Project District Coordinator

Organizational Setting

Upon request from the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will provide technical assistance for the improvement of livelihood of farmers of selected districts through increasing productivity of paddy while diversifying a sizable quantity of paddy lands with legumes and other field crops (OFC) using Climate Smart Good Agriculture Practices (CSGAP) with increased cropping intensity, efficient water and fertilizer management systems which leads to increase overall land productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the system. 

The designated duty stations for the implementation of this initiative are Anuradhapura, Hambantota, Kurunegala, and Vavuniya.

Reporting Lines

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the Project Manager with the overall supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme). The District Coordinator will work with the Project Management Specialist and consultants in the project and is required to coordinate with Administrative Section of the FAO Representation as required. He/she will work in close collaboration with other Government counterparts, the Lead Technical Officer (LTO), and Lead Technical Unit in FAO HQ.

Technical Focus

Agriculture and Management

Tasks and responsibilities

Planning, implementation, and management of project activities

•    Assist the PMU to identify, plan, design, implement and monitor the progress of project activities as per the results-based work plan.  
•    Provide day-to-day administrative and management inputs to the project team assuring smooth implementation of the project in the district.  
•    Ensure that the project outputs and targets are met as per the project indicator framework and that activities are carried out as planned in line with the budget and project timeline using a results-based approach.  
•    Assist in planning project activities such as meetings and trainings with relevant government institutions.  
•    Coordinate with all government and nongovernmental stakeholders in the district and ensure the high stakeholder ownership and participation. 
•    Facilitate inputs from partner institutions and agencies, while considering national and international best practices.  
•    Assist to network with external stakeholders in the area including private sector players to create strategic partnerships in taking forward the project.
•    Collaborate with and support the national consultants with implementation of all the activities in the district.
•    Coordinate the field level activities while closely working with the field technical officer.
•    Assist the PMU to coordinate with all the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the joint implementation modalities are conducted in an effective manner.
•    Ensure timely implementation of all the project activities in the district. 
•    Ensure sustainability by identifying and setting up relevant exit strategies.  

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
  
•    Assist the project management in the preparation and implementation of project M&E plan, project communication and knowledge management plan as per project requirements.
•    Assist the project management to hold periodic project review meetings with stakeholders and undertake field visits to monitor activities to ensure that implementation is on track, report on deviations, request formal approval from FAO and donor on modifications and comply with procedural requirements.
•    Provide administrative and coordination support to monitoring missions, donor missions and project evaluators. 
•    Provide support to prepare communication material and promote the project, its outputs, and findings as per donor and project requirements at national and/or regional level.
•    Submit a monthly report of project implementation reviews, progress reports (narrative and financial) and other project reports, against the project budget and results/M&E framework.
•    Facilitate and support the project evaluations and audits.
•    Facilitate effective communication of project progress at meetings. 

Specific tasks

•    Guide, support and direct FTO of the respective district and execute planned tasks of the project under the overall guidance of the PMU 
•    Coordinate and verify the identified locations for crop diversification across 25 tracts of each district.
•    Re confirm the already identified lands for their suitability and identify additional land /tracts in collaboration with the government field staff for OFC cultivation.
•    Liaise with district technical staff and support the development of seasonal cropping calendars for each crop to be cultivated (10 Other Field Crops and one paddy) in each tract.
•    Oversee and coordinate the implementation of the cropping calendars in the field.
•    Facilitate the registration of 25 established Farmer Producer Groups (one per tract) as Public Unlisted Companies (PUCs) with the Department of Agrarian Development (DAD).
•    Coordinate the establishment of crop diversification demonstration sites at identified government research institutions.
•    Organize and coordinate Training of Trainers (TOT) sessions on climate-smart paddy and OFC farming using advanced technologies for technical officers involved in the project.
•    Coordinate the preparation of detailed lists of inputs—including specifications and quantities—for location-specific production packages for diversified crops (e.g., fertilizers, seeds, solar pumps, sprinkler systems etc.).
•    Coordinate the construction, rehabilitation, and registration of selected agro-wells in the respective districts.
•    Identify irrigation needs (sprinkler system etc.) of non agro-well farmers who has a water source and prepare a list for each tract   
•    Facilitate all field-level activities aimed at enhancing productivity in paddy and OFC cultivation.
•    Coordinate the selection of 25 youth and women entrepreneurs per district with government partners to engage in primary-level value addition.
•    Organize 25 Farmer Field Schools (FFS) per district focused on climate-smart paddy and OFC cultivation using advanced technologies.
•    Coordinate the selection of beneficiary farmers (who has not received inputs) to receive seed paddy or seedlings under the project during the 2025/26 Maha seasons and beyond.
•    Support the PMU in identifying required machinery, equipment’s and tools and for the development of technical specifications with quantities required to establish farm machinery/implement hiring and input supply centers.
•    Support the PMU in identifying suitable entrepreneurs and establish five farm machinery/implement hiring and input supply centers per district.
•    Support the PMU in developing of technical specifications and quantity requirements for seed paddy and seedling trays to establish village-level seed and seedling production enterprises.
•    Establish 10 village-level seed and seedling production enterprises per district, involving Producer Groups under formal partnership agreements.
•    Support seed and seedling producers for registration of those activities under relevant government regulations and procedures
•    Support the PMU in identifying high-performing extension officer (one per district) for advanced training at a suitable international institution.
•    Support the PMU to identify high-performing farmers (10 per district) for overseas exposure visits to India.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements    

•    Advanced university degree in Agriculture or related fields with a post graduate qualification in a related field. 
•    A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience at higher level management / project coordination in the agriculture sector.
•    Working knowledge of English and Sinhala/Tamil.
•    National of Sri Lanka.

 
FAO Core Competencies

•    Results Focus
•    Teamwork
•    Communication
•    Building Effective Relationships
•    Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Familiarity with Crop Diversification and Climate Smart Good Agriculture Practices
•    Field experience in technology dissemination, scientific farming of paddy and other annual upland crops

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION