Organizational Setting

The Office of Evaluation (OED) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is conducting an evaluation of the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF), examining both the BSF as a financing mechanism and its portfolio of projects, with a forward-looking perspective. The BSF was established under the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) as the main operational mechanism to translate benefit-sharing into concrete support for farmers and national systems that conserve and sustainably use plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA). Since its establishment in 2009, the BSF has been implemented through five cycles and has supported 99 projects worldwide, primarily in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. The BSF supports projects that enable small-scale farmers, scientists and breeders to access and use plant genetic resources adapted to local needs helping to develop more resilient, productive and nutritious crop varieties that address challenges related to food and nutrition security, biodiversity loss and climate change, particularly through farmer-led approaches.

Purpose and Objectives of the evaluation:

This evaluation is conducted to generate lessons and forward-looking recommendations to inform the design of future funding cycles and the upcoming review of the Treaty’s Funding Strategy. It takes an integrated approach, assessing the BSF both as a financing mechanism and as a portfolio of projects. At the portfolio level, the evaluation will primarily focus on BSF cycles 4 (2017–2026) and BSF5 (2022–ongoing). As BSF5 is ongoing, it will be examined from a formative perspective given its ongoing implementation, and earlier cycles (BSF1–3) will also be used selectively to analyse trends and portfolio evolution, providing context and informing the assessment of the BSF as a financing mechanism. The evaluation will be conducted between June and December 2026.

Reporting Lines

The Evaluation Specialists will work under the direct supervision of the assigned OED Evaluation Officer, and under the overall responsibility of the OED Director.

Technical Focus

The evaluation will be conducted by a multidisciplinary team combining evaluation expertise with complementary technical expertise. OED is seeking consultants with expertise in one or more of the following technical areas to join the evaluation team:
•     Conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, including on-farm and in situ conservation.
•     Seed systems and farmer-led approaches to crop diversity and local value chains
•     Financing mechanisms and instruments for agrobiodiversity (including PGRFA)
•     Access and benefit-sharing mechanisms and international policy frameworks for plant genetic resources

Candidates must not have been directly involved in the design, implementation or operational management of BSF‑funded projects.

Tasks and responsibilities

•     Provide technical inputs to the refinement of the  evaluation design, data collection tools and analytical framework for this strategic assessment of the BSF 
•     Lead or contribute to thematic and strategic analysis in one or more areas relevant to the assignment, applying expert judgment and comparative insights from similar evaluations or technical assignments
•     Collect and analyse primary and secondary data through document review and interviews with BSF stakeholders, including executing institutions, government representatives, farmers' groups, development partners, civil society and private sector actors, as appropriate
•     Participate in evaluation missions, validation workshops and high‑level stakeholder consultations, where feasible
•     Analyse and synthesize evidence from multiple sources to develop robust, evidence-based findings, conclusions and forward-looking recommendations within assigned thematic areas. 
Draft assigned analytical sections of the evaluation report and contribute to the overall synthesis, strategic framing and finalization of evaluation deliverables, as required

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•     Advanced university degree from an institution recognized by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/UNESCO in a relevant field such as agricultural sciences, biodiversity, development studies or natural resource management..
•     A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in agrobiodiversity and/or in evaluations of related programmes or financing mechanisms  
•     Working knowledge (Level C) of English is required; working knowledge of French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese or Russian is desirable

FAO Core Competencies

•     Results Focus
•     Teamwork
•     Communication
•     Building Effective Relationships
•     Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

•     Relevant thematic expertise in agrobiodiversity, including PGRFA or related areas
•     Experience with multilateral financing mechanisms, global treaties or international policy processes
•     Familiarity with the ITPGRFA or related international frameworks on biodiversity and access and benefit-sharing (ABS)
•     Proven experience in independent evaluations of related programmes, portfolios or financing mechanisms
•     Strong stakeholder engagement, facilitation and interviewing skills

Selection Criteria

Candidates should have demonstrated experience in managing, implementing or evaluating programmes or financing mechanisms related to agrobiodiversity, including the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), as well as experience working across diverse regional contexts.