Organizational Setting
The REDESER Project is financed by GEF and implemented by FAO in the semi-arid region of Brazil (Caatinga biome). The objective of the project is to Halt and reverse the process of desertification through actions to address increasingly strong causes of land degradation and biodiversity loss in Caatinga ecosystems located in Areas Susceptible to Desertification, which cover 1.34 million Km (16% of Brazil) and are home to 34.8 million people (17%).
The REDESER project will achieve its impacts through the development of activities related to five components, as follows:
1) Promote the Integrated Management of Natural Resources in productive landscapes of ASD; 2) Promote multiple-use forest management through the adoption and expansion of Sustainable Forest Management among family farmers in ASD; 3) Forest and Landscape Restoration, in order to contribute to the economies of communities and the maintenance of biodiversity; 4) Knowledge Management, capacity development and awareness aimed at communities and institutions involved in environmental licensing processes; 5) Coordination with other institutions, monitoring and evaluation.
This Expression of Interest aims to guide the hiring of a specialized consultant to carry out the systematization of lessons learned and good practices from the REDESER Project. The project activities are implemented across four territories: Araripe (Ceará), Seridó (Rio Grande do Norte), Uauá (Bahia), and Xingó (Alagoas), focusing on Sustainable Agroforestry Practices, Biodiversity Conservation, and Integrated Management of Natural Resources in Areas Susceptible to Desertification.
The systematization seeks to organize and analyze information on the experiences already carried out, in order to facilitate the understanding of the results achieved, give visibility to successful initiatives, and support future actions. The methodology must ensure the active participation of communities, local organizations, the project team, and partner institutions.
The final product will be the REDESER Report on Lessons Learned and Good Practices, containing the compilation and analysis of the experiences developed throughout the years of project implementation.
Reporting Lines
The incumbent reports to the Assistant Representative in FAO Brazil – Programme.
Technical Focus
The incumbent will be responsible for conducting the necessary activities for the preparation of Report on Lessons Learned and Good Practices from the REDESER project.
Tasks and Responsibilities
• In coordination with FAO, ensure adequate documentation of the project, aiming to generate a systematized inventory of experiences, lessons learned, and good practices.
• Identify and define, in coordination with FAO, relevant institutions, social actors, and partners to be interviewed for the inventory of experiences and lessons learned.
• Develop and implement the methodology for evaluating project experiences, lessons learned and good practices, ensuring methodological rigor and participatory engagement.
• Organize and plan the schedule of interviews to facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned.
• Provide technical support in meetings with communities of the REDESER's territories, representative organizations, key partners, and service providers involved in the project to collect data and ensure inclusive participation in the report development.
• Carry out additional surveys, when necessary, to fill identified information gaps.
• Technical support in meetings, workshops, and events organized by project members or partner organizations, contributing to the knowledge-gathering process.
• Analyze and systematize the information gathered from interviews, documents, project outputs, communities, local organizations, the project team, and partner institutions.
• Prepare a technical report, ensuring the report is clear, coherent, and technically sound, to serve as the basis for a publication focused on the REDESER project’s experiences, good practices and lessons learned related a Sustainable Rural Development, Agroforestry Systems, Sustainable Forest Management, Forest and Landscape Restoration, Biodiversity Conservation and, Integrated Management of Natural Resources in Areas Susceptible to Desertification.
• Include relevant materials such as maps, photographic records, testimonials, technical annexes, references, and other supporting documentation.
• Propose the panel structure, defining the main informational elements, including indicators, highlights of good practices, and visual resources.
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
• Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences, Agronomy, Geography, Environmental Sciences, Journalism or Communication.
• At least 3 years of experience in reporting, research, and the systematization of experiences related to the following themes: Sustainable Rural Development, Agroforestry Systems, Agroecology, Sustainable Forest Management, Forest and Landscape Restoration, Biodiversity Conservation, Integrated Natural Resource Management and Combating Desertification.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English and Portuguese.
• National of Brazil or resident in the country with work permit.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Experience in projects addressing themes such as Sustainable Rural Development, Coexistence with Semi-Arid Regions, Agroforestry Systems, Agroecology, or Combating Desertification, including the systematization of good practices and lessons learned.
• Technical work experience in the Brazilian semi-arid region.
• Experience in projects/activities related to Knowledge Management.
• Experience in preparing lessons learned reports and consolidating information on socio-environmental projects.
• Experience in the preparation of technical documents and data analysis, including the production of reports, publications, and technical papers in the fields of Knowledge Management and/or Sustainable Rural Development.
• Experience in adapting technical reports to appropriate language to different social audiences.
• Availability for fieldwork and travel to places with little infrastructure (rural areas).