Project Assistant (Digital platforms)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are 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.

Under the SIFAZ (GCP/ZAM/080/EC) project, FAO in Zambia has collaborated with the European Union, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) to implement a 7.5-year program on Sustainable Intensification of Smallholder Farming Systems in Zambia (SIFAZ). The project focuses on scaling up of sustainable food production and building resilience of food systems by smallholder farmers with an additional focus on climate change mitigation measures through building demonstrable synergies between research and promotion of appropriate sustainable agriculture intensification practices. As part of the activities for the SIFAZ project, adaptive research, agribusiness, and agronomy strategies are put in place to establish economically viable, cost effective and cooperative based business models and transfer knowledge and skills on SIPs to sustainably allow smallholder farmers adoption and continued practicing of the SIPs. Specifically, the research, agribusiness, and agronomy strategies of the SIFAZ project will achieve the following: • To facilitate organization of smallholder farmers into baby and mother farm level trails for testing socio-economic and agronomic performance of sustainable intensification practices technology packages. • To facilitate organization of smallholder farmers into effective groups that can effectively participate in selected farming value chains for selected crops and agriculturally based enterprises. • To facilitate smallholder farmer and community level availability and access to critical inputs for ensuring farmer practice of recommended SIP packages, reduction of yield gaps and climate change mitigation. • To facilitate effective partnerships between smallholder farmer groups and small to medium enterprises that undertake mechanization equipment and services input and output marketing for selected crops and services by smallholder farmers. • To facilitate smallholder farmers adoption of SIPs for sustainable intensification of crop production whilst at the same time improve and preserve the natural resource base.

Reporting Lines

The Project Assistant (Digital platforms) will work under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in Zambia and the Chief Technical Advisor (CTA) for the SIFAZ Project. They will directly report to Programme Specialist – Agricultural Extension. The incumbent will work in close collaboration with implementing partners from Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), NGOs, private sector, and relevant FAO technical units in FAO Zambia. Technical Focus The incumbent will support management of the e-extension activities and associated content within the project digital agriculture extension platforms. A particular focus of the incumbent will be day to day maintenance of all digital platforms especially the e-extension platforms under the project.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Up-to-date maintenance and updating of digital platforms with necessary content and troubleshoot any challenges to digital platforms. • Monitor the e-extension platform usage and collate all information and reports on stakeholder usage of the platforms. • The Programme Associate (Digital Platforms) will support implementation of the SIFAZ digital agriculture and e-extension strategies. Specifically, the incumbent will undertake the following activities: • Provide day-to-day maintenance and management of all digital platforms under the project involving mobile based applications, web-based applications, USSD and bulk SMS platforms. This includes liaising with all technical units under the project to collate appropriate content and ensure its timely upload and dissemination to targeted audiences. • Support routine monitoring of performance of all digital platforms, system health and identifying any troubleshooting needs to the any system. This includes liaising with appropriate service providers responsible for technical support to the project digital platforms to resolve any troubleshooting needs. • Support routine monitoring of stakeholder usage of all digital platforms under the project through in-bult system analytics and routine user surveys. This includes routine collation of all information and reports on stakeholder usage of the digital platforms and contribute such information into regular/periodic implementation progress reports, development of information products to support decision making during project progress review exercise and contribute to preparation of advocacy material under the project. • Participate in the synthesis of ecologically adapted research results on each recommended climate change mitigation practices, yield gap reduction practices, and SIPs technology packages. This will include generation of key agricultural extension messages for production of specific hard and electronic copies of the materials. • Participate in the development of content for the e-extension and digital platforms under the project. Such content to cover and recommended climate change mitigation measures and SIPs technology packages making them available for dissemination through e-extension platforms. This will include ensuring sustained and dissemination of digital and e-extension products through the project digital platforms. • Support the development of agricultural extension knowledge products, including analytical work and practical tools, related to the project digital agriculture strategy; support promotion of knowledge sharing and best practices at meetings and conferences, and interaction with national partners. • Support the engagement of national, provincial and district MoA extension departments to identify key digital agricultural extension capacity development needs, key milestones in digital extension delivery and farmer engagements, and systematic evaluation of the effectiveness and performance of recommended digital technologies and extension products generated and released under the project. • Perform any other related duties, as required for successful execution of SIFAZ digital agriculture strategy.

Minimum Requirements

Candidates should meet the following: • University degree in Computer Science, Demography, Agriculture, Natural Resource Management, Social Sciences or other fields related to the FAO mandate. • At least 2 years of relevant experience in digital platforms involving mobile based applications, web-based applications, USSD and bulk SMS platforms. • Working knowledge of English • National of Zambia

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

Please note that all candidates should possess computer/word-processing skills and should be capable of working with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. Candidates will be assessed against the following:

• Extent and relevance of experience in digital platforms involving mobile based applications, web-based applications, USSD and bulk SMS platforms. • Extent and relevance of experience working with private sector, NGOs, academic and government institutions in in digital platforms involving mobile based applications, web-based applications, USSD and bulk SMS platforms. • Level of communication skills, good writing skills including ability to write concise technical reports in English is a strong asset. • Familiarity with FAO and UN (in general) administrative, operational, and financial procedures is an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.