National Legal Consultant – Food Loss and Waste

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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

The "Reduction of Food Loss and Waste in the SEC Countries Project (GCP/SEC/015/TUR) “ aims to assist recipient countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) in developing national strategies, action plans and legislation for reducing food loss and waste (FLW), aligned with relevant national policies, legislation and context, and based on the FLW management hierarchy. The project will focus on implementing the key actions of the FLW reduction strategy, both at the policy and technical levels. It will target all subsectors of the food system, from farmers to consumers. Stakeholders involved in this project will include public sector (ministries, extension services), private sector (farmers, retailers and HORECA), civil sector (local CSOs) and household consumers.

It is expected that the project will contribute to the recipient countries to reduce the levels of FLW and improve the options for recovery, redistribution and recycling of FLW, and to do this, establish a favourable regulatory and policy framework. In light of this, one of the project's main activities is to analyze national legislation and policies related to FLW prevention and management.

This analysis will determine whether there is a legal basis for the prevention and secondary use of FLW, including food recovery and redistribution; if there are gaps; whether the current framework favours or, on the contrary, prevents FLW management systems/mechanisms.

Based on the analysis of legislation and policies and the results of the 'project's other activities, it will become clear which model or range of measures are to be applied at the national level and where, in legislation and policies, adjustments are needed. Subsequently, policy and regulatory frameworks and processes will be strengthened, including in the area of food recovery and redistribution.

Reporting Lines

The National Legal Consultant will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for Central Asia (SRC, SEC), the technical supervision of FAO-REU's Agro-Industry Officer and FAO-HQ’s LEGN Legal Officer, the operational guidance from SEC Field Programme Unit, and in close cooperation with FAO-REU’s Food Safety and Consumer Protection Officer and the relevant national authorities, as well as other international and nation-al consultants.

Technical Focus

1/ An analysis of the main national legislation and policies related to FLW.

At least the following regulatory and policy areas will be examined: waste management and prevention; food quality, safety and hygiene; labelling; official controls; social services and poverty reduction, and taxation.

The purpose of the analysis will be to understand how and where FLW is regulated in the country (is there a dedicated legal instrument, or range of instruments, in this respect?). This information will serve as a basis for identifying and recommending favourable mechanisms facilitating food waste management processes in the country’s policy and regulatory framework, including the separation of waste at source, the recovery and redistribution of food surpluses from food businesses to vulnerable groups, recycling (including composting and energy recovery) and the safe disposal of waste.

2/ Support strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks and processes.

The project aims to help beneficiary countries integrate FLW into their existing relevant national strategies (on agricultural development, food security, environmental protection and climate change mitigation, etc.), as well as support the establishment at national level of legislation and policies conducive to FLW management actions.

To this end, the consultant will identify the main legal texts and policy documents, where key inputs on FLW may be incorporated, and will draft proposals for legislative amendments to create a favourable framework.

Tasks and responsibilities

The consultant will perform the following tasks.

1. Analysis of the main national legislation and policies related to FLW

1. Agree on the scope, focus and methodological approach to the review of the policies and legislation.
2. Identify, review and analyse national legislation and policies related to FLW prevention and management as well as their current status.
3. Familiarize with the legislation and soft law documents relevant for food losses and waste in the EU in general and in EU countries in particular (e.g. France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, etc.), as well as with other international regulations and guidelines.
4. Prepare a report including (i) an assessment of national policies; (ii) an analysis of national legislation: (iii) concrete recommendations on how to create an environment favourable to the management of FLW in order to prevent at source, minimize waste throughout the chain, and ultimately minimize its disposal in landfills (introduction of specific regulations, and/or the revision of primary legislation).
5. The report and its recommendations will have to be validated by FAO.

2. Support strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks and processes

1. Identify the main policy documents, where FAO will propose, in close coordination with the government, the integration of FLW activities and indicators. For this task, it will be important to inform FAO of the status of the policy (due to revision, revision in progress, calendar when suggestions for amendments are possible, date of approval by government and parliament, etc.).
2. Draft proposals for legal amendments based on the analysis of legislation (cf. task 1). Group them in one report.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced university degree in Law
• Five years of relevant experience in legal analysis and research
• Proficiency in Russian; working knowledge of English would be an asset.
• National of Turkmenistan or resident in the country with a regular work permit

FAO Core Competencies

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

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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.