Digital Agriculture Specialist

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) aims to be the go-to place for investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, CFI provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO members. It partners with governments, international financing institutions, national and international organizations, the private sector, research institutions, academia and producer organizations to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre’s four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge more widely and position the Centre as a trusted voice on investment and finance.

CFI is a multidisciplinary centre comprising the Director’s office, which leads on strategy and business development, knowledge management, communication and administration, and five regional services: Asia and the Pacific; Near East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia; West and Central Africa; East and Southern Africa; and Latin America and the Caribbean.

Reporting Lines

The Digital Agriculture Specialist will work under the overall technical supervision of the Service Chief and the direct supervision of a CFI Officer, in close collaboration with the FAO Representation in the relevant country of assignment.

Technical Focus

Provision of analytical and technical support on digital agriculture aspects for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of investment policies, strategies, programmes and projects in food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing.

Tasks and responsibilities

• Participate in, and eventually lead, multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives with focus on digital technologies.
• Produce assessments of readiness or maturity of agricultural sectors for digital transformation, based on the presence of digital building blocks, and the suitability of the regulatory and incentive frameworks.
• Contribute to activities centred on digital technologies for the development of food systems, food security, poverty reduction, improved use of natural resources and climate change adaptation and mitigation, as part of the design, implementation support and evaluation of agriculture development projects.
• Provide technical expertise on digital technologies to a wide range of activities, including for the review of FAO strategies, projects, studies, and policies.
• Prepare documents in accordance with FAO, government and financing partners’ requirements.
• Advise on task organization, selection of consultants, and preparation of terms of reference and in ensuring the quality of outputs.
• Formulate and deliver capacity development strategies and activities with a focus on digital technologies, to government staff, non-state actors and private sector organizations.
• Establish, promote and maintain relationships with relevant FAO Technical Units and Decentralised Offices, advising on the use of digital technologies for the development of food systems, food security, poverty reduction, improved use of natural resources and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
• Perform other related duties as required.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• University degree in economics, agricultural economics, natural resources economics, agribusiness management, communication or a closely related field.
• At least 1 year of relevant experience in the practical application of digital solutions for development issues, including analytical studies, and/or in the formulation and implementation of digital agriculture strategies in developing countries and/or countries in transition.
• Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian (for consultants). Working knowledge of English, French, Spanish, Arabic or Russian (for PSAs).

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in technical fields related to digital technologies applied to food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing improvement in the context of small-scale agriculture.
• Extent and relevance of experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of agricultural investment and finance support solutions, with focus on digital technologies.
• Extent and relevance of experience in elaborating digital agriculture strategies and advising on the use of digital technologies for agriculture development.
• Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other partner IFIs.
• Extent of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investments.
• Demonstrated experience in dealing with government officials, development partners and other country stakeholders.
• Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English.

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency