Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Specialist

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FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
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Qualified female applicants and qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member countries are encouraged to apply.

Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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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 and Food Supply Chain 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).

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 and Food Supply Chain Specialist will provide expert inputs focusing on the efficient production, storage, processing, and flow of goods and services in an agricultural supply chain during periods of normalcy and emergency.

The Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Specialist will carry out the following tasks:

1. Lead in the conduct of an assessment of supply chain, infrastructure and transport conditions, constraints, and requirements (supply-demand gaps) of the Philippines to transform particular agriculture and fishery areas into modern, high-income agro-industrial hubs (i.e., "transformative growth centers") competitive in domestic and global trade;
2. Lead in the conduct of an assessment on transport and logistics analysis focusing on flagship sub-sectors/ commodities;
3. Lead in the identification of policy and operational measures (PAPs, including "food security corridors") to ensure unimpeded flow of goods and services at all times, differentiating between basic goods/ services and non-basic, perishable vs. non-perishable commodities, using an integrative spatial framework;
4. Develop procedures and criteria for prioritizing infrastructure and transport gaps, in line with agreed local strategic and spatial frameworks, in collaboration with the Budget and Investments Programming Expert (ADB TA Team);
5. Recommend green infrastructure, transport and logistics policies, strategies and PAPs to achieve inclusive and sustainable agro-industrial development within the plan period, in collaboration with the Policy, Trade and Regulations Expert (ADB TA Team);
6. Lead in the writing of sections of the NAFMIP or component plans, integrating above technical inputs, as designated by DA;
7. Prepare presentation materials for various meetings, consultations, workshops;
8. 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 Advanced University degree in agriculture, engineering, economics, environmental planning, or related fields
• At least twelve (12) years’ experience in infrastructure, transport and logistics planning and budgeting in agriculture and fisheries.
• A national of the Philippines

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• General knowledge and skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Firm grasp of current supply chain, infrastructure, transport, and logistics issues, concerns and potentials in Philippine agriculture and fisheries.
• Preferably familiar with relevant international standards and benchmarks in infrastructure, transport, and logistics.
• Language requirement: Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Tagalog

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