Senior Seed Specialist

Organizational Setting

FAO Afghanistan is investing across all 34 provinces, in resilience reinforcing actions that focus on protecting agriculture livelihoods and local ecosystems, boosting local production of nutritious foods and cash-incomes, and safeguarding critical agriculture sectoral development gains achieved over the past couple of decades through revitalizing rural markets and economy. In 2024-2026, FAO will continue to implement emergency and longer-term, resilience-building projects and programmes in the context of the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan (UNSFA) and the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of FAOR and guidance of the Emergency and Rehabilitation Officer / Head of Field Programme Unit and the direct supervision of the National Professional Officer (programme), the Seed Specialist shall perform the following activities:

Technical Focus

Provide full support on terms of identification, selection, and capacity building of PSEs for collaboration with by FAO on the crop diversification plan of FAO.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Coordinate the next steps in terms of identification, selection, and capacity building of PSEs for collaboration with by FAO on the crop diversification plan of FAO.
•    Provide regular technical guidance on the crop diversification actions, as per FAO’s plan, to the selected PSEs.
•    Provide regular technical guidance and coordination support to the Head of the plant production and protection team of FAO Afghanistan in undertaking the various actions as per the crop sector priorities identified by FAO Afghanistan.
•    Oversee and advice on all technical matters related to seeds production at relevant stations, including field level seed multiplication, processing and packaging, quality assurance and safe storage.
•    Manage training of national staff in essential technical aspects of certified and foundation seed production.
•    Ensure close working relations with the seed certification services regarding seed quality assurance measures of apart from wheat seed.
•    Conduct awareness creation and other promotional activities for quality seed produced by ARIA, Improved Seed Enterprises and PSEs.
•    Ensure timely conduction of summer crops seed production planning and coordination workshop with support of relevant stakeholders including Seed Certification Directorate.
•    Prepare a strategy and plan for crop diversification based on a technical analysis of existing crop cultivation systems and markets as well as enablers and barriers in crop diversification in Afghanistan.
•    Substantively contribute to the formulation of the crop cultivation strategy cum investment plan of FAO in Afghanistan, which is currently under formulation.
•    Perform any other pertinent task assigned by the FAOR / Head of the Field Programme Unit.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements  

•    Advanced University (Master) degree or University (Bachelor) degree in Agriculture or preferably in Seed Sector.
•    For an advanced university degree, a minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience in Agriculture, or preferably in Seed Sector.
•    For university (Bachelor) degree a minimum of seven (7) years of relevant experience in Agriculture, or preferably in Seed Sector.
•    Working knowledge (level C) of English and local languages (Pashto and/or Dari).
•    National of Afghanistan.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Experience of working with the United Nations or other international organizations (especially those working in the field of agriculture) is preferred.
•    Ability to work independently, to organize and coordinate with demonstrated ability to write clearly and concisely in working languages.
•    Experience of work under emergency conditions is preferred.
•    Experience organizing stakeholder meetings or workshops with various partners.
•    Strong professional command of Microsoft Office, in particular Word and Excel.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION