communities and potentially a selected international community (twinning) • Support the organization of events, workshops and trainings; • Support collection of content about the ongoing project, by surveying the beneficiaries, taking pictures of the activities implemented, monitor and record ongoing work with communities; • Engage with members of the community via local channels, including messenger groups; • Any other duty as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Educational background in agriculture, agronomy, economics, international development, sociology, public policy, computer science or a related field. • At least 3 years-experience in community mobilization in rural context, facilitating capacity building activities, project implementation • Uzbek mother tongue. Working knowledge of English (Proficient, Level C) and/or Russian (Proficient, Level C) • National or holder of a valid work permit in Uzbekistan. Resident in Ferghana valley.

FAO Core 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 community mobilization and participatory approaches to development, preferably with a focus on agriculture, digitalization and rural development. • Extent and relevance of experience in the implementation of projects for agriculture and rural development. • Demonstrated experience in dealing with and working closely and directly with rural communities. • Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English. • Excellent communication skills. • Strong knowledge of the Ferghana valley context, ability to identify the needs of rural communities, as well as cultural awareness is essential. • Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. • Experience with software development and technologies applied in agriculture is a strong advantage. • Enthusiastic about making a difference.