Expert in environmental and social safeguards UTF/BDI/052/BDI at FAO

Publication of offer: 24/jan/2025 

Date of unpublication: 08/Feb/2025, 01:59:00 

Organizational Unit : FRBDI - FAO Representation in Burundi 

Job Type: Temporary work 

Requisition Type : PSA (Personal Services Agreement) 

Grade : N/A 

Main location: Burundi-Bujumbura 

Duration : 6 months 

Extension number : N/A 

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• FAO is committed to ensuring diversity in its workforce, ensuring a balanced representation of women and men, as well as nationalities, backgrounds and cultures. 

• Qualified women, nationals of non- and under-represented Member States and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. 

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• FAO, as a specialized agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. 

• All selected candidates will be subject to rigorous reference and background checks. 

• All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. 

Organizational framework

The overall objective of the UTF/BDI/052/BDI Project “Multinational: Strengthening emergency preparedness and response to the food crisis in Burundi, Comoros, Somalia and South Sudan” is to increase agricultural production, productivity and resilience of agricultural production systems in the target countries, in order to mitigate short and long-term risks due to rising food prices and climate-related stresses. It is implemented in 4 provinces (Gitega, Kayanza, Mwaro and Rutana) and in ISABU stations.

Hierarchical position

Under the general supervision of the FAO Representative in Burundi and under the direct supervision of the Assistant Representative in charge of the Programme in collaboration with the National Coordinator of the UTF/BDI/052/BDI Project, the expert in environmental and social safeguards of the project will provide support to the Office and the project team in the production of quality seeds free from diseases and in all activities related to the environmental and social aspects of the project. 

Area of ​​specialization

The Environmental and Social Safeguards Expert is a specialist in integrated pest management of crops with solid experience in pest and pesticide management and with good knowledge of environmental and social safeguards. 

He/She will be responsible for carrying out the following main tasks for the project:

• Contribute to the planning of project activities in terms of FAO environmental and social safeguards in accordance with the AfDB Integrated Safeguard System (ISS) applicable to the project: measures to avoid and/or mitigate environmental and social risks and impacts to be implemented in accordance with national legislation, AfDB operational safeguards (SO 4) on pest control and pesticide management; 

• Support the project team in the implementation of the action plan for pest and pesticide management and measures to mitigate the risks of human and animal poisoning and environmental pollution;

• Analyze and propose the budget for capacity building of the various stakeholders in terms of priority activities of the action plan to be carried out within the framework of the project;

• Support service providers (BPEAE, ISABU, ONCCS) and beneficiaries (POs/private seed multipliers) in the implementation of an awareness plan for pesticide users/beneficiaries, including the rational use of packaging, store management, handling, transport and storage of pesticides;

• Develop half-yearly reports on the implementation of environmental and social safeguard policies 

; • Develop educational documents and provide training on integrated pest management for agronomists from the BPEAE, ISABU, and OP/private seed producers of basic seeds and certified seeds supported by the project;

• Support BPEAE agronomists and OP/private seed multipliers in identifying the main pests and diseases negatively affecting seeds in the fields and in stocks for the 2025A and B seasons; 

• Ensure regular monitoring of seed fields in terms of phytosanitary matters and, in the event of disease and pest attacks, provide appropriate advice/control measures;

• Produce educational materials to raise awareness/train pesticide sales staff in agricultural input stores and provide them with training on measures to mitigate the risks of pesticide poisoning;

• Support POs/private seed multipliers in acquiring personal protective equipment against pesticide poisoning;

• Promote among seed producers traditional methods of controlling the fall armyworm and pests of stored foodstuffs of crops targeted by the project, already validated by MINEAGRIE;

• Support the dissemination of the register of pesticides approved and banned in Burundi to agronomists of partner BPEAEs and seed producers supervised by the project;

• Prepare and submit periodic and circumstantial half-yearly monitoring reports on environmental and social aspects covering all applicable operational safeguards and in accordance with the reporting framework agreed with the AfDB;

• Respond to the various requests from the Office to other FAO services (SFE, SFC, RAF and headquarters) and external partners in its area of ​​expertise;

• Write, at the end of the mission, a final report taking stock of the project's achievements on the beneficiaries, indicating the main results, conclusions and consequent recommendations for monitoring activities;

• Carry out any other activity at the request of the representative or his delegate.

o apply, please complete the online application form on FAO's recruitment website, Jobs at FAO . Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered.