Agrifood Systems Specialist (SC 7)
Overview
The Agrifood Systems Specialist will support the transformation of agrifood systems in Eswatini by strengthening the enabling environment for investment and policy implementation. The role involves research, data compilation, and follow-up on project activities related to agrifood systems analysis, investment planning, stakeholder engagement, and resource mobilization.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare an inception note, integrated project-delivery workplan, national coordination plan, stakeholder map, data requirements matrix and field schedule.
- Serve as the day-to-day national coordination focal point linking FAO, the Ministry of Agriculture, the National Project Coordinator, EADF, Government task teams, implementing partners, consultants and stakeholders.
- Maintain an integrated results and delivery tracker covering project outputs, indicators, activities, deliverables, deadlines, responsibilities, dependencies, risks, decisions and follow-up actions.
- Coordinate products and processes under Output 1 on strategic engagement and coordination, Output 2 on bankable concept notes and proposals, and Output 3 on investment cases, matchmaking and investment forums.
- Support national technical meetings, task teams, working groups, consultations, trainings, learning missions, validation workshops and investment engagements, including preparation of agendas, briefing packs, presentations, minutes, decision logs and action matrices.
- Maintain a consolidated overview of national agrifood systems priorities, initiatives, coordination platforms, investments, policies, data needs and partnerships.
- Compile Kampala CAADP Declaration and Strategy implementation guidance, targets and accountability requirements into a practical reference package.
- Support review of the current NAIP against the six Kampala strategic objectives and agreed targets, maintaining a compliance, gap and recommendations matrix.
- Serve as the operational focal point for FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative in Eswatini and coordinate country inputs, data requests, analytics and investment-planning processes.
- Coordinate preparation and quality control of Hand-in-Hand investment cases, country investment plans, investor briefs, presentations and supporting datasets.
- Maintain the national investment pipeline and partnership tracker, document investor feedback and follow up agreed next steps.
- Undertake literature, policy and document reviews and support research and analysis for concept notes, proposals, investment cases and the EADF institutional assessment.
- Develop and administer approved data-collection and consultation tools and organize interviews, focus groups and field visits.
- Prepare monthly progress dashboards and quarterly synthesis reports highlighting delivery status, emerging issues, decisions required and the forward workplan.
- Facilitate engagement with commodity associations, producer organizations, agribusiness enterprises, financial institutions and other market actors.
- At completion, submit a final project-output delivery status report, unresolved-actions register, indexed evidence archive, stakeholder and investment databases, Hand-in-Hand repository and comprehensive handover note.
- Perform other programme-related duties assigned by the FAO Representation.
Required Experience
Minimum of two (2) years of relevant work experience in agrifood systems, agricultural development, agribusiness, agricultural investment planning, research, project implementation or related fields; or University Degree and a minimum of four (4) years of relevant working experience.
Qualifications
Advanced university degree in Agribusiness, Agricultural Development, Development Studies, Environmental Science or a related field; or University Degree.