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National Lead Consultant/ Business Incubator Coordinator

Belize

  • Organization: FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
  • Location: Belize
  • Grade: Consultancy - Consultant - Contractors Agreement
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Operations and Administrations
    • Innovations for Sustainable Development
    • Managerial positions
    • Social Entrepreneurship
    • Sustainable Business Development
    • FLJAM
  • Closing Date: Closed

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FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
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Qualified female applicants and qualified nationals of non-and under-represented member countries are encouraged to apply.

Persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply.

All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
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Organizational Setting

The mandate of FAO in Jamaica, Belize and Bahamas is to support national efforts to promote food security and sustainable development. In doing so, FAO works closely with the Ministries of Agriculture, Health and Education. Recently, FAO has begun to expand its partnership to include other ministries to reflect its focus on food security and nutrition. Its beneficiaries have also been expanded to include urban and peri-urban populations.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Country Representative for Jamaica, Bahamas and Belize, the National Lead Consultant and Business Incubator Coordinator will be home based and will support the FAO Representative and the Assistant FAO Representative to deliver the expected Outputs 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the TCP BZE 675682 Technical Assistance for Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Food systems in the Rural and Peri-urban Areas of the Cayo District, as a Response to the COVID-19. The consultant will also work in close collaboration with the Incubator team, the FAO team as well as other critical stakeholders

Technical Focus

The Consultant will coordinate the activities for the implementation and monitoring of the agri-business incubator in coordination with assigned team members.

Tasks and responsibilities

He/she will work closely with the Incubator team to oversee

  1. Value chain analysis and GIS system upgrade:
  • Oversee the assessment and upgrade the current MFAI GIS system to identify priority geographic areas with agricultural potential and investment opportunities.
  • Support the development of TORs and selection of adequate service providers to implement the GIS system.
  • Oversee GIS expert’s training of MFAI personnel to use the upgraded system.
  • Support the procurement process for goods and services relevant for the implementation of the GIS system.
  • Conduct at least five value chain assessments analysis of targeted segments of the food system with special consideration for significant participation of – small farmers and livestock producers, and fisher folks
  • Develop a practical guide for agriculture value chain analysis and develop local capacity to use it to carry out the aforementioned five value chain assessments.

  1. Capacity building of the Extension Service Unit of MFAI in different training methodologies to improve the productivity and sustainability of small-holder farms:
  • Facilitate the sourcing, identifying and contracting of a Farmer Field School [FFS] subject matter expert and practitioners
  • Oversee the FFS subject matter expert conduct of training needs and capability assessments of MFAI and targeted farmers and the development of appropriate training curricula and materials.
  • Support the FFS subject matter experts implement TOT FFS workshop for MFAI and key partner personnel.

  1. Capacity building of the Cooperative Department of MFAI in rural business development:
  • Oversee the identifying and contracting of a business incubation development consultant to design and implement an appropriate business incubation programme.
  • Oversee the business incubator subject matter expert conduct of training needs and capability assessments of MFAI, select Universities and Colleges, and 100 targeted women and young entrepreneurs.
  • Lead the business incubator development initiative to validate and implement an appropriate incubator model that will include; a supporting framework, business and related training curricula, business planning tools, and an internship and mentoring programme. Key activities are expected to include capacity building of local technical personnel [MFAI, select Universities and Colleges]; procuring services of other critical local subject matter experts with skillset not available internally at the MFAI and academic partners.
  • Develop in collaboration with the project task force to include the other national consultants a strategy for financing approved business plans.

  1. Technical assistance for a policy and governance framework that sustainably integrates the outputs from the incubator programme and other local food production into the national school feeding programme:
  • Support the functioning of the joint working group on school feeding with the participation of MFAI, MOE, MOH, participating Universities and Colleges;
  • Oversee the development of a policy/plan on integrating output from the incubator programme and local food production into a sustainable national school feeding programme.
    • An assessment of the operation of the current Sustainable School Feeding Model piloted, which uses the public purchasing of local food from small farmers for nationwide up-scaling, completed;
    • Support the identification and selection of proper national service providers to facilitate the process of developing the program/policy/plan within 10 weeks of project initialization;
    • Support for the development and implementation of a Communication Plan with lessons learnt and successful cases;
    • Support the development of a National Plan that systematizes the experience of the project to consolidate and expand the model across the country;
    • A funding proposal with a particular focus on South-South Cooperation, to support scaling up and expansion elsewhere, developed and presented to resource partners (IFAD, IDB, and others).

Specific Tasks:

In implementing the activities, the expert must take FAO’s Gender Policy into consideration, ensuring to the extent possible, that there is equity in the benefits accrued to women and men as well as young persons. Gender and age disaggregated data should be collected and presented for all meetings, training and other activities. In addition, the following specific tasks will be undertaken.

  • Provide administrative support for the on-boarding incubator team members
  • Follow up work plan implementation, manage project pipeline and burning rate to ensure payments are made according to budget allocations and FAO guidelines
  • Ensure regular communication with multi-sectorial stakeholders and the Technical and Steering Committees to ensure efficient flow of information between implementing partners and support agencies
  • Conduct portfolio review every six month to determine; evidence of positive change, participation of key stakeholders, project exit and sustainability strategy and achievement of project targets

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

  • Advanced university degree in agribusiness management, agriculture economics, or related degree.
  • A minimum of seven [7] years of relevant professional experience in agriculture value chain analysis and micro-business development .
  • Ability to communicate effectively in English.
  • National of Belize or resident in the country with a regular work permit.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

  • Previous related experience in the Caribbean region
  • Understanding of and experience in the development and implementation of projects related to rural development, agri-business and food security management system
  • Skills and experience in engaging with public sector agencies
  • Well-developed inter-personal skills and a demonstrated experience of working in a cross-cultural environment; and,

Excellent writing skills, strong networking and relationship building skills, excellent communication and negotiation skills.

  • Experience in entrepreneurship, business planning and agricultural policy development would be an asset
  • Prior demonstrated relevant experience designing projects and programs in particular those related to rural development
  • Previous work with an international organization or UN organization preferred
  • Experience in leading interdisciplinary teams
  • Good documentation, record keeping and report-writing skills

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

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This vacancy is now closed.
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