Lead Post-Harvest Consultant

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Suriname and FAO have partnered since the country joined the Organization in 1975. Over the past decade, FAO technical assistance has spanned the agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry subsectors, primarily focusing on priorities laid down in Suriname’s Agriculture Sector Plan. Suriname has made positive strides towards food security and, in 2014, the country was declared one of the top four Caribbean nations to have achieved the MDG target for hunger eradication.

FAO has been identified by the Government of Suriname as implementation partner for a project on harvest and post-harvest practices on the basis of its comparative advantage and technical expertise in agriculture development in Suriname working with both public and private sector and having specific competences related to food safety and certification, business development and productive alliances.

Reporting Lines

The Lead Technical Consultant reports to the FAO Representative to Suriname and the FAO Lead Technical Officer.

Technical Focus

Overall project guidance and reporting, and primary responsibility for technical inputs of the project TCP/SUR/3702-Support for the reduction of postharvest losses in yard long beans, papaya and other commodities in Suriname.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Brief the country teams on the objectives and details of the project.
• Review reports of project Reduction of Post-Harvest Losses along the Food Chain in the CARICOM Sub-region (TCP/SLC/3404); including Action Plan 2018 for the Reduction of Postharvest Losses of Papaya and Yard Long Beans.
• Review all pertinent documentation prepared under the Suriname Agriculture Market Access Project (SAMAP) (including the Fruit and Vegetables Value Chain and End Markets Report, Dec 2018; the synopsis of the farmers’ field surveys; Report on the GAP Workshop;
• Hold virtual meetings with the lead national consultant, the SAMAP Team and the NPPO and work in collaboration with the national team to:
  • Develop perspective on the current status of – production, harvest, post-harvest treatment facilities, fresh markets, supermarkets – and obtain data and information on prospective market size and quality requirements for local and export markets if needed to supplement that of the aforementioned reports.
  • Develop a detailed work plan (in collaboration with national counterparts, the SAMAP Team and the NPPO) that can be remotely monitored and backstopped.
  • In collaboration and consultation with national counterparts and stakeholders, visit project sites, develop a comprehensive action plan for the implementation of pilot activities.
  • In consultation with national counterparts determine commodities and identify/select the specific supply chains and the geographical areas in Suriname to be addressed.
  • Identification of Critical Loss Points (CLPs) for the postharvest handling systems for each selected crop.
  • Prepare and finalise the list of equipment for purchase. Discuss with the project country team, including the NPPO arrangements for the installation of larger items of equipment – e.g. hot water treatment facilities to be procured under the project.
  • Develop training agendas/ identify profile of trainees/ execute training to different categories of trainees.
  • Implement pilot activities in collaboration with national counterparts; compile results of the pilot activities implemented and present at stakeholder workshops.
  • Visit project sites and observe progress in adopting improved practices.
  • Advise on amendments and facilitate stakeholders in implementing activities to improve efficiency, reduce costs and losses.
  • Evaluate and assess failures and determine the contributing factors and propose strategies to overcome these hurdles.
  • Conduct a final review and assessment of the overall uptake of post-harvest interventions.
  • Document successes accomplished and their contributing factors.
  • Provide guidance to other project consultants.
  • Present findings and outcomes to the final national workshop
  • Help review project overall accomplishments and draw up conclusions and recommendations.
  • Assist in preparing the projects terminal statement/report.
  • Within two weeks of completing each mission, prepare and submit a mission report that describes activities undertaken, findings, recommendations and follow up. Submit this report along with the draft terminal statement.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum requirements

• A master’s degree in post-harvest handling, or in a related discipline.
• At least 10 years experience working in the field of post-harvest management in the Caribbean.
• Working knowledge of English.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Establishing Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical Functional/Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Good interpersonal communication, report writing and computing skills.
• Good interpersonal communication, report writing and computing skills
• Ability to work independently.

Selection Criteria

• The candidate must be familiar with post-harvest handling of a broad spectrum of perishable commodities, be familiar with, and have used the FAO food loss analysis methodology and have a track record of professional work experience in post-harvest handling and report writing, including at least 10 years experience working in the field of post-harvest management.