UNDP helps Kazakhstan honor its Paris Agreement commitments by supporting the expansion of the “green economy” to tap into new opportunities for jobs and businesses. It partners with other United Nations agencies to provide technical expertise to translate strategies into action, establish a monitoring framework for climate change adaptation and mitigation, and develop plans for transition to green energy, land management, climate-proof agriculture, biodiversity, reforestation, disaster risk reduction, and waste management. By catalyzing SDG and Paris-aligned investments (public and private), UNDP delivers client-focused solutions that respond to immediate, mid and long-term recovery and socio-economic development priorities, and; by leveraging on-the-ground presence and networks, we unlock bottom-up solutions towards lasting impacts at the country level, benefitting most disadvantaged and leaving no one behind.

Project Description

The project was developed as part of the the global GEF Impact Program on Food Systems, Land Use, and Restoration (FOLUR) to trigger wide-scale adoption of efficient land management technologies and promote green value chains to reduce degradation of productive agricultural land and associated high value ecosystems in the Northern Kazakhstan Landscape. The project will support Integrated Landscape Management (ILM) policies, capacities and incentives, thus ensuring the enabling environment for transformation of land use practices to avoid ecosystem and land degradation. The project will support establishment of the cooperative platform with wheat exporters and retail companies, led by the Government and focusing on green wheat as key commodity. For the agricultural landscape, the project will support diversification and improved management of productive croplands, introduce agro-environmental incentives for sustainable food production, restore pasture land and introduce sustainable pasture management techniques. The project will support the establishment of a network of high-nature value ecosystems within game reserves, high nature value forest districts, wetlands, a local protected area and a connecting corridor. The project will finance innovative reforestation pilots and replicable restoration demos for dryland forests, degraded lake and wetland ecosystems. Within its knowledge management component, the project will assist the sectoral stakeholders with the establishment of a national experience exchange network on sustainable food production, organization of vocational and academic training programs in agricultural colleges and universities, awareness raising and advocacy for sustainable food production, SLM, conservation and sustainable use of valuable natural ecosystems in productive landscapes.

• Design and implement agro-environmental financial instruments for diversification and improved management of productive croplands and perennial crop systems in the target regions. Collaborate with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Kazagro, and local authorities, to develop and test these incentives. Monitor and assess the impact of financial incentives on land degradation neutrality (LDN) practices and technologies;
• Oversee the selection of demonstration projects in Akmola, Kostanai, and North Kazakhstan for diversification and improved management of croplands and perennial crop systems. Ensure the implementation of LDN practices, crop rotation systems, and other sustainable agricultural techniques. Collaborate with local partners, farmers, and research institutions to facilitate the successful execution of demonstration projects.Conduct economic analyses and assessments to compare the results of these projects with the baseline, identifying benefits and areas for improvement;
• Lead the selection of demonstration sites in the four target oblasts for sustainable pasture management. Oversee the implementation of integrated approaches for sustainable livestock management, including pasture and rangeland management. Collaborate with the World Bank’s Sustainable Livestock Development Program to avoid overlap in demonstration sites and promote knowledge exchange. Monitor and assess the results of these projects, including ecological and economic outcomes;
• Establish a platform for collaboration with the National Agrarian Scientific and Educational Center and the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken” to develop and institutionalize the extension system. Assess the needs and capacities of farmers’ associations, research institutes, and other local institutions to provide extension services. Identify and strengthen the extension capacities of local partners, training personnel and enhancing technological capabilities. Develop educational materials, conduct workshops, and support the provision of information and consultation services to farmers. Create a unified web platform to improve the delivery of extension services and ensure efficient monitoring;
• Establish a national cooperative platform to link farmers to premium crop and forage markets and retail/wholesale companies. Analyze the enabling environment for responsible crop production and identify regulatory reforms and sectoral incentives. Develop a corporate standard for responsible wheat production and a unified certification system. Implement an online benchmarking system for supply chain elements. Explore options for labeling/branding of green wheat and promote marketing and sales. Support various assessments and tools for the platform, including marketplace development and agroloans. Collaborate with the FOLUR global platform and the UNDP Green Commodities Program to connect with international partners and share experiences;
• Connect the project to the Green Commodities Community administered by UNDP, participate in global commodity and food supply chain initiatives, and represent FOLUR at relevant international conferences. Facilitate knowledge exchange, coordination, and collaboration with similar country projects within FOLUR. Ensure that the national commodity platform is well-connected to global and national supply chain stakeholders;
• Contribute to the project inception phase, develop inception report and attend inception workshop;
• Coordinate with the  National Project Coordinator (NPC) and team in order to monitor progress, assist in planning, and identify key technical problems (if any) and means for solving them;
• Participate in Project Board Meetings (PB) and other relevant project meetings;
• Assist in capturing the key lessons and developing a replication plan for other regions and communities in Kazakhstan. As part of the replication strategy, assist in developing replication materials for wider dissemination and application of project results and lessons learned;
• In cooperation with the project team and UNDP CO, develop a suitable project exit strategy, and present it for approval to the PB Meeting;
• Provide support and advice for preparation or revision of key planning and evaluation documents such as the project Annual Plan of Actions (APAs), Annual Work Plan (AWPs), Project Implementation Reviews (PIRs), progress reports, monitoring and review reports etc.;
• Assist in the development of relevant Terms of References and mobilization of qualified national and international experts and organizations needed to provide specific consultancy services;
• Support Project Coordinator in the preparation and implementation of the Mid-Term and Terminal Evaluations (TORs, selection of appropriate candidates, accompaniment of field missions if and when required, discussion with evaluators, etc.);
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Task Analyst will report to the National Project Coordinator and all of the project expert’s actions related to this TOR work must be agreed upon with the PC.

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 1: Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 1: Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 1: Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 1: Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty, is flexible
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 1: Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 1: Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 1: Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront discrimination

• System Thinking
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
• Negotiation and Influence
  • Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiates mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and creates win-win situations
• Human-centered Design
  • Ability to develop solutions to problems by involving the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving process
• Results-based Management
  • Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improYed performance and demonstrable results
• Project Management
  • Ability to plan, organise, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Partnerships Management
  • Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Nature, Climate and Energy
  • Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Natural Resource Management

• Fluency in Russian and/or Kazakh.
• Knowledge of English would be an asset.