By continuing to browse this site, you agree to our use of cookies. Read our privacy policy

Consultant Agronomist, SSAP, Harare. 6 months contract duration

Zimbabwe

  • Organization: WFP - World Food Programme
  • Location: Zimbabwe
  • Grade: Consultancy - International Consultant - Internationally recruited Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Agriculture and Forestry
    • Food technology (Food tech)
  • Closing Date: Closed

.

WFP seeks candidates of the highest integrity and professionalism who share our humanitarian principles.

Selection of staff is made on a competitive basis, and we are committed to promoting diversity and gender balance.

ABOUT WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide.  The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes.  Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Zimbabwe has suffered a multi-sectoral crisis for over two decades due to various shocks and challenges. The types of shocks experienced consist of rapid and slow-onset shocks, emanating from natural climate change-related causes, global catastrophes and man-made problems. These have negatively impacted the country's resilience capacities on macro, meso and micro levels, permeating and affecting the capacities of the government, organisations, communities, households and individuals to operate effectively.

In 2018, the UN-WFP established an urban social assistance programme, with the aim of assisting vulnerable and food-insecure households in urban areas in Zimbabwe through multi-donor funding and multi-stakeholder cooperation. The urban programme was launched in response to the rapidly increasing food insecurity and poverty needs in urban areas. The changing nature and scope of poverty in urban areas meant that WFP’s assistance programme had to be adapted to the urban context to have a sustainable impact. The programme addresses the emergency food insecurity being experienced in urban areas through unconditional cash-based transfers to assist beneficiaries in meeting their immediate food security requirements. This humanitarian intervention is complemented by livelihoods development and resilience-building interventions designed to the build capacity of beneficiaries to be more resilient in dealing with shocks and stresses in the short to mid-term. It also enables the overall programme to work across the humanitarian-development nexus ensuring sustainability and maximizing the impact of our interventions, additionally, the WFP is looking after about 14000 refugees based at Tongogara Refugee Camp (TRC) located in the Chipangayi area of Chipinge District in Manicaland Province, some 550 kilometres south-east of Harare and approximately 80 km west of Chipinge town. Livelihood opportunities within the camp are very limited and as a result, refugees fully depend on WFP and partners for assistance in education, food, water, and sanitation, health care, basic and domestic items, in addition to receiving access to public services and assistance in compliance with community-based approaches. WFP is currently piloting hydroponics project in TRC. The hydroponics farming project is aimed at diversifying the dietary needs of the refugees by ensuring they have access to fresh vegetable crops, while generating possible income through the sale of produce to host communities. Through the hydroponics farming project, the refugees will be engaged in a livelihood activity, diversify their diet and earn extra incomes through sale of the extra vegetable crops.

JOB PURPOSE

Within the resilience building component, a number of value chains and innovations are being implemented and considered, which include hydroponics, youth economic empowerment projects, small livestock production and other high-tech solutions ,and additionally, WFP Zimbabwe CO intends to implement hydroponic farming projects that aims to enhance access to climate smart agriculture infrastructure through the installation of hydroponic farming systems under the Urban Programme and for the refugees in Tongogara Refugee Camp.

The Agronomist will work within the Programme Unit, and will report to the Urban Resilience Building Lead, to support the roll out of the resilience-building activities with a focus on development of urban and refugees agriculture, hydroponics, and agricultural value chains interventions.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)

Within the Programme Unit, the Consultant will be working under the direction and supervision of the Urban Resilience Building Officer. The Consultant will be required to:

Leading design of urban and refugees agriculture activities including hydroponics intervention.

Providing technical backstopping and advisory support to Field Offices and Cooperating Partners on roll-out of hydroponics technology.

Identification and vetting of hydroponics input and equipment suppliers.

Developing training material on hydroponics and urban agriculture for training communities.

Lead horticulture and livestock value chain functionality assessments.

Supporting capacity development of local authorities, and other stakeholders in hydroponics technology

Designing monitoring and evaluation framework for tracking hydroponics results and impact.

Documenting best practices and lessons learnt.

Working with national and district authorities to support urban agricultural policy development.

Supporting market assessments with reference to urban agriculture and value chains development work.

Support hydroponics initiatives at the Tongogara refugee camp

DELIVERABLES

The Consultant will work to deliver the following:

Task 1: Design and develop a hydroponics system suitable for urban context and within refugees set up in  Zimbabwe and formulate a strategy and plan of implementation.

Task 2: Conduct value chain analysis for urban resilience building livelihoods and initiatives

Task 3: establish supply chain networks for effective hydroponics production and marketing

Task 4: Develop capacity of resilience building project committees in hydroponics technology

Task 5: Develop trainer/learner modules for the hydroponics technology

Task 6: Provide technical advice and expertise in policy development and knowledge transfer in urban

Task 7: Support urban resilience project

Task 8: Support hydroponics initiatives at the Tongogara refugee Camp

STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

  • Minimum of a Master’s degree in Agronomy, Agriculture Economy, Agribusiness or similar.
  • At least 1 year post graduate experience in hydroponics technology design and implementation.
  • Sound understanding of the local agricultural context, smallholder farmers, and agricultural value chains.
  • Experience in developing training material and conducting trainings on agricultural best practices for government stakeholders and communities.
  • Strong communication and inter-personal skills.
  • Fluency in both oral and written communication in English language and in at least one local language.

DESIRED EXPERIENCES FOR ENTRY INTO THE ROLE

• Has gained experience in implementing technical programs (i.e. nutrition, etc.).
• Has implemented programmes and provided input into designing operations.
• Has provided input into policy discussions and decisions.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

WFP offers a competitive compensation package which will be determined by the contract type and selected candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Suitable candidates are requested to submit their application attaching a signed application letter, recent Curriculum Vitae (CV) together with an updated Personal History form (P11) showing name, address, email and telephone numbers of three professional referees. 

The position is open to nationals of Zimbabwe ONLY.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the recruitment processes.

THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME DOES NOT CHARGE ANY FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS

Applications should be received by 20 June 2021.

.

Female applicants who are qualified are especially encouraged to apply.

WFP has zero tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of HIV/AIDS status or disability.

No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.

This vacancy is now closed.
However, we have found similar vacancies for you: