Community Development Facilitator 107 views

ABOUT FARM AFRICA

Effective agriculture has the power to change lives. It underpins prosperity, food security and stability the world over. Farm Africa focuses on transforming agriculture and managing natural resources sustainably. We champion a holistic approach that boosts yields, protects the environment and connects smallholder farmers to thriving markets.

We work with different types of farmers in a range of regions. Their local situations vary, but the problems they face are all too familiar: lack of training and technology, inadequate inputs, no finance, vulnerability to climate change and poor links to markets.

We have an ambitious strategy to expand our work over the next five years. We’ll increase our impact. Lift more communities out of poverty. Work with more corporate partners who share our vision. Open up more agricultural markets. Provide more expertise.

We’ll make change happen.

BACKGROUND

Farm Africa and SOS Sahel Ethiopia have been implementing the Bale Eco-region REDD+ Project since 2013. The first phase of the project is successfully finished, and now entering into a second phase (2017-2019). The first phase of the project has demonstrated a model for institution building for integrated PFM-REDD+ implementation that has been adopted by the national REDD+ programme of the Government of Ethiopia. The current project, the Bale Eco-region REDD+ Project Phase II – funded by The Royal Norwegian Embassy – builds on the progresses and achievements made in Phase I, and will be a crucial stage in ensuring the sustainability of Bale REDD+ project initiative through a gradual integration or nesting of it into the jurisdictional Oromia Forested Landscape Program (OFLP).

Phase II is also designed with the objective of making Bale REDD+ project to continue becoming the knowledge hub for REDD+ best practices in the country. Phase II applies a process of reviewing and learning potential and risks of including sustainable timber production into PFM-REDD+ implementation so as to make it a self-sustaining forest management scheme; further developing forest product enterprises and access to markets to manage the high expectations of local community for carbon finance; continue building the capacity of CBOs and other stakeholders including law enforcement agencies, and strengthen the national REDD+ actors network to make it an effective platform for knowledge and experience sharing and policy debates and others.

The project implementation requires collaboration with multiple REDD+ stakeholders in the country, principally MEFCC, Oromia Environment, Forest and Climate Change Authority *OEFCCA), Oromia REDD+ Coordination Unit (ORCU), The WBG, and the national REDD+ secretariat. More specifically, the Bale REDD+ phase II project plans to strengthen the managerial and organizational capacities of 64 PFM/REDD+ CBOs that have been organized within eleven Woredas: Madawalabu, Delo mena, Haran Buluk, Berbere, Goba, Gololcha, Agarafa, Nensebo kokosa, Dodola and Adaba. The overall project implementation is coordinated by REDD+ unit based in Addis Ababa while the direct activities implementation will be carried out by the field team based in Robe, Bale.

PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

The Community Development Facilitator (CDF) will be based in a specific project Woreda and work under the direction and guidance of the Bale Field Team, mainly the Community Development Officer and Team Leader. The CDF is responsible for the overall implementation of project activities at community level. Specifically, the CDF forms the link between the project field team and the communities and local government representatives. Major responsibility of the CDF include: community/institutional capacity building activities, forest resource assessment and facilitating carbon benefit sharing.

KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1.    Implement project activities at community level

• Work with the project team based at Robe and government counterparts to achieve the project outputs/outcomes at his/her specific Woreda
• Support CDOs in identifying training needs, prepare training materials, and deliver training, business plan development and other services to REDD+ CBOs and unions
• Ensure adequate consultation and participation of Woreda and village/community level stakeholders ensuring active participation of women
• With support of the CDOs, provide expertise and advice for community institutions on gender mainstreaming in REDD+ scheme
• Support the REDD+ CBOs to pilot sustainable timber harvesting, with support and guidance of the CDO and the Sustainable Timber Harvesting Specialist
• Facilitate community meetings to, among others, discuss carbon benefit sharing modalities within CBOs
• Conduct other duties as may be assigned by the CDO/team leader

2.    Support and facilitate community/institutional capacity building activities

• Facilitate periodical capacity assessment of CBOs by collecting data using the Organizational and Managerial Capacity Assessment  Tool (OCAT)
• Ensure implementation of these capacity building plans (including, among others, technical support) in close collaboration with the Community Development Officer and Woreda Level Cooperative Promotion Office.

3.    Forest resource assessment and carbon benefit sharing

• Facilitate community discussion on sustainable timber harvest and actively engage in participatory forest assessments
• In collaboration with the community and other technical staff, prepare reports based on the results of these participatory forest assessments
• Responsible for quality control of these reports, following specific guidelines and templates
• In collaboration with the Sustainable Timber Harvesting Specialist and the CDOs, facilitate the design and implementation of CBO specific forest management plans in agreement with community and local government parties
• Facilitate community discussions on carbon benefit sharing, ensuring, among others, the on development of selection criteria

4.    Play an active role as a member of the Farm Africa Project team

• Act as an active member of the project team by identifying and exploring opportunities to improve project implementation and guarantee it’s sustainability
• Contribute to the implementation of Farm Africa’s strategy
• Participate in broader Farm Africa meetings with other project staff members, as requested by line manager.
• These essential functions are not to be interpreted as a complete statement of all duties performed. Employees will be required to perform other job related duties as required. All work responsibilities are subject to having performance goals and/or targets established.

OUR VALUE

Investing in smallholder farming is the number one way to combat poverty in rural Africa. Farm Africa is a leading NGO specialising in growing agriculture, protecting the environment and developing businesses in rural Africa.

EXPERT. Deep expertise and insightful evidence-based solutions are at the heart of everything Farm Africa does.

GROUNDED. Positive change starts with Africa’s people, so our experts work closely with local communities, engaging them in every level of decision-making.

 IMPACTFUL. We take a long-term view so we can deliver lasting changes for farmers and their families.

 BOLD. We model innovative new approaches and are not afraid to challenge strategies that are failing.

PROJECT:

• Bale Eco-region REDD+ Project phase II

REPORTS TO:

• Deputy Project Team Leader

REPORTING TO POSTHOLDER:

• None

 DURATION:

• Fifteen months with a possibility of extension

 Number required:

• Three (one per each woreda)

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Education, qualifications & other knowledge

Essential

• BSC degree in  environmental science, forestry, natural resources management or any other relevant discipline
• Good understanding of climate change, REDD+ and natural resources management
• Knowledge of  gender and social inclusiveness

Experience

Essential

• Three year work experience in implementing projects at community level with NGOs
• Experience in the area of community based institution organizational capacity building
• Experience in participatory forest management

Desirable 

• Experience in working with the OCAT
• Experience with participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools

Skills and abilities

Essential

• Very good English language skills (written and spoken)
• Motor cycle driving skill
• Knowledge of local languag
• Computer literacy, excellent record keeping and report writing
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Good team building skills and the ability to work in a multi partner approach
• Budget and financial management, training need assessment and training fac
• Willingness to reside in rural/marginal areas, ability to work with minimum supervision
• Strong sense of integrity and personal commitment to the goals and values of Farm Africa
• Good community level facilitation and coordination skills