FOREST FOOD VALUE CHAIN SPECIALIST (FIELD)

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. As nutrition starts with what we eat, the products of the food and agriculture sector; transforming our food systems, on the way we produce, collect, store, transport, transform and distribute foods can improve our diets.

FAO collaborates with Governments to strengthen food systems for healthier diets, to improve nutrition, health and our impact on natural resources. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

FAO is working with the Government of Zambia on a Technical Assistance to the Scaling Up Nutrition Programme in Zambia project under the SUN Phase II program. The program is jointly funded by UK-AID/FDCO, SIDA, KfW and the EU in 17 districts of Zambia through UNICEF. Leveraging complementary technical assistance from other UN agencies, UNICEF has a UN-to-UN cooperation agreement with FAO.

The SUN phase II FAO programme component will contribute to the reduction of malnutrition in pregnant and breast-feeding women and children under two (2) years of age through improvements in dietary diversity and quality. FAO’s project outcome is a Sustained demand, utilization and consumption of agriculture and forest foods.

More specifically, the project is structured around the delivery of four interconnected outputs:

• Output 1: Access to diversified, nutritious food improved
• Output 2: Sustainable production, processing, value addition and marketing of non-wood forest products for dietary diversity and income generation
• Output 3: Food safety and diet quality enhanced
• Output 4: Generation of nutrition information to monitor, prioritize and adapt interventions

Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of the FAOR, direct supervision of the National Coordinator – Nutrition and the technical guidance of the LTO and relevant technical units in FAO and in close collaboration with the Nutrition Specialist, National Project Coordinator (NPC) of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Forest food value Chain-Consultant will perform the following tasks:

Technical focus:
Nutrition education, nutrition sensitive agriculture and food systems, behaviour change communications, food security and food safety.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent, through his/her work, will contribute to implementation of the project activities among which include:

FIELD RESPONSIBILITIES FOR WESTERN AND NORTH-WESTERN PROVINCES:
• In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Forestry Department and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, provide technical support to the sector activities relating to FAO technical support under the SUN II program in seven districts in Western and North-western provinces
• Liaise with the local NGOs and the DNCC to ensure the implementation of nutrition sensitive agricultural activities relating to FAO technical support to SUN II in the two provinces
• In consultation with the SUN II Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, carry out monitoring and evaluation of SUN II activities in the assigned provinces
• In consultation with the Communications Specialist, collaborate with the district and provincial level media organisation to communicate information relating to FAO technical support to SUN II
• Represent FAO in district and provincial level SUNII partners meeting in the assigned provinces
• Write a monthly progress report relating to FAO technical support to SUN II in the two provinces
• Provide weekly updates on the project implementation during the SUN II team weekly meetings

TECHNICAL LEAD TO FOREST FOOD VALUE CHAIN COMPONENT OF THE SUN II PROJECT:
• Support project implementation and coordinate outputs 2 related to Non Forest Wood Products liaising with the Nutrition Specialist and the National Coordinator
• Support the Department of Forestry and social partners to implement the Non Forest Wood Product project component.
• Support the establishment and management NWFP enterprises
• Promote sustainable collection and processing of wild Fruits such as Masuku, Tamarind, Baobab, Mungongo oil/Nut,
• Promote utilization of highly nutritious essential Oils/by products from forestry such as Baobab, Palm oils, Mungongo oil/Nut, devil’s craw, soaps
• Working in collaboration with the nutrition officer, promote collection and processing of indigenous vegetables/Mushrooms such as Hibiscus/Mundambi, mushrooms of many varieties, amaranths hybridus
• Promote sustainable production practices in food production (such as conservation agriculture, climate smart agriculture, sustainable intensification practices) by targeted beneficiaries and
• Working in collaboration with the nutrition officer, promote appropriate processing techniques to improving nutrition status for Agriculture and Forestry products during harvesting, preservation and processing for consumption

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• An undergraduate degree or Master’s degree in Forestry/Agroforestry/Siviculture or any other related field
• Five (5) relevant progressive experience working in Forestry/Agroforestry plus demonstrated Knowledge and experience in the area of business development services (BDS) market development approach including value chain development (VCD).
• Knowledge of nutrition is an added advantage
• National of Zambia.

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

Technical/Functional Skills
• Ability to work independently and under minimum supervision and to cope with conflicting agendas;
• Result-oriented approach;
• Excellent analytical and synthesis capacities;
• Experience in capacity building and training, an asset

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION