Fisheries Specialist

FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

Qualified female applicants are encouraged to apply.

People with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

FAO’s approach to development assistance in Mindanao focuses on supporting the rehabilitation of agriculture and fisheries-based livelihoods, accelerating agriculture-based enterprises and increasing access to sustainable energy, and resilience to risk in municipalities affected by natural disasters and conflict. FAO interventions will include, among others\:

1. Introduction of various productivity enhancing technologies to improve household incomes and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

2. Technical assistance to government in reviewing existing policies that promote equitable agribusiness venture arrangements between farmers and agribusiness firms and capacity building activities for farmers that are anchored on the value chain approach.

3. Capacity building on enterprise development and agribusiness that will allow farmers, fisherfolk and local government units to maximize potential market opportunities.

4. Restoring and increasing the productivity of agriculture and fisheries-based livelihoods of smallholder farmers and marginalized fishers, decommissioned Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants and their families
Enhancing the competitiveness of farm households, particularly women, to establish and manage microenterprises

5. Facilitating the establishment of agribusiness enterprises with production-market contract agreements or similar arrangements

The Fisheries Specialist will be under the overall guidance of the FAO Representative, the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), and the day to day guidance of the Project Team Leader and in close collaboration with the Mindanao and Emergency Response and Preparedness Group Team Leader.

Technical Focus

FAO has been implementing various projects in Mindanao which are guided by the FAO Mindanao Strategic Programme for Agriculture/Agribusiness and an emergency/rehabilitation project for Marawi City and other affected municipalities. The MSPAA strategies for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are in line with the Bangsamoro Development Plan (BDP, 2015) which FAO has also provided technical assistance in crafting the Economy and Livelihood component of the BDP. FAO will provide support to BARMM Ministries in areas related to our technical fields of expertise, including provision of technical support to the sectoral planning, capacity building for officials and local extension workers, and the development/implementation of socioeconomic packages and job generation/quick impact agricultural and environmental livelihood interventions for affected population and combatants.

Tasks and responsibilities

The Fisheries Specialist shall perform the following responsibilities\:

• Coordinate and liaise closely with relevant government agencies, development organizations, NGOs, and other stakeholders on the plan and implementation of fisheries project activities identified jointly by FAO, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office (DA-RFO), and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM);

• Analyze training needs assessment reports and findings of MAFAR, DA-RFOs and LGUs;

• Take technical lead in identifying appropriate project interventions to implement the fisheries component of the project and determine the specific training modules and inputs required for implementing the fisheries interventions;

• Develop training modules (aquaculture, capture fisheries, fish processing) and prepare detailed training plans, taking into consideration the specific needs of men and women;

• Serve as resource person and/or facilitator in various fisheries skills trainings;

• Assess the technical soundness of production plan on fisheries designed to restore livelihood of affected fisherfolks;

• Ensure the timely delivery of the planned project components through providing sound technical advice and good practices including the raising of awareness on sustainable fisheries management and the application of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines);

• Provide technical advice on issues raised pertaining to fisheries taking into consideration impacts on associated human health risks;

• Coordinate closely with other sectors where fisheries is a component

• Prepare and submit an end of assignment report.

• Carry out any other relevant duties within his/her technical competence as may be requested by FAO

• The candidate must have a postgraduate degree in fisheries, aquaculture, or related field from recognized university with complementary knowledge in agricultural development planning
• The candidate should have at least 5 years practical experience in the implementation of projects on fisheries and/or aquaculture projects at the field level
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English and Tagalog
• He/she must have intermediate to advance computer skills skills in the use of standard office software, such as MS Office (Word, Excel, Power Point).
• A national of Philippines

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Must be familiar with the local rural setting in Central Mindanao and Bangsamoro areas
• Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute complex processes across a wide range of stakeholders, advance ability to work quickly and under pressure.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team is of importance as is the ability to take leadership when appropriate

Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.