Emplois au PNUD - 14515- International Consultant: Rural Development Expert

International Consultant: Rural Development Expert

Lieu :

Tashkent, Andijan, Ferghana, Namangan, Karakalpakstan, Kashkadarya, OUZBEKISTAN

Type de contrat :

Individual Contract

Date de commencement :

01-Apr-2010

Date limite de candidature :

03-Feb-10 (Minuit New York, États-Unis)

Niveau du poste :

International Consultant

Durée du contrat initial

8 months (with 50 working days in total)

Langues requises :

Anglais Russe

Durée prévue de la mission :

8 months (with 50 working days in total)

Le PNUD s’engage à recruter un personnel divers en termes de genre, de nationalité et de culture. Nous encourageons de même les personnes issues des minorités ethniques, des communautés autochtones ou handicapées à postuler. Toutes les candidatures seront traitées dans la plus stricte confidentialité. Le PNUD ne tolère pas l’exploitation et / ou les atteintes sexuelles, ni aucune forme de harcèlement, y compris le harcèlement sexuel, et / ou toutes formes de discrimination. Tous/tes les candidats/tes selectectionnes /ées devront ainsi se soumettre à de rigoureuses vérifications relatives aux références fournies ainsi qu’à leurs antécédents.

Historique

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The Enhancement of Living Standards Programme in Fergana Valley (ELS) financed by the TACIS Regional Action Programme for Central Asia and implemented by UNDP, operates in Andijan, Namangan and Fergana. The project strategy is to reinforce the capacity of the target districts and expand the community development approaches. The Area Based Development (ABD) programme in Uzbekistan, with whom the ELS project coordinates closely, is an integral part of UNDP’s strategy of promoting human security and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It contributes to the implementation of the Government’s regional development and decentralization policy as expressed in the Welfare Improvement Strategy.

Both the ELS and ABD projects work in their respective region under one objective i.e. to ensure improved local governance systems for public service delivery in rural areas and help Mahallas (community based organizations) identify and prioritize community needs in a participatory manner, mobilize local resources for the rehabilitation of basic infrastructures and prepare local community development plans that can be linked to and financed from the local government budgets and/or sponsors.

The projects have three interrelated objectives. The first objective is to strengthen regional/local institutions to support poverty reduction initiatives in the Fergana Valley that are sustainable, effective and gender responsive, and to reinforce the capacity of local government for participatory local development planning. The second objective is to increase the capacity of rural communities to participate in local development processes and undertake self-help initiatives to improve basic services. The third is to support rural extension services, demonstration of appropriate rural technologies and business to benefit men and women in the communities for improved rural economic development, income generation and adaptation to climate change.

The third objective supports the development of income generating opportunities in the three regions in which the project operates. The focus will be on support to agriculture and small scale businesses where groups of individuals are engaged in some common activity. The main support provided by the project is (a) establishment of and provision of basic office equipment to rural development centres to provide extension services; (b) cooperative formation and training in administration management and planning. Depending on the nature of the cooperatives specialized training will be also provided by the project in improved soil management and irrigation techniques, alternative forms of energy (bio gas, idro-electricity). The project will also provide and start up support to these cooperatives and purchase simple food processing, storing and packaging equipment, farming tools, seeds, and other basic agricultural inputs.

More information is available at www.undp.uz website

Devoirs et responsabilités

Under the overall guidance of the ELS and ABD Programme Coordinator, and the direct supervision of the Task Managers in the ELS and ABD projects, the International Consultant will advise the ELS-ABD teams in the Andijan, Namangan and Fergana regions where the ELS programme operates and in Karakalpakstan, and Kashkadarya where the ABD programme operates, in all matters related to income generation. More specifically, he/she will:

Assist the ELS-ABD team to review and advise on selected business ideas to improve quality and/or range of products/services provided;
Assist the ELS-ABD team to elaborate sound and viable business-plans and development strategies for Rural Development Centers and local existing service providers in target districts;
Advise the ELS-ABD team on appropriate technologies (small equipment, seeds, agro-inputs, information material) for rural development centers and the tool banks;
Review together with ELS-ABD team a training plan on income generation developed in 2009 and advise on additional topics if required for capacity building of centers and service providers staff, including exchange of practice and knowledge;
Assist the ELS-ABD team to conduct demonstrations on demo plots of selected community Extension Agents and advise on best practices of exchanging practices and knowledge with community members;
Assist the ELS-ABD team in elaboration of questionnaires, methodology, approach for conducting satisfaction survey;
Assist the ELS-ABD team to conduct a community satisfaction survey on performance of the development centres, assessment of business initiatives and impact of demonstrations on improvement of economic productivity of the communities;
Assist the ELS-ABD team to identify national and international practices of community based rural development (farming, small business development, services and marketing) and share them with the communities;
Assist the ELS-ABD to elaborate an exit strategy for Income Generation Component.

Key Outputs:

Output 1.May 2010

Draft cooperative business-plans and support the project existing strategy in support to Rural Development Centers and existing service providers
Recommendations on scaling up and improvement of business initiatives activities, demonstrations and training plan

Output 2. September 2010

Client satisfaction survey questionnaire and methodology including women’s and men’s different view, monitor and assess the work of the project with the view of extracting and presenting lessons learned to project team and assessments
Exit Strategy for Component III agreed with project team and local authorities
5 page article summarizing the good experience of the ELS-ABD in cooperative development for UNDP CO advocacy and resource mobilization

Output 3. November 2010

Final report

The daily monitoring and progress control will be conducted by respective project staff in the field. At the end of each mission the International Consultant will provide a mission report to the ELS and ABD projects respectively which will include detailed description of activities done and reached results. The final report has to be provided not later than 10 days after completion of the assignment.

The review of the performance and mission reports will be conducted by ELS and ABD Programme Coordinator and ELS-ABD Managers. The decision for payment will be made based on performance assessment, reports, outputs and results achieved of the International Consultant. The time for review and approval of the report shall not exceed 10 days after submission of the report by International Consultant to respective project personnel.

Compétences

Field experience, preferably in Central Asia, or in other Former Soviet Union countries

Qualifications et expériences requises

Education:

Advanced degree in a relevant area, such as (Development) Economics, Finance, and Agriculture

Experience:

Not less than ten (10) years of experience as a micro finance specialist, or rural development specialist in general (support to farmers cooperatives and / or farmers enterprises), with extensive hands-on experience in supporting regional rural development on the ground and extension service

Language Requirements:

Proficiency in English, with good drafting skills;
Working level Russian and/or the local language (Uzbek) is an asset

Application Process:

All interested and qualified candidates should apply on-line through the UNDP website at http://www.undp.uz. The UNDP will only accept applications submitted on-line via http://www.undp.uz.

Please ensure that before making on-line application, you have completed the UNDP Personal History Form (P11). The electronic version of the P11 can be downloaded from http://www.undp.uz (Job Opportunities Section). The completed P11 form further should be uploaded while applying on-line.

The deadline for submission of application is COB February 3, 2010. Incomplete applications or applications received after the closing date February 2, 2010 will not be given for consideration.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be notified. Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. The position is open for the Uzbekistan citizens only.

For more detailed information about UNDP Uzbekistan please visit our website at http://www.undp.uz