AGRIBUSINESS SPECIALIST (PROJECT TEAM LEADER)

Organizational Setting:

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

Reporting Lines:

The Agribusiness Specialist (Project Team Leader) will be under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in the Philippines ad interim, the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) and in coordination with the Assistant FAO Representative (Administration), technical supervision of the Team Leader, Mindanao, Emergency Response and Preparedness Group (MERG), and with close collaboration with Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MAFAR - BARMM), Regional Economic Zone Authority (REZA-BARMM) and other relevant partners.

Technical Focus:

The project is aimed at establishing Marawi and Lanao del Sur as one of the agro-industrial cooperative zone in the Mindanao Development Corridors-Food Basket Cluster. It aims to contribute to rebuilding communities of Marawi and Lanao del Sur by supporting food supply chain, restoration of agricultural production in affected areas and reactivation of small and micro enterprises.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Agribusiness Specialist (Project Team Leader) will carry out the following tasks:

1. Develop various methodology and tools needed for a report which covers four (4) types of assessments that aims to:

1. Analyze of the key features of a suitable site for an Agricultural Economic Zone (AEZ).
2. Map of various suppliers, location and possible volume of production.
3. Analyze the problems and opportunities of the supply chain of the chosen commodity.
4. Analyze the present and future market situation.
5. Analyze and understand the relevant legal, policy and regulatory frameworks to identify bottlenecks that may be faced when establishing and operating the AEZ.
6. Highlight key incentive system that will encourage private sector investment in high risk areas.

2. Coordinate with relevant government agencies including, among others the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MAFAR - BARMM), Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism (MTIT), Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), , Regional Economic Zone Authority (REZA), private sector including buyers and traders, and various municipal and provincial Local Government Units (LGUs), , Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) sub-committee on business and livelihoods, and other key counterparts, to ensure coherent designing of programmes and interventions by all actors;
3. Assist in the identification of capacity building needs based on bottlenecks in the value chain.
4. Undertake consultations and workshops with relevant institutions including the private sector to agree on the appropriate enabling mechanisms and its implementation for the private sector investment in agribusiness ventures in post-conflict communities;
5. Coordinate the establishment and maintenance of functional and institutional linkages between implementing partners and concerned national and local agencies and stakeholders to obtain support during and after project implementation;
6. Identify successful methodology that can be replicated and additional strategies required in conducting future pre -feasiblity technical support study for other priority provinces of MinDA such as Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Norte including Zamboanga Peninsula;
7. Provide technical inputs to the MinDA team conducting integrated area development planning in priority local government units;
8. Establish a time-phased work plan in accordance with the project objectives, components, and deliverables within the framework of the project duration;
9. Facilitate active involvement of all partners in all aspects of work planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation;
10. Coordinate timely and efficient delivery of outputs, and regular monitoring and evaluation of project activities in conformity with the technical cooperation procedures of FAO;
11. Provide technical guidance to the service provider for setting up field activities and workshops;
12. Serve as ex-officio member of the Project Coordination Committee (PCC), and be responsible for organizing meetings and providing secretariat support to the PCC;
13. Coordinate timely submission of reports (progress and terminal reports), ensuring that these are of high professional standard, in accordance with FAO guidelines; and
14. Carry out any other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as may be requested by FAO.