Organizational Setting
This position will work under the Government of Japan funded project titled “The project for “Enhancement of Livelihood Resilience in Rural Areas”” No. GCP/LAO/034/JPN. The Government of Japan has supported the successful first phase project to help most rural communities in Laos respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This project targets 48 villages in Luang Prabang and Oudomxay Provinces to contribute to poverty reduction, food and nutrition security and resilience of rural households in Lao PDR. They will receive Climate-Smart Villages approach measures, support for small- scale agribusiness, and critical productive infrastructure (such as small-scale irrigation, water harvesting, and flood and drought mitigation measures). Simultaneously, the project will strengthen the sustainable improvement of rural households’ incomes and livelihoods through climate-resilient, high-value agriculture and support infrastructure.
Reporting Lines
Under the functional supervision of the FAO Representative in Lao PDR, direct supervision of the International Project Coordinator, and in close collaboration with the technical and project assistant, the Agricultural Technical Support Specialist will undertake the following activities to ensure the smooth implementation of the project GCP/LAO/034/JPN:
Technical Focus
The Agriculture Technical Support Specialist will support the project team and an NGO recruited under the project GCP/LAO/034/JPN in designing and preparing activities for small-scale agribusiness. The specialist will provide expertise in agriculture, focusing on training manual development and capacity development programs implementation for beneficiaries. The specialist will work closely with the government partners and the NGO to ensure smooth output coordination.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Analyse strategies and support revision of technical guidance suggested by NGO.
• Assist in developing and maintaining strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including farmers, Producer Groups (PGs), District Agriculture and Forestry Office (DAFO), Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office (PAFO), and other relevant partners in close collaboration with Provincial and District Coordinators.
• Monitor project progress against established indicators and facilitate timely interventions when needed.
• Design and develop comprehensive agricultural training resources for home and community gardens, crop production, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), soil and water management, and post-harvest handling, including seasonal cultivation calendars tailored to local conditions, technical training materials incorporating best practices and short instructional training videos demonstrating proper techniques.
• Plan and execute capacity-building programs for smallholder farmers and farming communities, PG members and leaders, and government officials from DAFO and PAFO.
• Monitor and evaluate training effectiveness through pre/post assessments.
• Collaborate with the International Project Coordinator to prepare comprehensive technical reports adhering to FAO standards, develop project concept notes and briefing documents, ensure compliance with FAO administrative and financial regulations, and submit timely progress reports and documentation.
• Support and oversee data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
• Generate evidence-based success stories and case studies.
• Document and disseminate best practices and lessons learned.
• Develop content for project publications and promotional materials.
• Perform other duties when required.
FAO Standards and guidelines:
• Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
- FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en
- FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia
- Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en
- FAOSTYLE: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en
- FAO terminology: http://www.fao.org/faoterm
- FAO Names of Countries: https://www.fao.org/nocs/en
• Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff).
• Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• University degree in agriculture, environment, development, or a related field
• 7 years of relevant experience in developing and implementing in knowledge management, capacity development, training and/or curriculum development for the agricultural sector
• Full proficiency/Working knowledge of English
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Strong understanding of agriculture practices in the context of sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods
• Extent and relevance of experience in developing a training material and/or a handbook for vegetable production.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and report-writing skills.
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work in the agriculture sector.
• Extent and relevance of experience in working with various stakeholder to support project implementation and coordination.
• Proven experience in a multicultural environment.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
• Work experience in Lao PDR is desirable.
• Fluency (level C) in English and Japanese languages is considered a strong asset.