Consultant Agroecology and Agri Input

Summary

The Biovision Foundation is launching a call for expression of interest for a consultant based in Switzerland (ideally) or Europe to support the Biovision-FAO initiative “FAO Geneva Dialogues for Agroecology”. This initiative aims to document, map and discuss multiple pathways for food system transformation through agroecology. This is done under the leadership of a guiding group and through an open dialogue with international actors (with a focus, albeit not exclusive, on the Geneva international community). The consultant will support the initiative, through the coordination and drafting of two policy briefs on the topic of “Agroecology as an approach for increasing resilience to agricultural input scarcity”. The dialogue and policy papers will reflect on the current global food crisis and the looming scarcity of agricultural inputs. It will focus on a better understanding of concrete implementation steps and pathways to increase the resilience of food systems to agricultural inputs scarcity through agroecological approaches, in the areas of policy reform, knowledge creation and investments.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

The proposed work consists of the following activities:

1) Participate in an inception workshop online with key experts of the topic. The workshop will define the focus and structure of the international dialogue. 

2) Support and participate in the FAO Geneva Dialogue on the topic of increasing resilience to agricultural input scarcity to be held on 29th September 2022.

3) Coordinate further inputs and develop 2 policy briefs.

For further details of the tasks and concept of the dialogue, consult: Lien

For further details on the dialogue series: Lien

Nature of Relationship:

The Consultant will be hired as an independent contractor and not as an employee of Biovision. The services will be performed mainly remotly at the consultant's premises.

Required skills and qualifications

Necessary Qualifications

• Postgraduate degree in political science, land systems science, governance, sustainability or other relevant fields (Proven writing and communication skills to non-scientific audiences required)

• OR scientific or policy journalist with proven knowledge and experience in the fields of development, cooperation, and agricultural development, or agricultural/natural resource policy processes

• Knowledge of agricultural inputs and production (e.g., biological inputs, input production, subsidies and agricultural policies). Knowledge and experience on agroecology are desirable

• Good understanding of food system transformation

• Fluency in English Further necessary Skills

• Ability to transfer recommendations from a multi-stakeholder process into a policy brief (coordination of multiple inputs and ideas)

• Ability to work with limited standardized procedures and need for own initiative and independent work

• Experience in multistakeholder dialogue

• Skilful writing and experience in writing policy briefs

Submission of expression of interest

To apply, please send your entire electronic application documents by 8th July 2022 to t.carrillo@biovision.ch. This should include a detailed curriculum vitae, cost for the proposed work, and a work timeline. A decision will be made by 15th July 2022 or before if a suitable candidate is found beforehand.

We expect the work to start as soon as possible until 31 October 2022. For further information please contact agroecology@biovision.ch.