Pasture Specialist

Overview

Support project activities in pasture management and climate change adaptation.

You have:

• A university degree in Agriculture or Environmental or a related field is required.
• At least 8 years of experience in agriculture or agricultural project management including sustainable rangeland management.
• At least 5 years of experience with projects concerning Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF).
• Excellent writing and communication skills in Russian and Kyrgyz. English is an asset.
• National or Resident of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Organizational Setting

The main aim of FAO Country Office, 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. FAO Kyrgyzstan assists the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to develop policies, programmes and projects to address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. FAO participates in the development and implementation of field projects in the sectors of food security, agriculture and rural development. This requires the integration within the broader framework of sustainable food and agriculture that aims at increasing production and productivity, addressing climate change, and managing natural resources; and enhance rural livelihoods.

In this context, the FAO is implementing in collaboration with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the GCF- funded project “Carbon Sequestration through Climate Investment in Forests and Rangelands (CS-FOR)” (GCP/KYR/020/GCF). Project activities are aligned to the immediate needs, as well as longer term development challenges associated with Agenda 2030 and beyond. The project objective is to increase carbon sequestration through supporting climate investments in forests and rangelands and through reducing drivers of degradation and emissions via institutional support, participatory ecosystem-based sustainable management of natural resources and green growth investments. This assignment will contribute to project objective, such as to contribute to the development of a low carbon-emission and climate-resilient economy, while capitalizing important co-benefits from adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Reporting Lines

The Pasture Specialist provides support to the project under the general supervision of the FAO Representative for Kyrgyzstan and the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative in the Kyrgyz Republic and National Project Coordinator.

Technical Focus

Natural resource management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, economics, value chains development.

Tasks and responsibilities

- Facilitates organization of consultation workshops at district and regional levels to reach both women and men, including vulnerable groups (such as female-headed households, low-income families, unemployed); - Supervises and coordinates the organization of the regular gender-responsive public awareness session on Pasture management together with communication assistant; - Facilitates the process of community mobilization, establishment of Community Landscape Management Groups (CLMG) and assistance in the preparation of recommendations for the formation Integrated natural resources management and climate resilient plans (INRMCRP); - Provides technical assistance on integrating climate change issues into management plans; - Assists in attracting private sector’s participation in rangelands development; - Provides technical advice for project activities for increasing the understanding and awareness on roles of SFM/SLM, climate-friendly agriculture and sustainable pasture management with the aim to increase carbon sequestration. (Output 2.1); - Supports project partners in community mobilization and training for 50 aiyl aymaks (municipalities) and their communities; - Supervises and coordinates provision of the technical assistance to the Pasture Department on climate-sensitive pasture management, assessment and monitoring, and conduct INRMCRP assessment and monitoring; - Prepares and implements a training program for the leadership responsible for the management of natural resources and in particular pastures addressing gender gaps; - Assists project partners in conducting ToTs on pasture rotation and evidence-based rangeland M&E to local cadres as well as ToTs on INRMCRP management; - Assists project partner in strengthening CLMGs’ capacities to implement INRMCRPs on rangeland management; - Actively engages in development and execution of INRMCRP pasture investment plans for catalyzing green investment in rangeland rehabilitation and livestock production; - Supervises and coordinate all activities for promoting and demonstrating climate-sensitive pasture management and rehabilitation of rangeland resources; - Provides professional input to integrated forest and pasture management, to help resolve user conflicts and to achieve SLM; - Provides technical advice on sustainable pasture management in pilot areas using best practices and lessons learnt, generated by former projects; - Together with the NPC maintains regular contact with the Pasture Department of the Ministry of Agriculture KR and other partner on project implementation issues of their respective competence; - Guides the work of consultants and subcontractors and oversee compliance with the agreed work plan in the field of pasture management; - Ensures adherence to the project’s work plan, prepare revisions of the work plan, if required; - Undertakes any other actions related to the project as requested by FAO or the National Project Coordinator; - Provides progress report regularly and contribute to elaborating the overall reporting process of the CS-FOR project;

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

- A university degree in Agriculture or Environmental or a related field is required. - At least 8 years of experience in agriculture or agricultural project management including sustainable rangeland management; - At least 5 years of experience with projects concerning Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF); - Excellent writing and communication skills in Russian and Kyrgyz. English is an asset. - National or Resident of the Kyrgyz Republic.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/ Functional skills

- Excellent communication and inter-personnel skills. - Strong knowledge of agriculture and pasture management issues in Kyrgyzstan, including the political, institutional and socio-economic aspects; - Knowledge of ecosystem functions in agro-ecosystems, climate change adaptation issues and improved land management and rehabilitation techniques; - Strong knowledge and experience on best practices that increase vegetative cover and soil fertility, reduce soil degradation, and avoid greenhouse gas emissions; - Working knowledge with knowledge exchange platforms like WOCAT; - Experience in preparing gender-responsive strategies, programs and projects at the national or sectoral levels; - Working experience with ministries, national institutions, NGOs and agricultural sector on national and local level in Kyrgyzstan; - Ability to effectively coordinate large-scale project activities involving stakeholders on various levels; - Strong drafting, presentation and reporting skills; - Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search; - Excellent writing and communication skills in Russian and Kyrgyz. English is an asset; - Ability to solve problems and the ability to make effective and timely decisions in crisis situations.

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Potential interview questions

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