Organizational Setting

FAOs Land and Water Division foresees a future whereby governments, development partners, civil society, academic institutions, and the private sector and all farmers, work together to ensure that land, soil, and water resources are used wisely and restored for sustainable and resilient agri-food systems and ecosystem services.
To achieve such a vision, NSL’s Mission is  to provide policy guidance and technical assistance to FAO Member countries and support strategic interventions and innovations on efficient  and sustainable use of land, soil and water resources for resilient and inclusive agrifood culture and land and water management systems.

The four main Functions of the Division are envisaged to achieve the above Vision and Mission:

–    Improve data, information, and use of geospatial applications for monitoring, assessment and analysis of land, soil and water resources.
–    Promote good governance through policy advice, inclusive dialogues and processes, institutional capacity development, equitable access to resources, tenure security and other integrated solutions.
–    Develop innovation (best practices, tools and technologies) on-farm and across land and water systems.
–    Foster advocacy, knowledge sharing and strategic partnerships, and mobilise finance for initiatives and projects in the transition to efficient, inclusive, resilient and agro-ecosystems.

Reporting Lines 

The expert will be under the direct supervision of the NSL team leader and the NSL focal point on LDN to the Dryland Sustainable Landscape Impact Program (DSL – IP) while work in close collaboration with the NSL focal point on integrated land use planning.  The DSL-IP Program Management Unit will provide an overall supervision to ensure alignment to the program.

Technical Focus 

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was selected to lead the GEF-7 Sustainable Forest Management Impact Programme on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes (GEF DSL-IP). The overall objective of the DSL-IP is to support countries in achieving land degradation neutrality in targeted dryland landscapes while improving livelihoods. Furthermore, the DSL-IP “will support multi-country collaboration on common management challenges that cross borders and that countries identify as priorities during the design process”.

The DSL IP works in 11 countries (child projects) in total: 8 in central, eastern and southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe), one in west Africa (Burkina Faso) and two in central Asia (Kazakhstan and Mongolia). The DSL IP Global Coordination Project (GCP) will coordinate and support the implementation of country-specific child projects across these 11 countries and lead the process of engagement with countries not directly participating in the IP. The global component of the program has started being operational in 2022 while the countries projects have become operationalized mainly in 2023.

The expert will be responsible to provide support on Integrated Land Use Planning for Land Degradation Neutrality.

Tasks and responsibilities

Global support to the DSL IP

–    Provide technical inputs on integrated land use planning for land degradation neutrality (ILUP for LDN), sustainable land management, on participatory and inclusive processes into documents, concept notes, guides.
–    Support the development of a comprehensive series of webinars aiming at strengthening exchanges on countries experience of ILUP for LDN and bringing technical support.
–    Organize and deliver targeted training on integrated land use planning for land degradation neutrality, sustainable land management, on participatory and inclusive processes in coordination with program partners and staffs.
–    Develop an integrated regional technical support and oversight plan jointly with all workstreams involved in the DSL IP.

DSL IP – country support and technical backstopping 

–    Support NSL – LDN focal point by reviewing the progress reports submitted by partners to ensure that agreed deliverables in the detailed work plan are technically sound and that recommendations are relevant to the country and consistent throughout the umbrella project.
–    Provide technical assistance to country projects by reviewing  technical assistance docking documents, ToRs, consultant/service provider workplans and technical proposals, capacity development and implementation plans, by having regular online meetings (onboarding and subsequent) on ILM with the country project team; and by identify child project gaps and needs to plan and support the establishment of ILUP for LDN.
–    Support definition and integration ILM and LDN-related indicators into the DSL-IP M&E system/ILAM.
–    Perform backstopping missions where needed.

Integrated Land Management Team Support

–    Provide regular inputs on ILUP for LDN and DSL-IP in the form of written updates, newsletter article, NSL contribution to FAO overall strategic framework results.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in agriculture, natural resources, land management, forestry, social sciences, environmental studies, international affairs or other relevant field
•    5  years of relevant experience in participatory management of land and natural resources, integrated land use planning, sustainable land management and land degradation neutrality
•    Working knowledge of English, French or Spanish and limited knowledge of one of the other two or Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills 

•    Work experience in more than one field location
•    Extent and relevance of experience in integrated land use planning, sustainable land management, land degradation neutrality, and participatory/ inclusive processes
•    Extent and relevance of experience in international organization or in multi-partners initiatives or in multi-country program with multiple sectors involved.
•    Familiarity with Farmers Field Schools, Forest and Farm Facility and Community Seed Banks approaches.