Sustainable Land Management Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC) and FAO are implementing the project Mainstreaming Sustainable Land Development and Management in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. The project aims at establishing an enabling environment for promoting sustainable and climate-resilient land development, management and reclamation in support of Guyana’ s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) through activities working at (i) streamlining policy, regulation and governance; (ii) developing institutional and human capacities; and (iii) strengthening local governance in the 3 regions where project is implemented. Implemented at three levels – national, regional and local- the Sustainable Land Development and Management (SLDM) is designed to create enabling legal and policy frameworks informed by policy feedback loops nurtured with ground reality and inclusive participation.

Reporting Lines

Based in the Project Management Unit Office in GLSC, the Sustainable Land Management Specialist will work under the overall managerial administrative leadership and supervision of the FAO Representative in Guyana, direct technical supervision by the SLDM project Chief Technical Advisor, in close collaboration with the project’s team, the Geospatial Unit in the Land and Water Division (NSL) at FAO, GLSC and other team members, and under the overall technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and the concerned task force members.

Technical Focus

The main tasks of the consultant/PSA will be to provide technical advisory services and manage the on-the-ground implementation of land reclamation/ restoration or related tasks to support Sustainable Land Management. This will be done in consultation with national agencies and relevant stakeholders to ensure the implementation of an integrated approach to planning and sustainable land management within the context of the SLDM project.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Compile GLSC and FAO datasets, land use and development plans, guidelines for environmental and agricultural planning, past research in land use /catchment planning and territorial development approaches, sustainable land management and restoration research in Guyana;
• Prepare technical guidance approach and document in support to participatory land/territorial diagnostic methodology and planning process;
• Identifying priority land areas for land restoration, sustainable land management and information for land use planning and SLMR, that takes into account existing data, indicators, participatory land/territorial planning;
• Implement diagnostic assessments processes in 2 or 3 targeted regions by:
  • Facilitating a public awareness and multi-stakeholder dialogue (event on the objectives of the pilot exercise and site/landscape selection at target sites) and interviews and a consultative process with local decision makers and potential partners, using questionnaires and focus group discussions, on recent land use trends and on experiences in land planning, sectoral support measures, and “best” management practices (sustainability, cost effectiveness, resilience to climate change, accessibility, as well as knowledge of policy and regulations)
  • Developing a decision support strategy and action plan based on priority uses for sustainable management and land reclamation/ restoration taking into account current trends, drivers of change and trade-offs between different land use /management options and identify required technical support and conflict resolution, funding and other incentive mechanisms for its implementation
• Provide diagnostic and participatory mapping of land use/soil type and degradation processes (status, trends, drivers and impacts), such as soil erosion, nutrient and pH imbalance, salinization, land mining, contamination and climate change impacts - sea-water intrusion, drought and flooding, etc.
• Conduct a participatory evaluation and selection of the most effective SLM best practices (to prevent, reduce and restore) for the main land use systems and land users (typology).
• Prepare a minimum set of indicators and methods/tools to assess and monitor impacts of land management and development interventions at parcel & landscape level in line with LDN and REDD targets, Guyana Low Carbon and SDG targets, and a set of (at least 6 SLMR practices) practical Technical guides on SLMR practices to address specific degradation problems in three (3) target Regions;
• Advise on contract (s) for service providers to execute on-the-ground land reclamation/ restoration and related measures (built on SLM knowledge bases, local innovations, scientific advances and lessons learned from previous interventions), and promote adoption by land users and communities of adapted SLM practices;
• Monitor, supervise and submit periodic reports of all service provider(s) contracted to implement restoration/reclamation or related activities on degraded lands, pilot activities in targeted regions;
• Prepare training materials and conduct training activities on integrated approach for baseline information, land use planning, decision support and practical guide on SLMR;
• Enhance capacities of local stakeholders/actors on participatory diagnostic and planning process through training of trainers;
• Report on the strengthened capacity for promoting territorial approaches for scaling up of proven SLM practices and rehabilitation measures with assessments of available knowledge and know‐how, capacity development needs of service providers identified in target landscapes and districts to select, adapt and promote resilient SLM and Restoration measures, for the implementation of an integrated approach combining LDN, LADA, WOCAT, AEZ, Land Tenure, land suitability analysis and Open Foris;
• Based on the lessons learnt during land reclamation/ restoration or related activities, provide revised land and territorial planning guidelines and decision support system for SLMR based on the feedback from stakeholders and a technical and policy peer review process, with representatives of GLSC land policy board and experts from the key institutions dealing with land (GFC, GGMC, Ministries, regional authorities, academia etc.).

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in a discipline relevant to sustainable land management, natural resources management, agronomy, soil and water conservation and related areas;
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in land planning and sustainable land management;
• Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of Spanish (for consultants), Working knowledge of English only (for PSA).

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work;
• Extent and relevance of experience in soil and water resources planning, land management and rehabilitation with particular emphasis on developing countries and knowledge of the Caribbean context including Guyana;
• Extent and relevance of experience of technical assistance provision to field projects in undertaking diagnostic field studies and developing land plans for land/ soil management and rehabilitation;
• Experience in organizing workshops, consultations, awareness, technical meetings and learning events and in consensual participatory approaches;
• Proven ability to work in multidisciplinary team and including multiple partners;
• Proven ability to redact clear and concise technical reports.