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The United Nations World Food Programme is hiring a Programme Associate (Beyond Cotton) for Tete.
Purpose
The Project “Production alternatives and disposal of cotton by-products and associated crops in Mozambique” called the “Beyond Cotton” (BC) Project is the result of a partnership between the WFP ́s Center of Excellence Against Hunger in Brazil, the World Food Program in Mozambique, the Brazilian Cooperation Agency and the Brazilian Cotton Institute. Its purpose is to support and strengthen around 1500 cotton producers and their families in the provinces of Manica and Tete, in the production of cotton and the disposal of by-products and associated food crops with a view to contributing to the increase of income and their food security. Specifically, the project aims to i) encourage the production of cotton by-products and associated food crops; ii) facilitate access to the market for associated food crops, and iii) promote access to foods of high nutritional value.
In supporting better markets opportunities, such as institutional purchase, the BC project aims to strengthen the form of food production that meets the nutritional demands of the population and guarantees the social and economic evolution of family farmers, introducing new food alternatives on the local production.
These alternative forms include the creation of local marketing chains, which bring the relationship between producers and consumers closer together; strengthen social relations; values productive diversity; and meet the needs of public-private institutions, enabling access to healthy and quality food for the population, with a view to promoting Food and Nutritional Security-FNS. In the context of the Zero Loss Initiative, building on the positive results from the pilot phase, WFP proposes a second phase to enhance and scale up the adoption of hermetic storage technologies in the country and, thereby, enable a wider and longer-term impact on the reduction of postharvest losses.
The WFP Zero Loss Initiative’s mission is to tackle post-harvest losses through an innovative strategy that combines a value chain approach, focuses on scaling proven technologies, partnering and collaborating with Government, NGOs, UN agencies, and the private sector, and capacity development of farmers. WFP Mozambique aims to support farming families in reducing postharvest losses, through:
- Improved post-harvest management through technology promotion, capacity development of local market actors and policy advocacy;
- Identification and implementation of market-based response strategies to postharvest losses reduction; including engagement with the private sector for long term sustainability.
Specific activities include:
- Demand Catalyst – farmer awareness;
- Training of ‘power users’ to drive word of mouth (at least 60% women);
- Roll out of the marketing and communication campaign;
- Hermetic storage demonstration trails and opening bag ceremonies.
Supply Target – adoption of improved post-harvest practices & equipment
- Profitable private sector supply chains – retail network setup;
- Local mass manufacture of plastic & metal silos;
- Government support through tax exemption.
Market access – Structured market for surplus production
- Procurement from smallholder farmers to structured markets (e.g., schools);
- Promotion of Hermetic Storage throughout the value chains.
Responsibilities
- Provide technical support to plan, organize and coordinate all the Beyond Cotton project, PHM, and market access related activities in the program areas;
- Develop agricultural practices, market access, and PHM training materials, including guidelines for relevant value chains;
- Provide specialized project management support to agricultural practices, market access, and PHM training to ensure that the activities are performed within the established targets following WFP’s policies and procedures;
- For all projects in implementation under Activity 6, prepare a range of reports and data analysis (e.g. food assistance needs, resource utilization, programme status, performance) and highlight trends/issues ensuring deliverables adhere to corporate standards and quality control;
- Ensure and/or perform accurate, timely recording of data within the specific technical area of work (e.g. assistance programmes, project assessment) and consistency of information presented to stakeholders;
- Liaise with internal counterparts to support effective collaboration, implementation and monitoring of ongoing project activities;
- Coordinate and communicate with local partners, agencies, NGOs and government institutions to perform accurate food security analyses and to ensure efficient delivery of project activities;
- Support the capacity building of WFP staff, cooperating partners and national government in area of agricultural production, market access and PHM;
- Act as a point of contact for resolution of a range of operational queries and problems for Activity 6 at province level;
- Support the cooperating partner to train smallholder farmers, agricultural extension Agents, WFP staff and other partners on appropriate agricultural practices, market access, and PHM prevention techniques including produce handling, sorting, drying, storage, processing for value addition, packaging to prolong shelf life;
- Supervise and monitor the Beyond cotton, market access, and PHM activities by conducting regular visits to project sites;
- Provide guidance for the establishment of field demonstration, PHM demonstration trials at community and household levels, including guidance to use the WFP-supported farmer aggregation systems;
- Support the establishment of market linkages between smallholder farmers and other business actors in the selected value chains;
- Facilitate the engagement and diversification value chains for WFP programmes and activities;
- Develop or identify suitable agricultural practices, market access, and post-harvest handling resources/information from other actors like FAO, MADER and research institutes that can benefit the farming communities;
- Attend appropriate regular planning and coordination meetings at province and district level;
- Coordinate, provide guidance and training to field monitors, to ensure individual and team objectives are delivered to agreed standards and deadlines;
- Conduct awareness raising on program objectives and procedures, interaction with programme stakeholders (such as Government and other WFP partners, as well as within WFP units);
- Carry out frequent field missions to districts where the SAMS activities ate being implemented: assess programme outputs, and recommend best practices for project improvements;
- Follow up data gathering and monitoring systems ensuring that rigorous quality standards are maintained;
- Includes research and analysis of policy and operational issues to support activities, as well as carry out frequent field missions to project districts and assess programme outputs; and draft regular monitoring report on status of implementation and progress and contribute to the data analysis;
- Prepare technical documents necessary for the execution of the project in coordination with the project team and in accordance with the approved plans;
- Conduct value chain assessment to identify gaps and develop recommendations on how to improve the selected value chains and maximize the impact;
- Perform other functions that, within their specialty, are required.
Requirements
- Completion of Secondary School and/or a University degree in Agriculture, Rural Development, Agribusiness, Food Science, or related fields;
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in fieldwork with community engagement, smallholder farmers, agricultural production, and smallholder farmers’ marketing support;
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a wide range of partners with varying interests and priorities;
- Exposure to the agricultural marketing environment in Mozambique;
- Understanding of the food security and nutrition context, gender inequalities, and agriculture development in Mozambique;
- Understanding of the agricultural practices, market access, and postharvest sector, with knowledge of relevant topics, such as food production and processing, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), food systems and value chain development;
- Proven track record in providing technical and/or business solutions to SHF, with experience implementing or advising on PHM models;
- Demonstrated understanding of gender in agriculture or market systems,
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a wide range of partners with varying interests and priorities;
- Excellent interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills;
- Ability to work independently in a timely and organized manner,
- Ability to develop and maintain networks with a variety of stakeholders;
- Flexibility and adaptability to shifting goal posts and evolving client needs;
- Analytical, problem solving, communication, and interpersonal skills;
- Willingness to explore and experiment with new ideas and approaches in own work,
Languages: Working knowledge (proficiency/Level C) of English is required; Fluency in Portuguese is essential.