Locust Information Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Plant Production and Protection Division (NSP) promotes the transition to sustainable crop production systems. It promotes an integrated approach for crop production policies and practices within the framework of sustainable food and agriculture and its underlying principles: increasing productivity and resource use efficiency, conservation and management of natural resources, enhancing resilience to climate change and improvement of livelihoods and governance.

The position is located within the Locusts and Transboundary Plant Pests and Diseases Team (NSPMD), one of the six teams in the Division. NSPMD provides advice, technical support and guidance to countries on the sustainable management and control of transboundary plant pests and diseases and locusts. The Team operates the FAO’s Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) that uses the latest geo-spatial technologies to monitor the weather, environmental conditions, and locust infestations on a daily basis and analyse a combination of field data from national survey and control teams, remote sensing imagery, and models.

Reporting Lines

The consultant will work under the direct technical guidance of the Senior Locust Forecasting Officer and overall supervision of the Senior Agricultural Officer, the NSPMD Team Leader.

Technical Focus

The Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS) within NSPMD Team operates FAO’s global Desert Locust early warning system to prevent devastating Desert Locust plagues. This service monitors daily weather, environmental conditions, and locust infestations to provide advice to affected countries for effective planning and implementation of monitoring and control operations and to the international community for the timely provision of assistance, especially during emergencies. Since its establishment, FAO has been the unique provider of these services throughout the world.

Desert Locust forecasting is a unique, niche subject that is not part of any university programme, as locust analysis and forecasting are not an exact science, much depends on intuition and experience. Instead, it is a learned on-the-job through a multi-year practical programme in order to obtain the necessary knowledge and experience on the relevant issues for making reliable and precise forecasts. A solid understanding and first-hand familiarity of the Desert Locust habitats and locust teams in each affected country is critical for success.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will be part of a team of technical specialists that manages transboundary plant pests and diseases through a combination of surveillance, early detection, forecasting, early warning, contingency planning, rapid response and promotion of environmentally sound management and control techniques.

The incumbent will be working directly with the Senior Locust Forecasting Officer to support the operation of the Desert Locust monitoring, early warning and forecasting systems, more specifically:

• Contribute to enhance the locust early warning, monitoring, forecasting and reporting systems; • Assist in analyzing locust, environmental, rainfall, meteorological, and remote sensing data using a custom geographic information system and Locust Data Cube; • Assist in facilitating coherent management of all Desert Locust reports received from affected countries; • Assist in timely preparation of accurate locust situation assessments, summaries, and forecasts as monthly bulletins, supplemented by updates, briefs, alerts, and warnings; • Liaise with FAO staff and national locust control units to improve data collection and reporting; • Carry out training programmes and undertake field missions to join national locust teams for familiarization of Desert Locust habitats; • Provide technical support to FAO field projects, including emergencies, as required; • Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in agriculture/agronomy, agriculture-related GIS, pest monitoring and early warning systems; or any related field to the above listed tasks; • A minimum of three years relevant experience in GIS, spatial analysis, plant pest modelling and prediction systems, pest reporting and management systems; • Working knowledge (level C) of English and limited knowledge (level B) of another UN Languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish). For PSA, knowledge of one FAO language level C is required.

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 • Extent and relevance of experience in locust biology and ecology and monitoring systems • Extent and relevance of experience in Geographical Information Systems, remote sensing, data analysis, pest modelling and forecasting • Familiarity with FAO’s Desert Locust Information Systems and previous working experience with FAO or other Locust management organizations are an asset • Limited knowledge of French is preferable.