ABOUT WFP:

As the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against hunger, World Food Programme (WFP) responds to emergencies worldwide. WFP save lives by getting food to the hungry fast. WFP also works to help prevent hunger in the future. This is achieved through programmes that use food assistance as a means to build community assets, spread knowledge and nurture stronger, more dynamic communities. This helps communities become resilient to any future shocks and hence more food secure. WFP has developed expertise in a range of areas, including Emergency Planning and Response, Food Security Analysis, Nutrition, Food Procurement and Logistics etc. to ensure that best solutions are given to the world’s hungry. On average, WFP reaches more than 90 million people with food assistance in more than 73 countries.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE OF THE ASSIGNMENT:

Hydroponics is the practice of growing plants with nutrients and water but without soil. The plant’s roots can either be in water or in an artificial medium (i.e. sand, gravel, perlite, peatmoss, sawdust, coir, rockwool, etc.). Hydroponic systems are often used when the supply of water and farmland are scarce or among home gardeners with limited space or an interest in year-round gardening. Globally, WFP supports food insecure and vulnerable refugees living in camps or people living in urban and peri-urban areas, having very limited space for undertaking any farming activities. However, there exit a number of innovative technologies that can give access to livelihoods and diversified food to the refugees and hydroponics is one of those possibilities. A few WFP Country Offices (CO) have already introduced hydroponic fodder production in refugee camps.

The Asset Creation and Livelihood Unit (OSZPR) would like hire a Programme Policy Officer (PPO) to design and field test implementation of low-tech hydroponic solutions, particularly in refugee camps and urban settings. This position will be based in WFP Headquarters (HQ) in Rome and would require some field visits.

ACCOUNTABILITIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist developing specific technical guidance related to hydroponic fodder production in the Food-assistance For Assets (FFA) section of the Programme Guidance Manual (PGM);
• Engage with HQ, Regional Bureau (RB) and COs FFA teams to obtain details related to ongoing projects on hydroponics, visit some of the sites, provide technical assistance and training to the field staff and cooperating partners;
• Make systematic documentation of best practices coming from those projects;
• Develop training modules (online and PDF versions) that include best practices, standards and processes for hydroponic fodder production within FFA approach;
• Review existing standards, guidelines and procedures to optimize the implementation of community-based hydroponic fodder production.
• Connection/liaision with the Innovation Accelerator team to leverage the experience with current implementations and for knowledge sharing.
• Prepare evidenced-based recommendations for senior staff on measures to improve efficiency of systems for similar community-based activities;
• Any other tasks assigned by the Chief of OSZPR.

DELIVERABLES AT THE END OF THE CONTRACT:

• Best practices documents;
• Technical guidance on hydroponic fodder production, to be incorporated into the PGM;
• Training manual for the field staff and cooperating partners;
• Infobit on hydroponics;
• Draft a recommendation note for the senior management;

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• Education: University Degree, preferably master’s, in Agricultural Engineering, Horticulture, Agricultural Extension or related fields.
• Experience: 5 years of relevant international experience at increasing levels of responsibility. The candidates should be able to demonstrate strong competence with progressively responsible roles in one or more of the following agricultural technologies: low-tech and low cost hydroponic solutions, community based programming on agriculture, and training facilitation at all levels.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Working knowledge and technical experience on hydroponics;
• Experience of working in farming technologies, land and water management for agriculture;
• Experience of working in projects with communities and community-based interventions;
• Experience of working in the humanitarian context would be an advantage.

Languages:

• Professional fluency (proficiency/level C) in English;
• Professional fluency (proficiency/level C) in French is highly desirable;
• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language (Spanish or Portuguese) will be additional advantage.

Source:https://career5.successfactors.eu//career?career_ns=job_listing&company=C0000168410P&navBarLevel=JOB_SEARCH&rcm_site_locale=en_GB&career_job_req_id=10...