Consultant, International Expert on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

General description of task(s) and objectives to be achieved:

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia (REU), the operational supervision of the Field Programme Officer (REU), and the technical supervision of the Climate Change and Energy Coordinator (REUT), the International Expert on Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Smart Agriculture will take the lead on the implementation of activities under Output 3 of project TCP/RER/3504.

In particular, the international expert will:

• Guide the subcontractors in identifying locally relevant good practices at the landscape and agricultural level which promote disaster risk reduction (especially floods) and climate change adaptation;
• For each identified intervention provide social, economic and environmental cost benefit analysis and another relevant information such as perceived barriers or constraints for adoption;
• Provide technical advice on assessment of the profitability and acceptability of changes in cropping/orchard/viticulture/livestock farming practices and systems;
• Assist in developing guidance methodologies on policy/legislation and taxation/incentive schemes which can support the adoption of identified interventions by farmers and other stakeholders;
• Provide examples of other national and regional schemes which have been adopted (success and failures);
• Support the compilation of review of the historical context of natural hazards in Western Balkans and how changes in landscape management have altered the severity and frequency of different hazards;
• Assist subcontractors in assessing future climate change scenarios and hazard hotspots to highest resolution possible;
• Identify and select the key climate change adaptation priorities and extension and knowledge tools required for farmers and other producers;
• Through the above formulations place into the context of undertaking interventions through integrated landscape approaches and the integration of DRR and climate smart agriculture responses.;
• Develop a comprehensive report summarizing good practice options for the Western Balkan countries, based on the vulnerability and risk assessment, agro-ecological and socio-economic characteristics of the region;
• Travel and support regional and national consultations and training sessions as required;
• Provide support for any relevant workshops and programmes;
• Performing other related duties and activities upon instructions.

Key performance indicators:

Expected outputs:

• Detailed work plan for development of the above resources;
• List of identified key stakeholders/organizations who can contribute to formulation of products;
• Completed FAO document with chapters for each of the above topics, plus any related annex or complementary information;
• Set of power point and lessons/curricular to be used for training purposes;
• Meeting and training reports;
• Back-to-office reports after each mission are timely prepared and submitted.

Required competencies:

Academic qualifications:

• Master’s degree in development, agriculture and/or economics or related fields

General requirements:

• Minimum of ten years relevant experience in DRR and desirably, some experience in climate smart agriculture methodologies;
• In depth knowledge of DRR methodologies, capacity building and interventions (knowledge of FAO work would be an asset);
• Working experience of integrating DRR (especially related to agriculture) into national strategies and plans);
• Experience in agriculture and rural development sector in Southeast European countries;
• Good analytic and report writing skills;
• Professional knowledge of the English language with strong oral and written communication and presentation skills.
• Candidates will be assessed against the following:
• Relevance and extent of experience of development/implementation of local and regional DRR programmes and activities;
• Relevance and extent of experience in integrated landscape approaches and mainstreaming DRR into national and local strategies and programmes.
• Evidence of strong technical writing ability in preparing documents and capacity building materials.
• Familiarity and working knowledge of climate smart agriculture.

Expected start date of assignment:

March 2016.

Duration:

A total of 70 days with possibility of extension

NTE: 30 June 2017