UNICEF Pacific National Consultancy: Agriculture Advisor for School Meal Program in Western and Isabel Provinces, Solomon Islands, 250 working days over 12 months.

Overview

Provide technical, hands-on support to schools and communities to guide nutrition-sensitive, climate-resilient production systems for a school meal provision project.

Tasks Summary

• Lead assessment of existing agricultural practices and food production systems.
• Map existing school farms and gardens and identify potential areas for expansion.
• Develop a comprehensive, site-specific master plan/design map for each school.
• Provide technical support and oversight to develop model school gardens and farms.
• Promote agroforestry systems.
• Strengthen the capacity of provincial agricultural teams, school staff, and community stakeholders.
• Provide technical support to organize and strengthen community farmer groups/cooperatives.
• Develop technical recommendations to integrate agriculture into school meal planning.
• Provide technical support for mapping of local agricultural production.
• Support identification of priority climate resilient nutritious perennial crops, trees and small livestock.
• Guide development of school-community food supply plans.
• Provide technical support for design of a comprehensive site-specific master plan/design map.
• Provide guidance and technical support to re-establish or revamp farmer groups /cooperatives.
• Facilitate agreements between schools and local farmer groups/cooperatives.
• Guide and support to establish routine, affordable, and sustainable food supply chains.
• Develop a relevant training module and provide training to farmers, school committees, and agriculture extension officers.
• Ensure that the productivity, efficiency and yields of school-farms are enhanced and maximized.
• Support schools in establishing/strengthening school gardens.
• Advice project stakeholders on procurement, deployment and use and maintenance of agricultural equipment/machinery.
• Oversee the upgradation of school kitchens, kitchen services, cooking practices.
• Recommend climate-resilient practices.
• Maintain regular coordination with implementing partner.
• Support coordination between provincial and national agricultural teams.
• Strengthen coordination of provincial agricultural teams and implementing partners.
• Develop simple quality assurance and monitoring tools.
• Develop and implement context relevant sustainability plans.
• Identify good practices, challenges and lessons learned.
• Provide monthly progress updates and a final consultancy report.

Experience Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in agriculture and food systems in the Pacific or similar contexts
• Demonstrated expertise in climate-smart agriculture, permaculture/agroforestry systems and participatory planning, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and community-based organization of farmers
• Experience in working with / through government ministries, schools, farmer cooperatives

Qualification Requirements

• A university degree (Bachelors) in an agricultural related field is required.
• An advanced degree (Master’s) in a related discipline is an added advantage.
• Relevant years of experience may be considered in lieu of a higher degree.

Other Details

Languages Required: • Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Languages Preferred: • Knowledge of Solomon Islands Pidgin is an advantage

Contract Duration: • 250 working days over 12 months

Work Modality:

Remuneration: • Daily fees - Based on the deliverables indicated in the Terms of Reference. • Field Mission to Western and Isabel Province, approximately 12 missions to each province • Miscellaneous - to cover health insurance, communications, and other costs.