Organizational Setting

In close collaboration with the Directorate-General of Horticulture of the Ministry of Agriculture, FAO Indonesia is providing technical assistance through the TCP modality to revolutionize Indonesia’s banana industry with eco-friendly methods, modern GAP and GHP, improved nutritional value, resilient ecosystems, and sustainable prosperity for farmers and communities of the banana sector. The primary activities are empowering farmers through comprehensive training in sustainable farming practices for improved banana cultivation, enhancing post-harvest handling practices to preserve banana quality and minimize losses, and strengthening international market engagement to accelerate revenue growth and increase market diversification.

Sustainable farming practices will be enforced to enable strategic partnerships with export destination countries, particularly Singapore and China. These practices will focus on good agricultural practices (GAP) tailored to the requirements of the export destination countries. In addition, tissue culture facilities will be built for efficient banana plant propagation, enabling seed producers to multiply and maintain the mother plant’s quality.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will be responsible for empowering farmers to use sustainable farming practices under the overall supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative Programme (A-FAOR Programme), Lead Technical Officer at FAO-RAP, and OCOP secretariat and/or in consultation with the International Consultant.

Technical focus

The specialist will plan and implement project activities with a technical focus on empowering farmers through comprehensive training in sustainable farming practices for improved banana cultivation, enabling strategic partnerships with export destination countries, coordinating with the main counterparts, including the Directorate-General of Horticulture, Ministry of Agriculture, and the International Consultant.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    In collaboration with the International Consultant, conduct needs assessment to identify current farming practices and critical gaps to be filled regarding sustainable farming practices to be discussed and verified by the International Consultant;
•    Develop training curriculum, module, and guiding booklet on comprehensive GAP for the beneficiaries and their association;
•    Set up farmer field schools and deliver comprehensive theoretical and practical GAP training sessions, including banana nursery management, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and watering systems;
•    Upon technical discussion with the International Consultant, supervise the development of tissue culture facilities, from producing proper tissue culture facility design to developing standard operational procedures (SOP) for seed production using tissue culture innovation;
•    Collaborate with a service provider to produce learning videos demonstrating the successful implementation of GAP in banana production. These videos, featuring local farmers, experts, and extension workers, will showcase techniques and share experiences, ensuring relatability and accessibility to the target audience;
•    Compile a comprehensive report based on the elements of the interventions for this project. Secure technical clearance on the reports from the LTO of the project;
•    Conduct other relevant tasks upon consultation with FAO Indonesia

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    University degree in agronomy, agricultural engineering, and/or related area.
•    Five years of experience in sustainable horticulture farming practices.
•    Full proficiency in written and spoken English.
•    National of Indonesia 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

Selection Criteria

•    Working experience in empowering farmers to adopt GAP.
•    Working experience in utilizing tissue culture technology for seed propagation.
•    Familiarity with banana cultivation and farming practices.
•    Familiarity with tissue culture facility construction, including but not limited to the bio-safety design and level.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements