Organizational Setting

The Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have jointly formulated the Project “Streamlining of good quality seed and planting material production, quality assurance and marketing system” to improve food security through increase productivity and production by using good quality seeds of major food crops and increase revenue through seed exports. The FAO TCP programme is looking for a national expert on seed production, extension, and training who is to be recruited under the project will be responsible for achieving project outputs. The consultant will have experience in the Agricultural sector of Sri Lanka with special attention to seed certification system, national seed production program, strong technical skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders to achieve their goals. The consultant will also have valuable experience in program formulation and implementation and have a good understanding of M&E systems.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the overall management of the FAO Representative in Sri Lanka and under direct guidance and supervision of Assistant FAOR (Programme), with technical oversight from the FAO Regional Office Lead Technical Officer (LTO) as well as operational guidance of the International Consultant.

Technical Focus

The overall scope of the assignment will be to provide technical support to streamline the existing national seed certification system. The key areas of services are (a) Seed production (b Seed quality control (c) capacity building of producers (d) Seed distribution (e)operations through partnerships (f) market intelligence (g) program Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

Tasks and responsibilities

• Review existing system, identify gaps & challenges faced by the existing seed certification system;
• Conduct an analysis of the total seed production & requirement by different sectors of most widely cultivated crops by region for the local production systems (contact relevant stakeholders) and suggest a methodology;
• Conduct an analysis to identify potentials for upgrading the supply of locally developed hybrid seeds to the export market and identify technical needs and other facilities for multi-country seed production program to fulfil such global needs;
• Provide technical inputs for developing a comprehensive database and real-time updating mechanism to link all provincial level seed production stakeholders (central and provincial government, private, cooperate sector, farmer companies and/or cluster farmer groups) and to identify real time seed availability in the country;
• Provide technical inputs when necessary Training of stakeholders on improved seed certification, seed quality assurance system;
• Arrange and coordinate capacity building programmes and workshops;
• Assess progress of the projects periodically and report to the FAO;
• Give inputs on farmer/ producer group organization and ensure their smooth engagement in seed production;
• Familiarize him/herself with FAO’s corporate communication policy and operational guidelines to ensure mandatory coherence of all communication and information outputs;
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of FAO Style Guide in drafting documentation, without the need for continuous correction or oversight; and
• Keep the project budget holder and LTO/ supervisor informed of his/her work and findings. Upon finalizing his/her assignment, he/she will submit specified documents to the budget holder after addressing comments by the supervisor.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
 

• University degree/technical diploma/high school diploma in agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, plant breeding, seed science and technology, or a related field
• At least 10 years of experience in seed production, extension, and training, preferably in Sri Lanka or a similar context
• Working knowledge of English is required.
• National of Sri Lanka or a legal 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

• Experience in developing and implementing seed production and distribution strategies
• Knowledge of seed certification and quality control procedures
• Experience in providing technical assistance and training to farmers, extension workers, and other stakeholders
• Familiarity with the seed market and seed sector development in Sri Lanka
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/
• For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
• Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. Subject to certain exemptions, vaccination against COVID-19 will in principle be required. Vaccination status will be verified as part of the medical clearance process.

HOW TO APPLY

• To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
• Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
• Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
• Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
• Incomplete applications will not be considered
• Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
• Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
• Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
• We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org

FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT

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