Training/Community Development Specialist

FAO’s approach to development assistance in Mindanao focuses on supporting the rehabilitation of agriculture and fisheries-based livelihoods, accelerating agriculture-based enterprises and increasing access to sustainable energy, and resilience to risk in municipalities affected by natural disasters and conflict. FAO interventions will include, among others\:

• Introduction of various productivity enhancing technologies to improve household incomes and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

• Technical assistance to government in reviewing existing policies that promote equitable agribusiness venture arrangements between farmers and agribusiness firms and capacity building activities for farmers that are anchored on the value chain approach.

• Capacity building on enterprise development and agribusiness that will allow farmers, fisherfolk and local government units to maximize potential market opportunities.

• Restoring and increasing the productivity of agriculture and fisheries-based livelihoods of smallholder farmers and marginalized fishers, decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and their families
Enhancing the competitiveness of farm households, particularly women, to establish and manage microenterprises

• Facilitating the establishment of agribusiness enterprises with production-market contract agreements or similar arrangements

The Training/Community Development Specialist will be under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in the Philippines, general supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), the direct supervision of the Project Team Leader and in collaboration with the Mindanao and Emergency Response and Preparedness Group Leader and relevant partners. The Training/Community Development Specialist will work closely in close consultation with other project staff and consultants, in close collaboration with project implementing partners and National Government Agencies and Local Government Units (LGUs), NGOs, and Community-Based Organizations directly concerned with implementation of the project

Technical Focus

FAO has been implementing various projects in Mindanao which are guided by the FAO Mindanao Strategic Programme for Agriculture/Agribusiness and an emergency/rehabilitation project for Marawi City and other affected municipalities.

The Training/Community Development Specialist will be responsible for the following tasks\:

• Assist the Project Team Leader in establishing a time-phased project work plan, in line with cropping season and within the framework of establishing farming and rural livelihoods of target beneficiaries covering the whole duration of the project;
• Review project training needs, work plans and timelines under the project;
• Prepare the overall training implementation plan, integrated in the project implementation plan (PIP);
• Identify and compile, alongside relevant technical colleagues, appropriate training materials and methodologies for the project;
• Provide technical guidance and support to relevant BARMM agencies based on technical expertise;
• In coordination with implementing partners, service providers and relevant entities, prepare Training Plan with detailed training programme for each of the identified training courses, including training coverage, duration, venue, target beneficiaries, resource persons/institutions, training details, and estimated budget requirement, among others;
• Organize approved training courses in coordination with implementing partners, beneficiaries and training providers using the most appropriate tools (e.g., training-of-trainers [ToT] and farmer/fisher-field-school [FFS]) for adult learners, such as target farmer beneficiaries and government staff;
• Serve as resource person and/or facilitator during the conduct of training courses;
• Provide training and guidance in the conduct of ToT on climate-smart agriculture (CSA) FFS for government staff;
• Assist in identifying service providers among technical institutions/centres, government partners and agencies, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), private sectors, and individual experts who can conduct identified training courses;
• Carry out any other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as may be requested by FAO.

• Advanced University degree in agriculture, preferably agronomy or farming systems.
• Practical experience of at least five years in the design and development of training modules and implementation within the framework of restoring farming and rural livelihoods.
• Must have a good experience in participative training and extension methodologies and gender issues, and a good knowledge of the local agriculture production systems, particularly those that are suitable under Central Mindanao conditions. Must be familiar with the local rural setting in Central Mindanao and Bangsamoro areas;
• Language requirement\: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Tagalog
• General knowledge and skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point).
• A national of Philippines

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

• Must be familiar with the local rural setting in Central Mindanao and Bangsamoro areas;
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team is of importance as is the ability to take leadership when appropriate;

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.