National Lead Consultant and Business Incubator Lead

Organizational Setting

The mandate of FAO in Jamaica, Belize and Bahamas is to support national efforts to promote food security and sustainable development. In doing so, FAO works closely with the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Education. Recently, FAO has begun to expand its partnership to include other ministries to reflect its focus on food security and nutrition. Its beneficiaries have also been expanded to include urban and peri-urban populations.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Country Representative for Jamaica, Bahamas, and Belize (FAOR), the National Financial and Operational Assistant FAOJAM in close coordination with the Assistant FAOR Program (AFAOR P) will support the FAOR to carry out the Technical Cooperation Projects (TCP) 2020-2021 Biennium in Jamaica, Belize, and Bahamas. The Program/Operational Unit of FAOJAM has approved three TCPs on this biennium and would need to plan and execute its Annual Procurement Plan the projects in Jamaica, Belize and Bahamas to deliver effective and efficiently the expected process and its outputs.

Technical Focus

The National Lead Consultant and Business Incubator Coordinator will support the FAO Representative and the Assistant FAO Representative Program deliver the expected Outputs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the TCP JAM Technical Assistance “Inclusive and Resilient Agri-Food System in Rural and Peri-Urban Territories of Kingston”

Tasks and responsibilities

The National Lead Consultant will lead the implementation of TCP and duties will include the following:

Value chain analysis and GIS system upgrade:

• Lead at least five value chain assessments analysis of targeted segments of the food system with special consideration for significant participation of – small farmers and livestock producers, and fisher folks
• Develop a practical guide for agriculture value chain analysis and develop local capacity to use it to carry out the aforementioned five value chain assessments.

Capacity building of RADA Extension Services in different training methodologies to improve the productivity and sustainability of small-holder farms:

• Facilitate the sourcing, identifying and contracting of a Farmer Field School [FFS] subject matter expert and practitioners

• Oversee the FFS subject matter expert conduct of training needs and capability assessments of RADA and targeted farmers and the development of appropriate training curricula and materials.

• Support the FFS subject matter experts implement TOT FFS workshop for MOAF and key partner personnel.

Capacity building of RADA in rural business development:

• Develop in collaboration with the project task force to include the other national consultants a strategy for financing approved business plans.

Technical assistance for a policy and governance framework that sustainably integrates the outputs from the incubator programme and other local food production into the national school feeding programme:

• Support the functioning of the joint working group on school feeding with the participation of MOAF, MOEYI, Ministry of Health and wellness [MOHW], and participating Universities and Colleges;
• Oversee the development of a policy/plan on integrating output from the incubator programme and local food production into a sustainable national school feeding programme.
  • An assessment of the operation of the current Sustainable School Feeding Model piloted, which uses the public purchasing of local food from small farmers for nationwide up-scaling, completed;
  • Support the identification and selection of proper national service providers to facilitate the process of developing the program/policy/plan;
  • Support for the development and implementation of a Communication Plan with lessons learnt and successful cases;
  • Support the development of a National Plan that systematizes the experience of the project to consolidate and expand the model across the country;
  • A funding proposal with a particular focus on South-South Cooperation, to support scaling up and expansion elsewhere, developed and presented to resource partners (IFAD, IDB, and others).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in agribusiness management, agriculture economics, or related degree.
• At least seven [7] years of relevant professional experience in agriculture value chain analysis and micro-business development .
• Experience in entrepreneurship, business planning and agricultural policy development would be an asset
• Understanding of and experience in the development and implementation of projects related to rural development, agri-business and food security management system
• Ability to communicate effectively in English.
• Nationality of Jamaica or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Prior demonstrated relevant experience designing projects and programs in particular those related to rural development
• Previous work with an international organization or UN organization preferred
• Experience in leading interdisciplinary teams
• Good documentation, record keeping and report-writing skills