National Expert on Soil Science and Soil Surveying
Organizational Context
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a UN specialized agency dedicated to defeating hunger and promoting food security globally. Working in over 130 countries, FAO supports sustainable agri-food systems transformation. In Sri Lanka, the agriculture sector faces challenges from climate variability, land degradation, and inefficient land use, impacting productivity and decision-making. FAO, through project TCP/SRL/4105, is assisting the Department of Agriculture to update agro-ecological zoning, develop a soil profile information system, and create digital crop suitability maps to enhance evidence-based agricultural planning.
Job Purpose
This role supports the FAO's project TCP/SRL/4105 in Sri Lanka, focusing on enhancing agricultural planning through improved soil and agro-ecological data. The National Expert will provide crucial technical leadership for the soil-related components, specifically the development and integration of the Soil Profile Information System with Agro-Ecological Zone (AEZ) updates and crop suitability mapping. The objective is to strengthen the availability of science-based information for land evaluation, crop planning, and climate-resilient agricultural practices, ultimately contributing to more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems in Sri Lanka.
Responsibilities
The National Expert will provide essential technical support for developing and updating Sri Lanka's agro-ecological region map and database. This includes enhancing the soil profile information system and its associated database across all climatic zones (dry, Intermediate, and wet). The role involves classifying the national soil series map and database. Furthermore, the expert will identify and map potential cultivation areas for various crops, including annual field crops, vegetables, root and tuber crops, perennial fruits, plantation crops, and spices like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and pepper. A key responsibility is compiling and submitting final project deliverables, such as comprehensive crop suitability maps, detailed soil profile information, updated agro-ecological maps, and their corresponding databases.
Work Experience
A minimum of 10 years of professional experience is necessary in areas such as soil surveying, land suitability assessment, soil mapping, agro-ecological zoning, crop zoning, or natural resources management.
Skills
The role requires strong technical expertise in soil science and surveying, including field profiling, laboratory data interpretation, database development, and soil map integration. Essential skills include supporting AEZ map updates and crop suitability assessments through data integration and field validation. The candidate should demonstrate results focus, teamwork, communication, relationship building, and knowledge sharing capabilities. Experience in capacity building and developing knowledge products is also beneficial.