IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
- 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 Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have jointly formulated the Project “Streamlining of good quality seed and planting material production, quality assurance and marketing system” to improve food security through increase productivity and production by using good quality seeds of major food crops and increase revenue through seed exports. The FAO TCP programme is looking for a national expert on seed production, extension, and training who is to be recruited under the project will be responsible for achieving project outputs. The consultant will have experience in the Agricultural sector of Sri Lanka with special attention to seed certification system, national seed production program, strong technical skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to achieve their goals. The consultant will also have valuable experience in program formulation and implementation and have a good understanding of M&E systems.
Reporting Lines
The incumbent will work under the overall management of the FAO Representative in Sri Lanka and under direct guidance and supervision of Assistant FAOR (Programme), with technical oversight from the FAO Regional Office Lead Technical Officer (LTO) as well as operational guidance of the International Consultant.
Technical Focus
The overall scope of the assignment will be to provide technical support to streamline the existing national seed certification system. The key areas of services are (a) Seed production (b Seed quality control (c) capacity building of producers (d) Seed distribution (e)operations through partnerships (f) market intelligence (g) program Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
Tasks and responsibilities
• Review existing system, identify gaps & challenges faced by the existing seed certification system;
• Conduct an analysis of the total seed production & requirement by different sectors of most widely cultivated crops by region for the local production systems (contact relevant stakeholders) and suggest a methodology;
• Conduct an analysis to identify potentials for upgrading the supply of locally developed hybrid seeds to the export market and identify technical needs and other facilities for multi-country seed production program to fulfil such global needs;
• Provide technical inputs for developing a comprehensive database and real-time updating mechanism to link all provincial level seed production stakeholders (central and provincial government, private, cooperate sector, farmer companies and/or cluster farmer groups) and to identify real time seed availability in the country;
• Provide technical inputs when necessary Training of stakeholders on improved seed certification, seed quality assurance system;
• Arrange and coordinate capacity building programmes and workshops;
• Assess progress of the projects periodically and report to the FAO;
• Give inputs on farmer/ producer group organization and ensure their smooth engagement in seed production;
• Familiarize him/herself with FAO’s corporate communication policy and operational guidelines to ensure mandatory coherence of all communication and information outputs;
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of FAO Style Guide in drafting documentation, without the need for continuous correction or oversight; and
• Keep the project budget holder and LTO/ supervisor informed of his/her work and findings. Upon finalizing his/her assignment, he/she will submit specified documents to the budget holder after addressing comments by the supervisor.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree/technical diploma/high school diploma in agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, plant breeding, seed science and technology, or a related field
• At least 10 years of experience in seed production, extension, and training, preferably in Sri Lanka or a similar context
• Working knowledge of English is required.
• National of Sri Lanka or a legal resident in the country with a valid work permit.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Experience in developing and implementing seed production and distribution strategies
• Knowledge of seed certification and quality control procedures
• Experience in providing technical assistance and training to farmers, extension workers, and other stakeholders
• Familiarity with the seed market and seed sector development in Sri Lanka
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.