Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is an intergovernmental organization comprising over 194 member nations. Since its establishment, FAO has been dedicated to alleviating poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, enhancing nutrition, and pursuing food security. Food security is defined as the availability of sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to always meet the dietary needs of all people for an active and healthy life. To achieve its objectives, FAO collaborates with a vast network of partners worldwide, including farmers' groups, traders, non-governmental organizations, other UN agencies, development banks, and agribusiness firms. For more comprehensive information about FAO, please visit FAO Website.

The primary purpose of FAO country offices, led by an FAO Representative, is to support governments in formulating policies, programs, and projects aimed at achieving food security and reducing hunger and malnutrition. These offices work to enhance the agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors while ensuring the sustainable use of environmental and natural resources supporting training for animal health staff, and contributing to national reporting and policy recommendations

Reporting Lines

The Soil and Agroecological Zones Classification and Analysis Expert will function under the overall supervision of the FAO Representation, and direct supervision of the Assistant FAOR (Program), the technical supervision of the FAO Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and FAO Technical Officers in Eswatini, in close collaboration with the government focal points, and in liaison with the relevant FAO Technical Officers in SFS and RAF.

Technical Focus

The incumbent will develop a climate-responsive, GIS-based Agro-Ecological Zoning system for Eswatini that integrates multi-source data to map AEZ shifts, refine crop suitability, and support adaptive land-use planning under changing climate conditions.

Task and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following specific activities:
•     Review, assess and document existing AEZ classifications, crop suitability and methodologies used in Eswatini.
•     Using data generated within the project and other key data available, identify and analyse AEZ shifts and their key drivers and assess and develop crop suitability classification based on AEZ shifts that reflect observed and projected AEZ changes.
•     Identify core information, rules, standards and primary principles for the examination and evaluation of agro-ecological zones variables (climate, soils and terrain/landforms).
•     Compile and analyse updated climate, soil, topographic, land use and hydrological data relevant to AEZ delineation.
•     Re-delineate Agro-Ecological Zones using GIS-based spatial analysis and climate-responsive approaches
•     Integrate updated soil classification, vegetation units and observed climate trends and available climate change projections in revised AEZ framework.
•     Validate AEZ outputs through stakeholder consultation and targeted field verification
•     Produce updated AEZ maps, Crop suitability maps, GIS layers, and technical and policy-oriented documentation
•     Develop training manuals and conduct a training of trainers to train designated government officials on AEZ digital database
•     Integrate updated soil classification, climate terrain data and define and map current AEZ boundaries, Identify AEZ shifts and intensification trends linked to climate variability, produce change detection maps showing areas of declining and improving suitability to produce updated AEZ GIS layer and, AEZ shift maps.
•     Develop practical planning guidance (AEZ-specific Guideline/land use) for each AIZ, including soil and water management practices, sustainable intensification options, nature-based restoration interventions, costed restoration packages.
•     Provide/Hand over to Government Updated AEZ GIS database (polygons and Attributes), AEZ change and suitability maps (GIS PDF layouts), AEZ Technical Report, 4 AEZ land use and Restoration guideline documents, Training materials, all spatial data must be compatible with national soil and AEZ digital database managed under the project.
•     Work or meet with Project Task Team regularly for feedback.
•     Conduct stakeholder consultations and technical validation meetings, Undertake limited field verification (ground-truthing) where feasible and Incorporate stakeholder feedback into revised AEZ outputs
•     Mainstream the updated agro-ecological zones variables into the Global Agro-ecological Zones (GAEZ) Data Portal for display and analysis, as well as any other relevant national, regional and global AEZ databases, including a user manual.
•     Prepare a detailed technical report describing activities, results, findings and recommendations.

Minimum Requirements

•     An Advanced degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in Agricultural Science, GIS, Remote Sensing, Environmental Science, Natural Resources Evaluation or other relevant field of Natural Resources Science; or the equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
•     Minimum of five (5) years of experience in applications of remote sensing for monitoring agricultural processes and/or agro-ecological zones shifts and intensification, land resources evaluation and/or other natural resources studies.
•     Working knowledge of English language (C1)

FAO Core Competencies

•     Result Focused
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Build effective relationships
•     Knowledge sharing and continuous improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Experience in spatial data handling, analysis, GIS and cartography.
•     Demonstrated professional experience implementing projects in Eswatini related to climate change resilience, natural resources management, land-use planning and management, or other closely relevant thematic areas.
•     Experience in soil mapping, land use planning, and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
•     Experience in project management and training.
•     Advanced proficiency in GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS).
•     Strong data analysis and interpretation skills.