Drought Forecasting Expert

Organizational Context

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency dedicated to eradicating hunger and ensuring food security globally. Operating in over 130 countries, FAO supports national development priorities in agriculture, food security, nutrition, and resilience. In Sri Lanka, FAO has been active since 1979, focusing on transforming agri-food systems for sustainability. Recognizing a critical gap in operational drought prediction, FAO Sri Lanka, under TCP/SRL/4102, seeks a Drought Forecasting Expert to develop and institutionalize an advanced drought prediction system by December 2027.

Job Purpose

The primary objective of this role is to support the FAO country office in Sri Lanka by developing, testing, and validating methodologies for triggering and impact-based forecasting for Anticipatory Action. The expert will contribute to standardizing processes and assist the FAO project team in advancing the mainstreaming and outreach of these initiatives within government systems. This involves enhancing national capacities and promoting long-term institutional sustainability through technical assistance, knowledge management, and capacity-strengthening activities, ultimately reducing agricultural and livelihood losses from drought.

Responsibilities

The Drought Forecasting Expert will provide technical support to strengthen drought prediction capabilities and develop context-specific drought indices. This includes compiling and quality-controlling climate, crop, and hydrological datasets, developing and operationalizing the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and AI/ML-based Composite Drought Index (CDI), and defining agriculture-relevant drought severity thresholds. The expert will also support the integration of drought forecasts into agricultural planning and decision-making systems, translating forecasts into crop-specific advisories, and preparing district-level drought outlook products. Furthermore, the role involves supporting the development and implementation of anticipatory action triggers and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), aligning methodologies with existing frameworks, and assisting in pilot implementation and review of anticipatory actions. Capacity building through training programs, developing user guidelines, and documenting lessons learned for knowledge management are also key responsibilities.

Work Experience

A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience is required in meteorology, encompassing climate/weather data management, monitoring, and forecasting. Experience in setting up climate information systems that effectively link data providers with users in the agricultural sector is crucial. This experience should be gained in public and/or private sectors.

Skills

Key skills include demonstrated experience and good knowledge of national disaster risk management, particularly drought risk management. The ability to interact tactfully with diverse institutional actors at various levels is essential. Proven capacity for fieldwork, teamwork, and establishing working relationships with government institutions and civil society organizations is required. Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Internet is necessary. Good interpersonal skills, experience in networking with partners in Sri Lanka, and the ability to prepare reports and present information visually are also important.

Explore related opportunities