National Specialist on sustainable value chain and ecosystem services

Organizational Setting

FAO is implementing a Global Environmental Facility project, jointly with IOM, UNICEF and UN Women, titled “Facilitating agrobiodiversity (ABD) conservation and sustainable use to promote food and nutritional resilience in Tajikistan”. The project objective is the Conservation, Sustainable Use and Securing of the national and globally significant agrobiodiversity and the associated knowledge and cultural aspects of traditional agro-ecosystems of Tajikistan. This encompasses the valuation and maintenance crop landraces, crop wild relatives and their associated knowledge and cultural methods within the traditional agro-ecosystems of Tajikistan.

The project supports building an evidence-based conservation planning approach that includes the production of inventories of diversity; mapping hotspots; the identification of stakeholders and the fostering of linkages between them. The project is organized into 3 components:

Component 1: Agrobiodiversity conservation and policy enhancement to benefit local communities; Component 2: Strengthening local community and breeding sector’s capacity to use the breadth of indigenous agrobiodiversity and ensure climate resilience; Component 3: Support policy development, knowledge management, improved financing and monitoring and evaluation.

The project is built on current initiatives and processes and involves several stakeholders, including farmers, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to assure its sustainability after the project is over. Furthermore, the project promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment by supporting women’s participation and decision-making capabilities; improving access to resources and technologies; and, creating financial opportunities for income-generating activities.

Reporting Lines

The National Specialist on sustainable value chain and ecosystem services will work under the overall supervision of the FAOR in Tajikistan, and under the technical guidance and supervision of the Project Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and National Technical Officer and/ or National Project Coordinator, and relevant technical and programme units in FAO Representation Office in Tajikistan, Sub-regional Office (SEC) and Regional (REU) and at Headquarters in Rome. He/She will co-operate closely with national counterparts, including local authorities (Hukumat/ Jamoat), local farmers and national consultants, as well as with local/ regional branches of Ministry of Agriculture, CoEP, Forest Agency, Protected Areas, and the joint PUNOs implemented this project.

Technical Focus

• Mapping of potential products to be included in the market studies conducted;

• Market studies conducted and the results validated with relevant stakeholders;

• Study on alternative market channels for ABD products conducted. Selection of value chains based on environmental and socio-economic sustainability criteria completed/ conducted;

• Social life cycle assessments (SLCAs) and life cycle sustainability assessments (LCSAs) of the selected value chains including ABD use indicators conducted;

• Selection of the six value chains completed to be supported based on the SLCA and LCSA results and assuring that at least two of them is focused on women only;

• Business plans for the selected value chains, including engagement of financial institutes, developed / scaled-up;

• 4 market studies (out of total of 8 Market studies) conducted. 1 Marketing campaign strategy developed. Mapping of potential channel markets for ABD products conducted.

Tasks and responsibilities

The National Specialist on sustainable value chain and ecosystem services will be responsible for the below mentioned: • Conduct mapping of potential products to be included in the market studies; • Conduct the market studies and validate the result with relevant stakeholders; • Conduct a study on alternative market channels for ABD products. Selection of value chains based on environmental and socio-economic sustainability criteria; • Conduct Social life cycle assessments (SLCAs) and life cycle sustainability assessments (LCSAs) of the selected value chains including ABD use indicators; • Select six value chains to be supported based on the SLCA and LCSA results and assuring that at least two of them is focused on women only; • Develop business plans for the selected value chain, including engagement of financial institutes;

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s of Bachelor’s degree(s) in economics, value-chains market research and mapping of marketable ADB, food crops and LR/CWR, agriculture (agrobiodiversity), natural resources management, endemic genetic resources (CWR, landrace, germplasm), or related fields. • A minimum of 5 years work experience in planning, coordination and implementation of value-chains market research and market studies of ADB diversity, including food crops and LRs on-farm and CWR genetic reserve; in training programme development and delivering professional trainings to local farmers and breeders in marketing improvements and market value-chains and business-plan development, etc.; • Working knowledge of Tajik and Russian, English is an asset; • National or Resident of Tajikistan.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Extent and relevance of experience in local economic development and marketing, assessment/ mapping analysis, planning and/or implementation of projects related to coordination and implementation of value-chains market research and market studies of ADB diversity, including food crops and LRs on-farm and CWR genetic reserve; develop training programme and deliver professional trainings to local farmers and breeders in marketing improvements and market value-chains and business-plan development, etc.; • Relevance of knowledge and experience in climate reliance and natural resources management (land, water, forest, pasture); and breeding and production of agrobiodiversity crop products/ food crops, on-farm and in wild landscapes. • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions within Tajikistan. • Understanding of FAO policies and programmes is considered an asset; • Proficiency in Tajik is an strong asset and an advantage.

Selection Criteria

• Prove professional education degree on economics, value-chains market research and mapping of marketable ADB, food crops and LR/CWR, in agriculture (agrobiodiversity), natural resources management, endemic genetic resources (CWR, landrace, germplasm), or related fields. • Demonstratable experience (5 years) in the planning, coordination and implementation of value-chains market research and market studies of ADB diversity, including food crops and LRs on-farm and CWR genetic reserve; develop training programme and deliver professional trainings to local farmers and breeders in marketing improvements and market value-chains and business-plan development, etc.; • Skills such as preparation of policy gap analysis, analytical and evidence-based reports/ technical assessment/ survey; • Experience on development of training programme and delivery training courses to local farmers on marketing, value-chains improvement and business planning development; • Knowledge on the project areas of intervention; • Excellent working knowledge of Excel/ Word and other software (PowerPoint, etc.). • Capacity for data collection and for information management system (database)/ exchange/ networking; • Analytical and report writing skills (including assessments, market research, market studies, value-chain); • Experience on Monitoring and Evaluation of plant breeding, crop pre-breeding, crossing of landraces with germplasm; etc. • Experience on value-chain market research and market studies on ABD diversity, including endemic LR/CWR.