Organizational Setting

The main aim of FAO Country Office, headed by an FAO Representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. FAO Kyrgyzstan assists the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to develop policies, programmes and projects to address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, to develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors and to use environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner. FAO participates in the development and implementation of field projects in the sectors of food security, agriculture and rural development. This requires the integration within the broader framework of sustainable food and agriculture that aims at increasing production and productivity, addressing climate change, and managing natural resources; and enhance rural livelihoods.

FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia is implementing this project FVC/RER/071/MUL – Small Farmers as Agricultural Innovators for Resilient Agrifood Ecosystems for the Governments of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. This project aims to strengthen capacities of local institutions and small farmers including women and youth with knowledge on sustainable climate resilience practices and innovations to increase production, processing and marketing of priority horticultural crops.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Assistant Director General in Europe & Central Asia, the technical supervision of the REU Agriculture Officer and support of HQ Technical Officers, the National Specialist on Horticulture and Climate Smart Agriculture will be responsible for the followings:

Technical Focus

Sustainable plant production, including plant genetic resources conservation and efficient utilization, plant breeding and seed systems; soil, crop and nutrient management; agroecology; field crops; horticulture and integrated cropping systems; ecosystem-based and climate-smart approaches; protected, precision, conservation, dryland, urban and peri-urban agriculture.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Review the current situation of crop production and management practices for priority crops in Kyrgyzstan, identify technical gaps and major production constraints related to climate change,
•    Support in collaboration with local stakeholders the development of proposed innovation solutions through a participatory design process.
•    Provide technical support to the Service Providers and the Project team with plan and establishment of pilot demonstration sites for priority vegetable crops both field and protected cultivations,.
•    Support in collaboration with the Ministry and relevant Service Providers the development of capacities on priority vegetable seeds commercial production, processing, treatments, and packaging to ensure that products conform to government regulated quality standards, and export markets.
•    Plan workflow/capacity flow with consideration of harvest operations/delivery of seed to the plant under guidance from the FAO Seed Technical officer.
•    Identify, recommend and implement changes to improve productivity and increase cost-efficiency of the processing plant
•    Facilitate the preparation of the training programme and training materials in collaborations with Service Providers and with the National Consultants;
•    Conduct the on-the-job training to national counterpart staff and on-site trainings for farmers in the pilot demonstration sites;
•    Develop farmer-oriented technical manual and extension materials on improved crop production innovative climate smart agriculture technologies and management for publications;
•    Follow up the demonstration plots sites.
•    Provide the technical assistance in implementation of demonstration plots field activities.
•    Prepare a brief report summarizing the findings, conclusions and recommendations.
•    Perform any other duties deemed necessary for the successful execution of the project.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements 

•    University degree in agronomy, plant production, plant sciences, horticulture, agricultural engineering
•    5 years of experience in horticulture, plant protection, pesticide management in the field, preferably including experience on main crops of Kyrgyzstan.
•    Working knowledge of Russian and Kyrgyz languages.
•    National of the Kyrgyz Republic or resident in the country with a valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Proven communication skills, with governmental authorities, national and international experts, and local communities;
•    Systematic and efficient approach to work assignments, good judgment, and analytical ability;
•    Working experience with ministries, national institutions, agriculture or forestry sector in Kyrgyzstan;
•    Strong computer skills, in particular mastery of all applications of the MS Office package and internet search;
•    Strong knowledge of sustainable horticulture and climate smart agriculture, soil management issues in Kyrgyzstan, including the political, institutional, and socio-economic contexts;
•    Ability to organize and conduct technical meetings, conferences and workshops, Farmer fled schools and manage technical networks.
•    Working knowledge of English language as strong asset  Capacity to write in Eglish rather verbal

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements