National Farmer Field School and Climate Change Specialist

Overview

Implement FFS approach modules for climate change adaptation in Jordan.

You have:

• Advance degree in environmental, agriculture, agriculture extension, climate change adaptation in agricultural.
• 7 years of working experience including at least 5 years of demonstrable experience in FFS approach and FFS module development in climate smart agriculture, water use efficiency in agriculture and water footprint of crop production.
• Working knowledge (C1) of Arabic and English.
• National of Jordan or a legal resident in the country.

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing the Project entitled “Building Resilience to Cope with Climate Change in Jordan (BRCCJ)”, The goal of the seven-year project is increased climate resilient sustainable development in the country. Towards this aim, the project combines infrastructure development and natural resources management with principles of local capital formation at the community level. The project will have three interrelated components, which will work synergistically to address key barriers and enhance the impact of project investments. The components are designed to deal with the lack of infrastructure, limited capacity of rural farming households and weak institutional capacity. They include (i) Component 1: Climate Resilient Water Systems; (ii) Component 2: Climate Change resilience for Enhanced Livelihoods and Food Security; and (iii) Component 3: Scaling-up climate adaptation. Coherently with identified lesson learned in Jordan as well as with the GCF Gender guidelines, the project builds on the idea of inclusion of women as change agents for climate adaptation.

The project will be executed jointly by FAO, UNDP, Ministry of Environment (MoE), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and Ministry of Water and Irrigation (MWI) indicating the strong collaborative and partnership approach which will be adopted during the implementation of the project. The project will capitalise on the strong experience and convening power that both FAO and UNDP have established in the country.

This assignment is under the Project’s Component Two and will involve tasks under Activity 2.1.1.2 “Design appropriate modules for climate smart FFS” This is an FAO-led activity in close coordination with MOA. The project will use the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach across entire cropping seasons. Through the FFS, the project will introduce techniques, seed varieties and crops that improve drought tolerance and water efficiency including a range of horticulture and cereal crops. The project will also organise FFS around water efficient irrigation technologies such as sprinkler systems, drip irrigation and subsurface irrigation systems. Six FFS modules and 2-year implementation plan will be developed by the team (of an International Consultant on FFS and Climate change and National Specialist on FFS and climate change) to conduct the FFS in a participatory manner in 2024 and repeated in 2027 in collaboration with MOA and local farmers.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the CTA and the direct technical guidance of the International Consultant on FFS and Climate Change, the National Specialist on FFS and Climate Change will implement the required tasks in close consultation with the Agronomist and Climate Adaptation Specialist, the Ministry of Agriculture extension staff and local farmers both men and women.

Technical Focus

• Agricultural, FFS approach, agriculture extension, technology transfer, climate change adaptation, environmental, watershed management, rural development, and water management. • Water conservation and collection structures and measures. • TOT experience in FFS within the scope of climate change, water management, water use efficiency, water footprint of crop production.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will be mainly involved in implementing tasks under activity 2.1.1.2 as directed by the International Consultant on FFS and Climate Change. The assignment will involve the following tasks:

Task 1: Validate the set of topics of the various FFS modules and implementation plans • Based on extensive fieldwork, consultations with farmers and MoA and local experience validate the set of topics provided regarding the various FFS modules, develop lessons’ plans, determine the training duration and the inputs required, and develop the training material and the implementation plan of the various modules, in collaboration with the international consultant of FFS and climate change. • Based on consultations, fieldwork and local experience and in collaboration with the International Consultant of FFS and Climate Change, provide substantive input into the draft report on the validation of the modules relevant for climate change adaptation and the cropping patterns in the selected areas, including development of lessons’ plans, training duration and the inputs required, training material and the implementation plan appropriate to Jordanian farmer’s capacity and situations of the various modules

Task 2: Support the consultations with relevant stakeholders in targeted governorates regarding the FFS modules and plans: • Support the Int Consultant FFS and CC in consultations with local extension staff of MoA and local farmers (both women and men). These will involve field visits to the four governorates of Madaba, Karak, Tafileh and Ma’an, in order to integrate stakeholder’s feedback. PMU team will accompany the consultants to guarantee the representation of FAO in front of external stakeholders and partners during this mission • Support the Int Consultant FFS and CC in consultations with MoA, the regional/governorate extension staff and the local farmers (men and women) to identify and agree on the most relevant topics of the modules, location of trainings, duration, timing, and frequency. The feedback of the farmers, including 50% women, will be considered during the consultation phase. • Together with the Int Consultant FFS and CC will integrate the comments compiled from the consultation phase to develop the final cleared report in task 1.

Task 3: Develop FFS plan and modules: • Provide substantive input to the development of the six FFS modules and a two-year implementation plan in collaboration with the International Consultant for FFS and Climate Change. • Review the translated version of the plan and modules.

Task 4: Report on progress on a monthly basis: • Provide substantive input – especially focused on field work to determine local feasibility of FFS modules to monthly progress report to the PMU team and CTA (4 reports).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advance degree in environmental, agriculture, agriculture extension, climate change adaptation in agricultural. • (7) years of working experience of which at least 5 years of demonstrable experience in fields related to FFS approach and FFS module development in climate smart agriculture, water use efficiency in agriculture and water footprint of crop production. • Working knowledge (C1) of Arabic and English. • National of Jordan or a legal resident in the country.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Ability to work in close collaboration with a group of national and international experts, to meet strict deadlines and plan the work according to priorities. • Demonstrated capacity to plan, organize, and execute effectively. • Initiative, good analytical skills, mature judgment and ability to work under tight schedule while respecting deadlines achievement. • Good understanding of Jordanian culture and context

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Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: fao.org