Job Position: Climate Smart Agriculture Specialist Deadline 30/11/2023

 

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Terms of Reference

Job title                    : Climate Smart Agriculture Specialist

Dates & duration   : 1 January 2024 – 30 June 2024 (with an option to extend contingent on funds approval)
Location(s)              : Dili, Baucau, Viqueque or Maliana (Bobonaro)
Reports to               : Alex Peachey, Agricultural Resilience & Livelihoods Adviser

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Background

The To’os Ba Moris Di’ak Program (TOMAK) is a 10-year agricultural livelihoods program funded by the Australian Government in Timor-Leste. Its goal is to ensure rural households live more prosperous and sustainable lives.

TOMAK is being implemented at community level in Baucau, Bobonaro and Viqueque municipalities, through government and NGO partners, with broader reach achieved through a range of systems strengthening activities with government and private sector partners.

TOMAK Phase 2 is taking an integrated ‘food system’ perspective to achieve inter-linked objectives relating to food security, nutrition and agriculture-based livelihoods. A key part of agriculture-based livelihoods is using a climate-smart agricultural approach.

In terms of agriculture and food security, the TOMAK Agriculture Team has developed 14 test sites across all three municipalities. Test sites are ways farmers can test new crop varieties using a range of technologies, including sloping agricultural land technology (SALT).

TOMAK is also collaborating closely with the Australian Centre for Agricultural Research (ACIAR) to undertake nutrient trials. These trials help farmers understand limiting nutrients in their soils and best-practice fertiliser responses. TOMAK is also developing an agricultural training facility.

TOMAK, through its sub-contractor, has developed over 80 farming savings and loans groups (SLGs). SLGs work in legumes, food crops (red rice and orange sweet potato), green leafy vegetables (Asian vegetables, onions and strawberries) and livestock (pigs, chickens). SLGs are the primary means of developing farmer capacity through farmer field schools on demonstration plots and animal husbandry facilities.

Context

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is an integrated approach to managing landscapes – croplands, livestock, forests and fisheries to address the interlinked challenges of food security and climate change.

TOMAK will further embed CSA approaches into phase 2 of the program. The CSA approach will help ensure that beneficiaries in TOMAK’s target municipalities have increased their resilience to climate change, particularly the effects of El Nino on farming systems.

The Position

Position Objective:

The position will work with the Agricultural Resilience & Livelihoods Adviser and the Agriculture Team to implement the CSA program. The program will integrate a range of CSA activities into existing interventions.

CSA activities could include new variety trials, use of agricultural technology, agro-forestry, organic fertiliser production, food and seed storage, irrigation and agricultural sector climate risk assessments.

The position will involve extensive field work, requiring the incumbent to be in the farm- based approximately 80 % of the working week.

Tasks:

• Work closely with the Agricultural Resilience & Livelihoods Adviser, key members of the Agriculture Team and the Finance and Administration Team on all tasks.
• Task related to establishing and managing forest user groups. These are groups of interested community members, derived from SLGs, who will manage communal forest and water resources for improved agricultural and environmental outcomes.
• Provide capacity building to regional staff in CSA.
• Develop productive working relationships with farmers, particularly savings and loans groups (SLGs) members.
• Develop CSA workplans in close collaboration with farmers / SLGs for appropriate CSA activities to be implemented.
• Procure materials for agreed CSA activities and implement activities as per the workplans.
• Teach farmers/SLGs members agreed CSA techniques.
• Monitor progress and undertake corrective actions as required to ensure best-practice CSA activities are implemented with impact.
• Report on regular basis on progress in CSA activity implementation.

Skills and experience

• Previous experience in agriculture in Timor-Leste and/or tropical Australia (Northern Territory, Northwestern Australia or North/Farm North Queensland) either in crops, livestock or aquaculture.
• Experience can be either through a Government of Timor-Leste agricultural project, a donor-funded project or through a private sector enterprise (working on a farm in northern Australia or managing your own farm in Timor-Leste).
• An understanding climate-smart agricultural principles or the ability to implement them practically.
• Experience in community facilitation process related to water management, natural resources management or similar.
• An ability to make meaningful connections with farmers and farmer groups.
• Being able to use agricultural technology (sensors, drones etc.)
• An ability to live and work in remote areas of Timor-Leste.
• Proficient ability to report in English and speak Tetun (knowledge of a local language from Baucau, Bobonaro or Viqueque will be an asset).

How to apply

Interested applicants must submit their applications by 30 November, 2023, 5pm local time (Timor-Leste). Please submit:

1. Short cover letter on how your qualifications and experience addresses each position task.
2. A curriculum vitae (resume).
3. Application should be sent to HR@tomak.org by the 6th of December, 2023, 5pm local time (Timor-Leste).

Adam Smith International is an equal opportunity employer and applications from a diverse range of candidates including from women and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interview.

This consultancy is open to national (Timor-Leste) consultants only.

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#Learn more here: https://tomak.org/

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