Sustainable Land Management/Land Degradation Neutrality Specialist

Organizational Setting

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. 

The Land and Water Division (NSL) of FAO foresees a future whereby governments, development partners, civil society,
academic institutions, and the private sector and farmers, all work together to ensure that land, soil, and water resources are
wisely used, conserved, and restored for sustainable and resilient agrifood systems that support food security, nutrition, and
human wellbeing. NSL provides policy guidance, technical and financial assistance to Member Nations in developing policies, programmes, best practices and management tools for ensuring productive and efficient use of land, soil and water resources to meet present and future demands for agricultural products, while ensuring the long-term sustainability of these resources. It promotes equitable access to and sustainable management of these natural resources with a view to enhancing productivity, livelihoods, equity, health and ecosystem services. 

Under the new FAO Conceptual Framework for Integrated Land and Water Resources Manage Strategy, NSL will work towards a core set of five integrated and strategic Objectives and Action Areas that have been elaborated to cut across the thematic areas of land, water, soils, and geospatial areas of work of the Division: (1) Good Governance; (2) Wise use and restoration; (3) Mitigation and resilience; (4) Integrated solutions; (5) Data, digitalization, technology and innovation.

Specifically, the Land Team within the Land and Water Division (NSL) is responsible for: 

•    Assessing and monitoring land degradation and farming systems trends.
•    Producing technical and normative guidance on Integrated Land Use Planning.  
•    Mainstreaming and upscaling sustainable land management.
•    Supporting work on governance and tenure security for land restoration.
•    Ensuring coordination and follow up on strategic partnerships such as with the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the partners of the World Overview on Conservation Approach and Techniques (WOCAT) and the UN Coalition on combating Sand and Dust Storms.   
•    Supporting Member countries on all the above.
•    Supporting the development and implementation and technical backstopping of relevant programmes and projects at global, regional and national levels.
•    Supporting capacity development activities for the implementation of guidelines and solutions.

FAO Consultant/PSA and Call purpose
The purpose of this call is to provide FAO’s NSL Land team with a list of qualified candidates with different expertise and specialisations to support the implementation of relevant programmes and projects and the work as indicated below:

•    Land Degradation Neutrality Assessment and Monitoring. 
•    Sustainable agricultural land management, restoration and land governance and integrated land use planning.

Consultancy/PSA contracts may be based in FAO HQs or home-based. In both cases, travel may be required for field missions, where and when relevant. 

Reporting Lines

The Consultant/PSA reports to NSL Land and Water Officer(s).

Technical Focus 

Supporting the development and effective implementation of FAO’s Land portfolio through the provision of expertise in relevant technical areas including project formulation and implementation, capacity development and policy advice to support Member countries.  

Tasks and responsibilities

Land degradation Neutrality Assessment and Monitoring (Consultant/PSA)

•    Assess national availability and quality of land-related information, including geospatial information on status and trends.
•    Prepare maps and tables of land cover changes and land productivity dynamics (and land suitability) in line with national circumstances and guidelines for reporting to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); Support the realization of land mapping activities at agreed scales and resolutions for selected indicator sets and models, including calibrating map outputs based on stakeholder feedback and inputs. 
•    Contribute to capacity development efforts on land assessments and monitoring as well as on reporting for Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) target settings and identifications of priority areas for intervention.
•    Assist in preparation, organization and implementation of participatory workshops at national and regional levels.
•    Provide technical support to the land team in events such as workshops, conferences, international processes. 
•    Contribute to the analytical work of the team in relation to the preparation of analytical briefs and scientific publications, communication material, learning material, improved understanding of data strengths, limitations and application; and 
•    Contribute technical expertise to the preparation of concept notes, project proposals and technical reports.

Sustainable management and restoration of agricultural land and land governance and integrated land use planning (Consultant/PSA)

•    Develop, provide inputs to and review of technical products, projects on sustainable land management and land governance, agricultural land restoration. combating sand and dust storms, and integrated land use planning.
•    Provide technical and policy support to Members.    
•    Contribute to resource mobilization efforts, write concept notes and develop project proposals and technical backstopping of projects. 
•    Support projects implementation and management including carrying out technical and administrative tasks (follow-up of workplans, budgets, contracts, Letters of Agreements (LOA) to ensure quality delivery of projects outputs in a timely manner. 
•    Provide support to the Land and Water Gender focal Point by developing methodologies, drafting documents and presentations for internal use. 
•    Facilitate technical networking and partnerships, both internally and externally, including by supporting coordination and organization of internal and external meetings and events, consultations, training, capacity building, multi-stakeholder dialogues and other technical and policy meetings
•    Contribute to the analytical work of the team in relation to the preparation of analytical briefs and scientific publications, communication material, learning material, improved understanding of data strengths, limitations and application.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced University degree (for consultants) and University Degree (For PSA) in Agriculture, Sustainable Land Management, Land Use Planning, Governance, Land Tenure, Environmental, Forestry, Biology, Geography, Natural Resources Management, Economics, Rural Development, Programming or any other related field. For consultants a university degree combined with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be considered in lieu of an advanced university degree. 
•    Minimum one year of relevant experience (for category C), minimum five years of relevant experience (for category B), minimum ten years of relevant experience (for Cat. A)  in sustainable land management, land restoration, Governance of natural resources, land tenure, land use planning, land degradation assessment and monitoring
•    Working knowledge of English 

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

•    Limited knowledge of at least one of the other UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish).
•    Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field position is desirable 
•    Extent and relevance of the work experience related to normative and technical work on land degradation assessment and monitoring, sustainable land management, land restoration, integrated land use planning, land tenure, combating desertification, and sand and dust storms, governance of natural resources.
•    Demonstrated ability to prepare technical reports and documents.
•    Extent and relevance of the capacity development experience for members countries and other relevant stakeholders in the field of land degradation assessment and monitoring, sustainable land management, land restoration, integrated land use planning, land tenure, combating desertification, and sand and dust storms, governance of natural resources. 
•    Demonstrated ability to deliver results within deadlines.