Agricultural Engineer

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 Agricultural Engineer will be under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative ad interim, the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), and technical guidance of the Team Leader of the Mindanao and Emergency Response & Preparedness Group (MERG) and the Project Team Leader.

Technical Focus:

FAO has been implementing various projects in Mindanao, which are guided by the FAO Mindanao Strategic Programme for Agriculture/Agribusiness (MSPAA), which is in line with the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP, 2015). One of the projects being implemented in Mindanao supported by the Government of South Korea is the project entitled “Support to Agriculture and Agribusiness Enterprises in Mindanao for Sustainable Development”. The overall objective of the Project is to contribute to the attainment of sustainable peace and development and inclusive growth in Mindanao through support to the improvement of agriculture and fisheries-based livelihoods, and accelerated agriculture-based enterprises.

Tasks and responsibilities

Specifically, the Agricultural Engineer will carry out the following tasks:

1. Based on the training needs assessment of beneficiaries, prepare a training plan/module for farm machinery operation and management including repair (troubleshooting) and maintenance in support to crop production covering the whole duration of the project, in line with the cropping season and within the framework of improving farming and rural livelihoods of target beneficiaries;
2. Serve as resource person and/or facilitator in various farm machinery operation and maintenance trainings;
3. Prepare a manual on developing mechanization service providers to promote agricultural mechanization entrepreneurs in target areas;
4. Facilitate coordination with Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) - Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR), Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office XII, DA Agricultural Training Institute (DA-ATI), Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), other key government agencies, local state universities and farm schools in the conduct of relevant farm machinery trainings including post-harvest and processing skills trainings;
5. In coordination with PhilMech and TESDA, facilitate the conduct of Farmer Mechanic Training Programme and establishment of Community-based Small Farm Engine Repair and Maintenance Service Center for beneficiary - Community-based Organizations (CBOs) of small farm machineries and equipment;
6. In consultation with partner Community-based Organizations, formulate detailed criteria for selection of participants to the Farmer Mechanic Training Programme and establishment of Community-based Small Farm Engine Repair and Maintenance Service Center;
7. Prepare the technical specification of inputs (small farm machineries) for technical clearance;
8. Prepare and submit progress reports mentioning activities undertaken (e.g. training materials and documents, farm machinery and maintenance trainings conducted, list of beneficiaries in each municipality, problems encountered if any, etc.);
9. Prepare and submit an end-of-assignment report; and
10. Carry out any other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as may be requested by FAO.