WFP celebrates and embraces diversity. It is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all its employees and encourages qualified candidates to apply irrespective of race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status, physical or mental disability.
ABOUT WFP
The United Nations World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. The mission of WFP is to help the world achieve Zero Hunger in our lifetimes. Every day, WFP works worldwide to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and that the poorest and most vulnerable, particularly women and children, can access the nutritious food they need.
BACKGROUND
WFP Tajikistan’s five-year Country Strategic Plan (CSP) 2019 – 2024 focuses on supporting national social protection and safety nets, nutrition, resilience-building and disaster risk reduction, aligning WFP’s support to national priorities and in synergy with the action of other partners. By means of the CSP, WFP is undertaking a strategic shift from direct implementation to enabling and strengthening capacities of national and sub-national institutions to deliver on their food security and nutrition priorities. WFP activities support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The geographic scope of WFP Tajikistan operations encompasses the entirety of the country. In addition to the country office in Dushanbe, WFP has field offices located in Bokhtar, Gharm, Khorog, and Khujand to oversee operations in those specific regions. While the CSP has six Strategic Outcomes (SO), two outcomes are linked to development of food systems.
Under SO3, WFP strengthens rural communities’ resilience to recurring shocks and rehabilitating community assets and contributes to alleviating and mitigating environmental degradation and its consequences through climate change adaptation activities in support of rural communities that are dependent on land for their livelihood and food. The main project within SO3 is the Green Climate Fund (GCF) supported 4-year project titled “Building climate resilience of vulnerable and food insecure communities through capacity strengthening and livelihood diversification in mountainous regions of Tajikistan”. The project takes a transformative approach to ensure food security and support communities to adapt to climate change through capacity strengthening and awareness raising of food insecure climate vulnerable communities and national actors for enhanced rural resilience and food security, and resilience building at household and community level through diversification of livelihoods and improved market access. In the first year of GCF project implementation (2021/2022), the following outputs will be ensured: greenhouses installation, drip irrigation systems installation, rehabilitation of irrigation canals, chain-link fencing and live fencing of orchards, storage facilities construction, installation of fruit dryers and solar cookers.
Under SO4, WFP works to build the capacity of central and subnational government structures through provision of technical support in a range of activities that build upon innovative approaches to enhancing food security and nutrition. A major platform within SO4 is the nationalization of school feeding, under which schools are being empowered to seek resources that support provision of diversified daily nutritious meals to schoolchildren. WFP therefore assists schools in creating greenhouses and fruit orchards, yields from which could directly support the meals or provide income to purchase other foods and supplies.
PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT
To provide detailed technical guidance on physical installation of greenhouses and planting of fruit orchards suited to different agricultural zones and contribute to the efficient delivery and quality outputs of greenhouses and fruit orchards under the WFP Tajikistan CSP. This role requires extensive travelling across the country.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES (not all-inclusive)
Working within the Climate Change and Resilience Building (CCARB) team and reporting directly to the CCARB Coordinator / SO3 Activity Manager, the incumbent is expected to perform the following duties:
- Provide technical advice and support on the implementation of greenhouses such that results, and seasonality are maximized, ensuring that outputs meet the established quality standards and are compliant with wider WFP policies.
- Conduct analysis of greenhouses (assets) in the partner project proposals to ensure technical feasibility and that project objectives are attainable within prescribed resources.
- Working with the cooperating partners make surveys of household or school lands for greenhouses and develop plans to ensure suitability to operational purposes, safety, and efficiency of structures;
- Recommend suitable types of greenhouses, with detailed specifications and preferences for locally available materials, for each geographical location, working in collaboration with the Irrigation Specialist;
- Participate in discussions with partners, donors and stakeholders, exchange knowledge and experience, keeping abreast of engineering technologies, to ensure implementation of innovative technological solutions – relevant to greenhouses;
Develop a standard operational guidance manual for good agricultural practices suitable for greenhouses in different regions of the country;
Provide recommendations on suitable time of the year to install greenhouses in all regions of the country; and an action plan for physical installation (and orientation) of greenhouses in each region , working in collaboration with Irrigation Specialist;
Provide detailed schedule of agronomic activities relevant to each region, working in collaboration with Irrigation Specialist;
Provide recommendations on types of crops (including specific seeds) that can be grown in greenhouses in the different geographical locations (agricultural zones) at different times of the year, ensuring interplanting and crop rotations to minimize requirements for agro-inputs (i.e., chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides);
Provide recommendations on good agricultural practices, including advice on pest and disease control measures for common pests and diseases in the different geographical locations;
Provide technical expertise on orchard establishment and management including, soil conditions, variety and rootstock selection, orchard systems and designs, fruit water requirement and crop protection.
Provide specialised trainings on best agronomic practices for small holders farmers engaged with Home grown school feeding program;
Any other as required.
STANDARD MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Experience:
• At least five (5) years of progressive experience in designing and installation of greenhouses, experience in providing technical advice to farmers on greenhouse management and other climate change adaptation, resilience, or livelihoods measures.
• Has managed or contributed to the management of greenhouse designing and installation, taking responsibility for decision-making.
• Has demonstrated experience in planning and organizing; managing work programs and objectives, staff and budgets, and liaison with stakeholders/donors.
• Has experience and deeper knowledge of the agricultural system in Tajikistan.
• Has developed strong knowledge in engineering specialisations (e.g., greenhouses, environmental, drip irrigation system).
• Experience with community-based participatory planning approaches;
• Behavioural competencies such as action management, client orientation, cognitive capacity, innovation, partnering and teamwork.
Education: Advanced University degree in Agriculture, or related discipline, or First University degree with relevant additional years or experience and/or advanced training/courses.
Language:
• Required fluency (level C) in English (oral and written).
• Required fluency in Tajik and Russian (oral and written).
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Contract Type: Special Services Agreement
Contract Duration: 6 months
Duty Station: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS
18 January 2021
All employment decisions are made on the basis of organizational needs, job requirements, merit, and individual qualifications. WFP is committed to providing an inclusive work environment free of sexual exploitation and abuse, all forms of discrimination, any kind of harassment, sexual harassment, and abuse of authority. Therefore, all selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks.
No appointment under any kind of contract will be offered to members of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ), International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), FAO Finance Committee, WFP External Auditor, WFP Audit Committee, Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) and other similar bodies within the United Nations system with oversight responsibilities over WFP, both during their service and within three years of ceasing that service.
How to apply:
Interested candidates should complete their applications on-line on WFP website on the following link:
https://career5.successfactors.eu/sfcareer/jobreqcareer?jobId=154995&company=C0000168410P
Applicants will have to register and create on-line CVs to be able to apply. Hard copies of CVs or applications through e-mail will not be accepted. Please ensure that your application contains accurate and complete information.
The deadline for submission of applications is 18 January 2022.
Female candidates and individuals with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.