Climate Smart Agriculture (Crops) Specialist
Organizational Context
The FAO Office in Zimbabwe, as part of the global FAO network, supports the government in achieving food security, reducing hunger, and promoting sustainable agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors. For 2022-2026, the office focuses on inclusive agrifood systems, climate change resilience, and sustainable natural resource management. Currently, it partners with UNDP and the Government of Zimbabwe on the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF II) program, aiming to enhance resilience in vulnerable rural communities.
Job Purpose
The Climate Smart Agriculture (Crops) Specialist will provide essential technical support to consortium partners and government personnel at the field level, ensuring the effective implementation of the Farmer Field School (FFS) methodology. This role involves delivering timely agronomic advice and collaborating with the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist to gather evidence demonstrating productivity enhancements derived from proper FFS execution and the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices across various value chains. The specialist will contribute to building resilience and improving food security through sustainable farming techniques.
Responsibilities
Provide guidance and support for the identification of needs, design, implementation, and monitoring of FAO Zimbabwe's crop programs. Collect and analyze data to assess the impact of Farmer Field Schools on productivity compared to other extension methods. Expand and strengthen climate-proof and smart agriculture by upscaling conservation agriculture and related technologies, including post-harvest management. Develop training and extension materials, offering hands-on training and backstopping, particularly for market-oriented productivity in various farming systems. Facilitate on-farm and on-station crop demonstrations and trials through FFS backstopping. Develop crop-related informational materials. Coordinate crop training and extension programs for consortium partners and government extension staff. Collaborate with relevant government departments, implementing partners, donors, private sector, and academic institutions involved in Climate Smart Agriculture. Participate in complex field missions, guiding consultants and government officials, and drafting mission summaries. Contribute to high-quality project progress reports according to donor requirements. Perform other related duties as assigned.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in agriculture, project coordination, and/or management is required. Experience in agronomy, climate-smart agriculture, and agricultural extension is highly relevant. Familiarity with FAO tools and procedures for project implementation, monitoring, and reporting is an asset. Experience working across humanitarian, development, and normative contexts is beneficial.
Skills
Key competencies include Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, and Knowledge Sharing. Technical skills encompass extensive experience in agriculture (agronomy, climate-smart agriculture, extension) and project coordination/management. Ability to technically supervise and support field activities is crucial. Good analytical and writing skills, along with strong communication and advocacy abilities, are essential. Knowledge of local languages spoken in Zimbabwe is an asset. Previous experience with UN or international organizations in similar roles is advantageous.