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.
FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
FAO India is currently implementing the ‘Promotion of Sustainable Food Systems in India through Transforming Rice-Wheat Systems’ Project under the GEF-7 cycle. This five-year project focuses on four states - Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. The project will: 1) result in major global environmental benefits in terms of reduced land degradation, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions; 2) provide the country with win-win benefits in terms of improvements in the environmental sustainability of food systems and the income and resilience of farmers, and; 3) generate additional benefits for other food system stakeholders such as improved access to safe and healthy food and to employment opportunities. The project is aligned with the global objectives of the Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration (FOLUR) Impact Program, contributing to integrated landscape management and sustainable food systems transformation in India.
The project Mid Term Review (MTR):
The project is at the mid-point of its planned implementation duration and is now required to conduct a Mid-Term Review (MTR).
The objectives of the MTR are to assess the progress made in achieving the project objectives and results set out in the project document, to analyse early signs of success or failure, and to identify any changes needed to bring the project back on track and achieve the desired results.
The FAO Guide for planning and conducting mid-term reviews of FAO-GEF projects and programmes (2020) provides the corporate guidance on planning, formulating, and conducting the mid-term reviews (MTRs) of projects and programmes implemented by FAO that have received grant financing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund. It describes the requirements at various stages of the MTR process and clarifies the tasks, roles, and responsibilities of the various parties involved in FAO-GEF project MTRs.
The project will contract a small team of specialists - comprising a Lead MTR Consultant and MTR Specialists - to develop and apply the MTR methodology, produce a brief MTR inception report, conduct the MTR and prepare the final MTR report.
A project-specific Terms of reference for the mid-term review of the project, ‘Promotion of Sustainable Foods Systems in India through transforming Rice-Wheat System in Punjab, Haryana, Odisha & Chhattisgarh’ (referred to below as the ‘MTR terms of reference’) has also been prepared to direct the overall approach to, and method of conducting the MTR, for this project, including how to address the GEF evaluation criteria, the main general and project-specific questions, and the data sources and choice of tools for the assessment.
FAO is seeking to recruit MTR Specialist - Agricultural Extension & Institutions, to perform the mid-term review of the GEF-7 Project.
The position is located in the FAO Country Office in India.
Reporting Lines:
MTR Specialist - Agricultural Extension & Institutions will report to the FAO Representative in India, and operate under the regular guidance of the Lead MTR Consultant, while closely coordinating with the Lead Technical Officer in the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok, Assistant FAO Representatives (Program and Administration), MTR Manager assigned by the FAO India Country Office, and the MTR focal at the FAO GEF Coordination Unit in HQ, and another local MTR Specialist.
Technical Focus:
The MTR Specialist - Agricultural Extension & Institutions will provide technical inputs on extension systems, institutional engagement, and social and gender inclusion within the Mid-Term Review of the GEF-7 Project. Working under the guidance of the Lead MTR Consultant, the incumbent will assess the effectiveness of outreach and capacity-building efforts.
Tasks and Responsibilities
Under the administrative supervision of the FAO Representative in India, the MTR Specialist - Agricultural Extension & Institutions will provide his/her inputs to the Lead MTR Consultant and contribute in reporting process, as agreed with the FAO MTR Manager and Lead MTR Consultant.
Specific responsibilities include:
• Assist the Lead MTR Consultant in developing field visit plan;
• Review the relevant background documentation made available by the FAO MTR manager and project team, including the project document, project logframe, project progress and project reports, among other things;
• In accordance with the methodological approach described in the terms of reference, contribute to the preparation of data-collection tools, including questionnaires, checklists and interview protocols, as appropriate; insofar as possible, participate in the finalization of the MTR team’s work programme;
• Participate actively in the collection of primary data, as required by and identified in the MTR matrix, under the leadership of the Lead MTR Consultant during the field visits, among other things, provide support to conduct interviews to collect data from key stakeholders, such as government entities, project partners, the FAO Representative, external partners, project beneficiaries, international organizations, the private sector, civil society, academia and research institutions;
• Contribute to the consolidation of all evidence collected during the MTR process in a structured format following the key MTR questions and criteria;
• Ensure that all primary and secondary data collected are recorded during the MTR process and organized in a structured format following the key MTR questions, based on which all findings will be triangulated;
• Participate in the analysis and discussion of evidence collected during the MTR within the MTR team to identify key findings that respond to MTR issues and questions, and formulate preliminary conclusions and recommendations in his/her specific field of expertise, as discussed and agreed with the FAO MTR Manager and the Lead MTR Consultant;
• Deliver inputs (including written, as required by the Lead MTR Consultant) on the specific areas of assessment, per the overall terms of reference, to all deliverables, including: the inception report, debriefing sessions following field missions, the draft MTR report according to the specifications provided in the terms of reference, and participate in addressing and integrating any feedback on the draft report from stakeholder reviewers (e.g. the budget holder, MTR Manager, FAO GEF CU, government counterparts, local-community stakeholders), as appropriate,
• Support the Lead MTR Consultant in finalizing the report to comply with the MTR ToR and as further specified in the inception report
• Support the MTR specifically in his/her specific area of expertise (Agricultural Extension & Institutions), by conducting analyses and assessments in the following areas of work:
• Assess the integration of gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) principles in project implementation.
• Evaluate the application of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) in engagement with tribal and marginalized communities.
• Review institutional engagement and ownership by state governments and relevant actors, identifying barriers and proposing strategies for improved coordination.
• Evaluate the relevance and scalability of farmer training approaches, including participatory models such as Farmer Field Schools (FFS).
• Assess the capacity of implementing partners, FPOs, and extension systems to deliver inclusive training and outreach.
• Provide support to collect information and gather data through interviews and focus group discussions with government officials, project beneficiaries, FPOs, NGOs, and project staff.
• Participate in synthesis workshops and contribute to triangulation of findings and formulation of socially responsive recommendations.
• In terms of reporting, or if information, advice or guidance is required from FAO by the MTR Specialist - Agricultural Extension & Institutions, he/she should address requests to the FAO BH, MTR Manager and the Lead MTR Consultant.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements:
• A university degree in one or more of the following fields: Science, Agriculture, Social Work, Sociology, Human Resources, Psychology, Anthropology, Development Studies, Rural Development, Agribusiness, Rural Management, Gender Studies, Political Science, Public Policy, Human Rights, Education, Community Development, Home Science, or a related discipline relevant to Social Inclusion and sustainable development.
• At least five years of experience in the planning and management of agriculture, rural development, or natural resources management projects in India and in extension and institution development of the above mentioned field subjects.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and Hindi
• National of India or resident of the country with valid work permit.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical skills and competencies:
• Experience in the evaluation of donor-funded projects would be considered an advantage.
• Knowledge of FAO and GEF work/procedures, development organisations, other UN agencies or multilateral organisations would also be an asset.
Selection criteria:
• Demonstrated expertise in evaluating gender-responsive programmes, social safeguards, and inclusive development.
• Experience in applying Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) principles in project assessments.
• Ability to assess stakeholder engagement, community participation, and institutional capacity building.
• Familiarity with training and outreach strategies, specially for marginalized groups, women farmers, and tribal communities.
• Capacity to evaluate social impact, equity outcomes, and behavioural change communication (BCC) strategies.
Note: Applicants should be independent of any organizations that have been involved in designing, executing or advising on any aspect of the project being evaluated in the MTR and should not have been involved in any aspect of the project previously.