Sustainable Food Security Officer

Details

Mission and objectives

The Resident Coordinator’s Office supports the work of the UN Resident Coordinator and coordinates activities of the UN Country Team in its engagement with the Government as defined by the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). Kenya is currently implementing UNDAF 2018 – 2022, which is the medium-term results framework that describes the response of the UN system to national development priorities. UNDAF describes how the UN country team will contribute to the achievement of development results based on a common country analysis and the UN comparative advantage. The Resident Coordinator is leading and strategically positioning the United Nations country team in Kenya to respond to the current national priorities, mainly to Kenya’s Vision 2030, Medium-Term Plan III and the Big Four Agenda. The Office has five core functions: Strategic Planning Economics Partnerships and development finance Data and results management and reporting Communications and advocacy

Context

In Kenya, the SDG Partnership Platform (SDGPP) brings together development partners, private sector and philanthropy players as well as both National and devolved levels of Government by taking on a leadership role in facilitation, coordination and demonstration of how public and private collaborations can effectively translate the SDGs into action and thereby guide unlocking of new SDG financing and driving impact around the SDGs. Amidst the current transition from SDG funding to financing, the SDGPP has developed a broad positioning and credibility on convening, connecting and catalyzing SDG Partnerships, Investments and Financing and co-created wide ranging associate platforms and networks with private sector partners. In leading the execution of this process, SDGPP relies on its technical expertise, that of other UN agencies and SDGPP partners and co-created platforms, including the Finance, Trade and Investments Network (FINTRINET), and the National Advisory Board for Impact Investments (NAB), in best practice and knowledge generation as well as program execution. Further, due to the myriad of untapped opportunities within green/climate financing gaining more and more impetus in recent times against the formidable challenges of the climate crisis, SDGPP sets out to further concretise on these opportunities across varied actors and financing tools. This is particularly a priority for the Kenyan Government and the Outcomes from the Food Systems Summit held in 2021 to transform the way the world produces, consumes and thinks about foods within the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to meet the challenges of poverty, food security, malnutrition, population growth, climate change, and sustainable management of natural resources (for agriculture, forestry and fishery). The Specialist UNV will support the SDGPP (particularly Window 2) in its work to facilitate the realisation of the Food System Summit outcomes in Kenya and the wider food value chain challenge as well as sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishery with sustainable management of natural resources. The five action areas under the FSS Outcomes include (1) Nourish All People; (2) Boost Nature-based Solutions; (3) Advance Equitable Livelihoods, Decent Work and Empowered Communities; (4) Build Resilience to Vulnerabilities, Shocks and Stresses; and (5) Accelerating the Means of Implementation. The UN Volunteer will work with all relevant UN entities, private sector and government. By the placement in the SDGPP in the RCO under the RC’s overall leadership the UN Volunteer position will be strategically placed to impact all 27 UN agencies, funds and programmes operating in Kenya plus a wider range of stakeholders in driving overall agri systems to achieve climate-friendly and environmentally sound food production and access to safe and nutritious food.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Coordinator of the SDG Partnership Platform, and working especially with relevant SDGPP thematic window coordinators, but also with the SDG MPTF Secretariat and the overall RCO team, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks: - Identification of funding, financing, and partnership opportunities (including management of a dashboard) in green/climate financing with a particular focus on opportunities relevant to SDGPP and the UNSDCF on Food and Nutrition Security for the realisation of the Food Systems Summit outcomes in Kenya and sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishery with sustainable management of natural resources. - Support the development of capacities and systems (such as joint UN programmes in relevant areas, explore joint funding, explore the private sector investment possibilities in Kenya etc) in the UN RCO team and the UNCT through the SDG Partnership Platform. This will include mapping out, identifying and successfully applying for resources to Food and Nutrition Security for the realisation of the Food Systems Summit outcomes in Kenya and sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishery with sustainable management of natural resources as required within the country context and the needs of the UN in Kenya. - Support the overall partnerships work of the Platform, incl. emerging partnerships in the further evolution of the Platform in alignment and support for the UNSDCF. - Technical assistance to projects, e.g., evaluating business plans and feasibility studies, ESIAs, financial modelling, risk assessments, and sector studies. - Capacity development, e.g., organizing country-level workshops, advisory consulting, knowledge management. - Support other tasks at SDGPP as directed by the Platform Coordinator. The UN Volunteer may be required to travel to conferences and workshops related to the position and is also expected to contribute to the overall work done by the SDGPP and the RCO as need be to realise the objectives of the UNSDCF.