The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved the Government of India’s GEF6 Green Ag. Project titled, “Green-Ag: Transforming Indian agriculture for global environmental benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes.” Therefore, the project objective is to catalyze transformative change for India’s agricultural sector to support the achievement of national and global environmental benefits and conserve critical biodiversity and forest landscapes. The project is organized around two components. The first component strengthens the enabling framework and institutional structures to mainstream biodiversity (BD), sustainable land management (SLM), climate change mitigation (CCM) and sustainable forest management (SFM) policies, priorities and practices into India’s agricultural sector. The second component demonstrates replicable “Improved agricultural and conservation practices” for sustainable production, resilient livelihood advancements, habitat improvements, and delivery of tangible BD, LD, CCM, and SFM benefits.

The project works at the national, state, and pilot site levels. The project’s five demonstration states are:

1. Madhya Pradesh
2. Mizoram
3. Odisha
4. Rajasthan
5. Uttarakhand

Site-level project effort focuses upon high conservation priority landscapes (e.g., protected areas) within each of these states. The position is located in the FAO Country Office in India.

Tasks and Responsibilities

• Provide technical support in the design and implementation of Farmer Field Schools on Landscape Governance.
• Provide technical backstopping to the implementation and functioning of the Green Landscape Implementation Platform.
• Coordinate the Training of Trainers in the Green Landscape Field Schools.
• Coordinate the development of Green Landscape Field Schools’ monitoring and impact indicator formats; and design their protocols, tools, and methods.
• Provide technical support to curriculum planning and implementation for strengthening participatory and community-based land-use planning in targeted areas and landscapes, based on an analysis of the climate change vulnerability, and adaptation and mitigation capacities.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned, including case studies (both project and other relevant experiences) and findings from green landscape impact monitoring, and lessons captured on agrobiodiversity, green agriculture, and participatory NRM.
• Work with SPMU Team and Green Landscape expert in developing monitoring protocols and tools for data collection and assist the Team Leader in ensuring complete documentation and report writing on all the NRM activities.
• Coordinate with the project M&E expert to assist in data collection for baseline, mid-term, and end-term evaluations, and for reporting on the GEF tracking tool for the five project landscapes.
• Provide relevant technical guidance to the project, as required.

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s Degree or equivalent in environment and natural resources management, or relevant subject.
• At least three years of relevant demonstrable experience in preparing high-quality biodiversity conservation or sustainable land management projects.
• Full proficiency in the English language.
• Indian National or resident.

Technical/Functional Skills

• Experience in research, project planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation coupled with vast knowledge and experience in Environment and Institution building.
• Proven experience in participatory processes and dialogue facilitation between Government, Development partners, private sector, and civil society.
• Understanding of GEF functioning and procedures, Ex-Ante Carbon Balance Tool, and Carbon monitoring process.
• Experience working with or in international non-governmental and donor organizations (UN agencies, World Bank, IFAD, Asian Development Bank, etc.) with implementation of participatory projects.
• Good analytical and report writing skills.
• Strong oral, written, and presentation skills in English.

Selection Criteria

• Experience of working in GEF projects is an asset.