Agriculture Resilience Specialist

Organizational Setting:

For more than four decades, FAO has been working with the Government of the Philippines, civil society, community-based organizations and the private sector to address challenges in the agriculture, fisheries and forestry sector. Joint efforts have included increasing sustainability in agricultural production, promoting value-adding practices, improving post-harvest management, enhancing productivity and increasing the resilience of agriculture-based livelihoods to natural disasters, climatic hazards and armed conflict.

Reporting Lines:

The Agriculture Resilience Specialist will be under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative in the Philippines ad interim, direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), day to day guidance of the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management and Climate Change Adaptation Specialist, and working in close coordination with the TCP/PHI/3803/C3 Project Team, the Technical Assessment Team of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Agriculture Resilience Specialist will be senior expert on climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (CCA-DRR) management.

Technical Focus:

Philippines Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) of 1997 has mandated the Department of Agriculture (DA) to formulate an Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Plan (AFMP) to develop the agriculture and fisheries sector and meet the country goals on food security, poverty alleviation, social equity, income enhancement and profitability, global competitiveness, and sustainability. In August 2019, the DA Secretary William Dar introduced the “New Thinking for Agriculture” as the Department’s strategy to achieve a food secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk. This strategy includes 8 paradigms: 1) modernization of agriculture, 2) industrialization of agriculture, 3) promotion of exports, 4) consolidation of small and medium, 5) infrastructure development, 6) roadmap development, 7) higher budget and investments, 8) legislative support. Anchored on this new strategy, the DA has initiated the formulation of the National Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization and Industrialization Plan (NAFMIP) 2020-2025 with the technical assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). NAFMIP will represent a segment of the long-term efforts in support of the thrusts and priorities set in the Ambisyon Natin 2040 and more immediately the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022, Chapter 8 on “Expanding Economic Opportunities in Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries”.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Agriculture Resilience Specialist will serve as the senior expert on the integration of climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (CCA-DRR) in the NAFMIP 2020-2025 to improve the resilience of the agriculture and fisheries sector.

The Agriculture Resilience Specialist will carry out the following tasks:

1. Lead in the preparation of an assessment report reviewing the plan and program implementation performance, in the national and regional levels, in terms of the relevant frameworks, objectives, strategies, and institutional arrangements in the current AFMP vis-à-vis CCA-DRR agenda and strategy for agriculture-fisheries;
2. Lead in the formulation of possible enhancement in the above frameworks, objectives, strategies, and institutional arrangements, in consultation with the DA Climate Resilient Agriculture Office, DA units, other national government agencies, private sector groups, farmers and fisherfolk organizations, and LGUs;
3. Lead in obtaining for the TA team relevant updated data and information on climate change, disaster risk reduction, and resilience, from within DA, and outside DA including but not limited to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Climate Change Commission, and the Department of Science and Technology – PAGASA;
4. Review and provide expert feedback on the different NAFMIP component plans and their adherence to CCA-DRR agenda and strategy and over-all impact on resilience of the agri-fisheries sector;
5. Lead in the writing of sections or sub-sections of the NAFMIP or component plans, integrating CCA-DRR concerns, as designated by DA;
6. Prepare presentation materials for various meetings, consultations, workshops;
7. Perform other tasks relevant to the technical specialization as deemed necessary by the project

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• The candidate must have Advance University degree in environmental science, environmental management, environmental planning, ecology, or related CCA-DRR fields
• At least eight (8) years experience in planning and implementing CCA-DRR interventions
• A national of the Philippines

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Updated knowledge on CCA-DRR issues and concerns in the agriculture and fishery sector and Familiar with international best practices and standards and benchmarks in CCA-DRR.
• General knowledge and skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Language requirement: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English