The MTR Specialist - Agronomy will provide support on agronomic and environmental aspects of the Mid-Term Review of the GEF-7 Project. Working under the guidance of the Lead MTR Consultant, the incumbent will evaluate the sustainability, effectiveness, and impact of project interventions in rice-wheat systems, ensuring evidence-based findings consistent with FAO-GEF evaluation standards.
Responsibilities:
Assist the Lead MTR Consultant in developing field visit plans.
Review the relevant background documentation made available by the FAO MTR manager and project team, including the project document, project logframe, project progress and project reports, among other things.
In accordance with the methodological approach described in the terms of reference, contribute to the preparation of data-collection tools, including questionnaires, checklists and interview protocols, as appropriate; insofar as possible, participate in the finalization of the MTR team’s work programme.
Participate actively in the collection of primary data, as required by and identified in the MTR matrix, under the leadership of the Lead MTR Consultant during the field visits, among other things, provide support to conduct interviews to collect data from key stakeholders, such as government entities, project partners, the FAO Representative, external partners, project beneficiaries, international organizations, the private sector, civil society, academia and research institutions.
Contribute to the consolidation of all evidence collected during the MTR process in a structured format following the key MTR questions and criteria.
Ensure that all primary and secondary data collected are recorded during the MTR process and organized in a structured format following the key MTR questions, based on which all findings will be triangulated.
Participate in the analysis and discussion of evidence collected during the MTR within the MTR team to identify key findings that respond to MTR issues and questions, and formulate preliminary conclusions and recommendations in his/her specific field of expertise, as discussed and agreed with the FAO MTR Manager and the Lead MTR Consultant.
Provide technical inputs on agronomic and environmental aspects of the project to all key MTR deliverables -including the inception report, debriefing sessions after field missions, and the draft and final MTR reports.
Contribute written sections and data analysis as required by the Lead MTR Consultant, and support the integration of stakeholder feedback (from the budget holder, MTR Manager, FAO GEF Coordination Unit, Lead Technical Officer, GEF Technical Officer, government counterparts, and others) into revised versions of the reports.
Support the Lead MTR Consultant in finalizing the report to comply with the MTR ToR and as further specified in the inception report specifically in his/her specific area of expertise (Agronomy), by conducting analyses and assessments in the following areas of work.
Environmental sustainability of interventions in rice-wheat systems, including climate-smart agriculture and resource-efficient practices.
Project contributions to land degradation neutrality, biodiversity conservation, and climate mitigation through land restoration practices and agroecological approaches.
Technical interventions related to soil health, water-use efficiency, and low-emission technologies.
Effectiveness of strategies promoting sustainable food systems and their alignment with national and global environmental goals.
Integration of ecosystem services and environmental co-benefits in project outcomes.
Use of environmental indicators, GIS-based data, and climate resilience metrics in project monitoring and reporting.
Requirements:
A university degree in one or more of the following fields: Environmental Sciences, Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Agribusiness, Forestry, Natural Resource Management, Agroecology, Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Adaptation, Rural Development, Water Resources Management, or a related discipline relevant to sustainable food systems and environmental resilience.
At least five years of experience in the planning and management of agriculture, rural development, or natural resources management projects in India.
Working knowledge (level C) of English and Hindi.
National of India or resident of the country with valid work permit.
