UNOPS Maldives has signed an MOU with the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, Government
of Maldives to provide Technical Assistance to the Maldives Agribusiness Program funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD). The agriculture sector is the third sector of the Maldives economy after tourism and fisheries. However, it is lagging behind due to a set of constraints. The country faces complex challenges posed by a fragile ecology and climate change vulnerability. Cultivable land is limited, as is the availability of technology to enhance production and productivity. Logistics and market access are also significant challenges. Farming is mostly practiced in an unorganized manner and on a limited scale. Small farmers in the outer atolls suffer the most in terms of periodic food insecurity and poverty. There is limited public and private investment in the sector; as a result, the country relies heavily on imported agricultural products. In light of the challenges, and in the absence of systematic investment in agriculture, implementation of the national Agricultural Development Master Plan has been limited.
The Maldives Agribusiness Programme (MAP) will help the Government to address these challenges. It will support the Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture (MOFMRA) to refine its evolving vision and implement a structured policy and incentive framework for the agriculture sector. It will provide investment resources to capitalise on the opportunities existing for sectoral growth. It will introduce climate-smart technological solutions suitable for the Maldives, which overcome land/soil constraints and mitigate against climate change, and which are available globally. It will capitalise on the significant market for local crop production, considering that local demand is rising rapidly as incomes increase and consumers become more aware of nutrition and food safety considerations, and that the tourism sector imports substantial volumes of agricultural commodities per year.
Under the overall guidance and direct supervision of the Country Manager and in close coordination with the Multi Country Office Head of Programmes, the Chief Technical Advisor ( CTA) shall for have a good understanding of the terms, conditions, and the respective roles and responsibilities of the UNOPS and key stakeholders to ensure the project products are capable of meeting the business cases for both UNOPS and the client.
Background Information-Job Specific
The UNOPS Senior Technical Advisor will provide specialised managerial and technical guidance to the Project Implementation Unit ( PIU), and support Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources & Agriculture, Government of Maldives and the PIU to develop programme management systems and capacities as part of its institutional capacity building agenda. S/he will build a strong team of management professionals in the PIU to ensure high quality outputs and achievement of goals and targets. S/he will advise the Project Director ( PD) of Maldives Agribusiness Program ( MAP) to support high quality of implementation and performance, enabling MAP to achieve the expected targets at output, outcome and objective levels. S/he will define and implement a clear roadmap of managerial and technical skill-building for MOFMRA and relevant agencies.
How to apply:
Link: https://jobs.unops.org/Pages/ViewVacancy/VADetails.aspx?id=21377#3