Re advertise: FAO Indonesia vacancy - Conservation Agriculture Field Coordinator (NTT&NTB based)

Conservation Agriculture Field Coordinator (OSRO/INS/301/USA)
NPP 9- (2 positions)


Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative in Indonesia, technical supervision of the FAO Land Management Officer of NRL/RAP and direct supervision of the national FAO Project Manager, “Reducing Disaster Risks Caused by Changing Climate in NTB and NTT Provinces in Indonesia Project”, close collaboration with provincial officials of the Assessment Institute for Agriculture Technology (BPTP) of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Indonesia Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (IAARD), FAO’s NGO implementing partners (e.g. World Neighbors and their local NGO partners) and other project counterparts, and assisted by project staff (i.e. short-term international consultants and short and long-term national consultants recruited by FAO), the Consultant will take responsibility for: (i) implementing the Project’s conservation agriculture activities in target areas, ensuring that community identified needs in the relevant areas are addressed and that appropriate research, development and extension activities are undertaken to meet these needs; and (ii) assist the FAO’s Project Management Unit (PMU) in its project management and technical support work, including co-ordination of project activities and awareness creation and strategy development for improved climate-smart agriculture in NTB and NTT Provinces. In this context, the Consultant will be responsible for the following tasks under this assignment:

1. Assist FAO’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, BPTP provincial researchers and extensions and NGO implementing partners (e.g. World Neighbors and local universities) with and play an active role in the design and implementation of baseline surveys and mapping of the selected project villages and demonstration sites (i.e. socio-economic conditions, cultural practices, land and water resources (including land degradation), soil fertility, farming systems and cropping patterns, crop management, agricultural mechanisation, etc.), including GPS co-ordinates and collection of accurate relevant data.
Co-ordinate and provide technical support to BPTP provincial researchers and extensions and NGO implementing partners, as well as actively participate in, the collection, tabulation and analysis of data for the aforementioned baseline surveys (to be compiled, synthesised and reported by FAO’s Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist).
2. Co-ordinate, guide and provide technical support to BPTP provincial researchers and extensions and NGO implementing partners in the design and implementation of conservation agriculture adaptive research activities (i.e. through farmer field schools (FFSs) and experimental sites/demonstration plots at BPTP Dryland Experimental Farms and lead farmers’ fields) and validation and reporting of conservation agriculture options for replication and up-scaling.
3.  In collaboration with FAO operations staff, ensure that the relevant conservation agriculture inputs are procured and delivered in time to BPTP provincial researchers and extensions, NGO implementing partners and selected lead farmers.
4. Assist the FAO Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, BPTP provincial researchers and extensions and NGO implementing partners to synthesize, tabulate, and analyse data from different adaptive research sites and FFSs (including the collection of meaningful time-bound evidence of project interventions) and prepare technical reports on the validation of conservation agriculture options, including the organisation of seminars and meeting to evaluate selected conservation agriculture technologies and practices.
5. Co-ordinate and participate in the training of researchers and extensions from BPTP, field co-ordinators and FFS Facilitators/Cadres from NGO implementing partners and selected lead farmers from the respective provinces in the principles, approaches and practices, as well as monitoring and reporting, of conservation agriculture and participatory adaptive research through FFSs and demonstration plots, i.e. preparation of a provincial training programme and events (e.g. dates, venues, participants and budgeting); identification of participants/beneficiaries and resource persons; organisation of training events (including disbursement of funds and local travel arrangements); and participatory evaluation of the training programme and its events; etc.
6. In consultation with the FAO international Conservation Agriculture Specialist, co-ordinate provincial, district and sub-district agricultural extension services (DINAS) and NGO implementing partners in the design and implementation of a replication/up-scaling programme for validated conservation agriculture technologies and practices in the project areas and PMU to finalise specifications and quantities of appropriate tools, machines,
implements and agricultural inputs (as well as small community-based civil works (e,g. terracing and water
harvesting), if required) for procurement by FAO.
7. In collaboration with PMU and FAO international and national consultants, Provincial BPTP Offices and NGO
implementing partners, prepare monthly and quarterly work plans and produce monthly and quarterly progress
statements/reports against the aforementioned plans, highlighting any constraints to project implementation and
possible solutions.

Academic Qualifications:
At least a university degree in natural sciences, agronomy or agriculture and a post-graduate qualification in rural
development, community development or agricultural extension and, communication (or related technical
disciplines) are desirable. The Conservation Agriculture Field Co-ordinator should be familiar with the latest
conservation agriculture and adaptive research/participatory extension technologies, practices and approaches being
promoted by FAO, possess strong supervisory, communication, team building, computing (i.e. word processing and
spread-sheets) and report writing skills, and be fluent in spoken and written English


Technical Competencies and Experience Requirements:
A minimum of ten years of relevant experience as a technical work for donor-funded agricultural and rural
development projects focusing on smallholder farming systems in dry-land areas of Indonesia. The Conservation
Agriculture Field Co-ordinator should demonstrate experience within the context of introducing, replicating and upscaling
new and improved crop production technologies and practices through adaptive research and participatory
learning approaches (such as “FFSs”). The Conservation Agriculture Field Co-ordinators should also possess some
experience in: sub-project management; procurement and distribution of agricultural inputs and equipment;
institutional and technical capacity building of government institutions, NGOs at all levels; facilitating/coordinating
community-level participatory action planning and development; adaptive research and participatory extension
approaches to technological innovation; and gender mainstreaming.

Expected Outputs:
1. Project “provincial adaptive research programme design”
2. Conservation agriculture and FFS training reports
3. Technical report on socially, economically and environmentally sound
conservation agriculture and agricultural climate change adaptation options
for climate-smart agriculture in the respective agro-ecological zones of NTB
and NTT Provinces
4. Provincial project work plans and progress statements for compilation by
PMU
5. Provincial quarterly project work plans and progress reports for compilation
by PMU


Duty station: NTT and NTB Provinces (with in country and external travel travel as required)
Duration: 3 months (initially)
Interested candidates should submit a CV and a covering letter clearly stating their relevant skills, experience,
vacancy and reference code by email to:
E-mail: FAO-ID@fao.org ,
Submission DEADLINE: 18th November 2013