Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) through the Land and Water Division (NSL) will implement one initiative aiming at advancing agriculture by embracing the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) framework that will contribute for enhancing crop yields, improving food security through sustainable, climate-resilient management practices, and revitalizing traditional food crops for their resilience and nutritional benefits.

The expected will contribute to establish and make operational a national soil information system, make data accessible to evaluate soil suitability for different crops, create an integrated soil-crop management platform and create a micro-scale advisory interface that will be available for decision making and strengthening the extension advisory services to farmers.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of the FAO Country Representative, and the guidance of the Assistant FAOR – Programmes, in coordination with the project LTO and project Lead Technical Unit (NSL), the Soil Laboratories Specialist will ensuring high-quality soil analysis and harmonization, adhering to international standards and best practices, and working closely with other consultants to ensure that results are integrated into the project’s relevant databases, on the Soil mapping for resilient agrifood systems in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa (SoilFER) project in Mozambique. The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of the AFAOR-P, the National Project Coordinator and the SoilFER Overall Project Manager at FAO-HQ

Technical Focus

Soil surveys, soil information systems, laboratory analysis, soil and land use maps.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following tasks:
●    Oversee the processing of soil samples for wet and dry chemistry analysis in Mozambique.
●    Collaborate with project partners and laboratories to ensure accurate and timely soil analysis results.
●    Support quality assurance and quality control measures for soil analysis processes, including the establishment of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
●    Participate in capacity-building activities, such as workshops and trainings, to enhance national capacities in soil analysis and data management.
●    Support the implementation of laboratory equipment procurement activities of the project.
●    Track progress and assess the quality of soil analysis and harmonization activities.
●    Facilitate the establishment of national soil laboratory network in Mozambique.
●    Provide input to project monitoring and reporting frameworks to ensure the effective implementation of soil analysis and harmonization efforts.
●    Communicate project outcomes and lessons learned related to soil analysis and harmonization to relevant audiences.
●    Establish and maintain relationships with project stakeholders, particularly national soil laboratories.
•    Perform any other duties as assigned in the Representation.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements   
•    University Degree in Agricultural/Soil Science, Crop Science, or any related field.
•    At least 3 years of experience in soil analysis [ie. wet and dry chemistry].
•    Working knowledge of English
•    National of Mozambique.

FAO Core Competencies

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

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION