Crop Production Officer

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
PROFESSIONAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT NO: IRC2118
Issued on: 27 August 2012
Deadline For Application: 25 September 2012
POSITION TITLE: Crop Production Officer
GRADE LEVEL: P-4
DUTY STATION: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
ORGANIZATIONAL UNIT: Subregional Office for Eastern Africa
DURATION : Fixed Term: 3 years
SFE POST CODE/NO: 0081124
CCOG CODE: 1H02

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member countries are encouraged Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. The incumbent may be re-assigned to different duty stations within the region depending on the evolving needs of the Organization

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the overall supervision of the Subregional Coordinator, SFE and the functional guidance of the Director, Plant Production and Protection Division (AGP), the incumbent, will provide technical advice and support on matters related to sustainable crop production intensification and diversification to the Subregional Multidisciplinary Team which will lead FAO’s response to the needs of member countries in increasing crop production and productivity in the Subregion. The incumbent will also contribute to strengthening partnership and knowledge networks within and outside the Organization, supporting country-level actions guided by FAO’s Country Programme Framework (CPF) as well as increasing South-South and triangular cooperation. In particular, the incumbent will:

 support country-level actions guided by FAO’s Country Programming Frameworks (CPFs), subregional and regional priority frameworks and higher-level strategic frameworks of the Organization in order to transform FAO’s knowledge products into country-level results and impacts;
 provide advice, guidance and support to government and institutional decision-makers in the identification, formulation and implementation of projects and programmes including support to capacity building and training, at the local/community, national and regional levels in the promotion of Sustainable Crop Production Intensification (SCPI) and diversification;
 collaborate with Subregional, Regional and Headquarters Staff in the integration of sustainable crop production intensification and diversification activities with the work of the Multidisciplinary Team;
 design and conduct periodic reviews and appraisals of crop production in the Region, and provide advice and technical support to member countries on necessary actions to develop and implement SCPI and diversification projects and programmes;
 act as focal point for Subregional crop production programmes and provide Subregional perspectives on thematic cross-cutting initiatives such as: biodiversity, good agriculture practices, organic agriculture and conservation agriculture, soil fertility management, grassland management and crop/livestock interaction for inclusion in Subregional plant production programmes;
 develop and implement projects and activities to strengthen SCPI and diversification programmes through the concerted strengthening of conservation of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA), development of adapted varieties and the delivery of quality seeds and planting materials to growers;
 analyse and disseminate information on and participate in the conduct of national and Subregional training courses in support of the implementation of relevant international conventions and agreements such as the International Rice Commission, International Treaty on PGRFA, and the Global Plan of Action on PGRFA;
 develop and maintain contacts with academic/research institutions with national, subregional and regional institutions; organizations and bilateral development assistance agencies in order to promote subregional cooperation in SCPI and diversification and for the transfer of research findings and technologies relevant to the needs of member countries;
 participate in subregional meetings, conferences and seminars dealing with crop production;
 contribute to regional and global planning and reporting;
 perform other related duties as required.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Candidates should meet the following:
 Advanced University Degree in Agriculture, Crop Production/Agronomy, Plant Sciences or a closely related field
 Seven years of relevant experience in crop production/agronomy, with knowledge of dry-land farming
 Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of French

SELECTION CRITERIA
Candidates will be assessed against the following:
 Relevance of work experience and extent of knowledge related to crop production and diversification, to include dry-land farming
 Extent of experience in crop production/agronomy in Africa
 Demonstrated ability to organize and deliver technical meetings, conferences, workshops and networks at local/community, national or subregional levels
 Extent and relevance of project/programme formulation and implementation experience in crop production and in implementing programmes and studies
 Demonstrated ability to provide advice on, analyze, interpret and synthesize scientific/technical information
 Demonstrated ability to prioritize tasks and work independently
 Demonstrated ability to work in multidisciplinary teams and with people from different cultural backgrounds.
 Excellent communication and negotiation skills, both orally and in writing
Please note that all candidates should possess computer/word processing skills and should be capable of working with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
* The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

REMUNERATION
A competitive compensation and benefits package is offered. For information on UN salaries, allowances and benefits, click on the following link: http://icsc.un.org/
To apply: visit the iRecruitment website at
http://www.fao.org/employment/irecruitment-access/en/
and complete the on-line application
In order for your candidature to be properly evaluated, please ensure to complete the on-line application in all sections.

Please note that FAO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director-General and may be assigned to any activities or office of the organization.