STUDY SPECIALIST (AGRO-ECONOMIST/NATURAL RESOURCES ECONOMIST)

Home Based - May require travel

Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Location: Home Based - May require travel
Grade: Level not specified - Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
- Economics
- Environment
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Scientist and Researcher
- RNERD
Closing Date: Closed

IMPORTANT NOTICE\: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on your personal device date and time settings

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FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender and nationality

People with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

The incumbent may be re-assigned to different activities and/or duty stations

depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

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Organizational Setting

Unites Nations Agenda 2030 for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires a ‘transformational’ change in managing strategic resources as water, land and energy. Following this path, countries in the NENA region need to strategically plan their water resources management and allocation, review their water, food security and energy policies, formulate effective investment plans, modernize governance and institutions, account for transboundary surface and ground water and adopt good and innovative practices to ensure alignment with the imperatives.

As part of these efforts, FAO is implementing with the financial support from the Swedish International Development (SIDA), the project “Implementing the 2030 Agenda for water efficiency/productivity and water sustainability in NENA countries”, which intends to empower technically, institutionally and at the policy level countries in the NENA region to implement their water sustainability, food security, renewable energy and climate resilient agenda in order to achieve the water-related SDG by 2030. Overall, the project is expected to achieve improved food security in the NENA region through increased incomes and production, efficient and sustainable use water resources, and mitigation of climate change effects given the reduction in the agriculture carbon footprint.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall responsibility of the FAO Regional Representative for Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE), the consultant reports to the SIDA Project Chief Technical Advisor and works under the technical supervision of the Regional Agro-Industry Officer. He/she collaborates with the project’s national and international teams, as well as other technical officers in HQ and RNE.

Technical Focus

The consultant is expected to contribute to a regional study that will analyze the relationship between water productivity along the different functions of the value chain, the levels of food loss and waste (FLW), and capacity for value-addition through agro-processing as a way to increase the economic returns to the use of limited water resources in target countries. The specific objectives of the study are to\:

Estimate the quantity of water used in different post-production functions of the target value chains and assess its impact on economic productivity of water;
Assess the levels of FLW along the target value chains as well as their causes and contribution to the reduction of the economic productivity of water;
Conduct a thorough analysis of the market, infrastructure, knowledge of value chain actors and available post-harvest technologies in order to evaluate the capacity for value addition in different parts of the target value chains and to understand how value addition along the value chain can contribute to the increase of economic productivity of water.

Tasks and responsibilities

Against this background and under the guidance and orientation of the FAO-RNE Agro-Industry Officer and the CTA of the SIDA project, the Consultant is expected to\:

Lead the finalization of the study concept note and develop the study’s methodology which will guide the data collection and analysis (data on FLW; value addition potential along the value chain; and water use along the value chain);
Define, according to the methodology, the data needed to be collected in each country and lead the development of the data collection tools (surveys, qualitative questionnaires, etc.) according to the areas of data collection. The tools should cover the quantification of water used along the value chain, the levels of FLW, and potential for value addition along the value chain;
Guide and train as needed the teams of national and international consultants involved in the study and define their Terms of Reference for recruitment;
Facilitate workshops to launch the study at country level (present the approach, expected outputs and methodology);
In collaboration with the project team, train country teams on the proposed methodology, data collection, analysis, and reporting;
Lead the consolidation of study databases, the analysis of the data in light of the study’s TORs and the outline defined in the beginning of the process;
Lead the drafting of the study document, and facilitate a process for receiving feedback from different professionals involved in the study in the countries and from FAO experts;
Conduct a two-day consultation workshop for the five countries to discuss and reach consensus on the results and recommendations of the study;
Provide other types of pertinent support for project activities as needed.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Advanced university degree in agricultural economics, development economics, natural resources economics, agriculture, or related field. PhD preferred;
12 years of relevant experience in development work, and minimum of 10 years of experience in economic and analysis and the evaluation of agricultural policies;
Excellent knowledge skills in English (written and spoken); Working knowledge of Arabic is preferred,

FAO Core Competencies