Expert on Rural and Agricultural Finance

FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Home-based

Organizational Setting

The FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia (REU) plays a critical role in supporting FAO’s overall mission to eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition, while promoting sustainable agriculture and rural development in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. The REU office provides comprehensive policy and technical assistance to its 53 Member Countries and 18 programming countries. REUs support to members is shaped by its Regional Priority Programmes on empowering smallholders, family farms and youth through inclusive rural transformation, digitalization and innovation; transforming food systems and facilitating market access and integration; and the sustainable management of natural resources; and responsive to Members Countries priorities, needs and national agricultural, food system and climate related strategies and commitments, within the broader context of the Sustainable development Goals (SDGs).

Just under 6 years remain to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) Region. While progress has been made, it has not been linear and recent multiple crises and the effects of climate change have beset agri-food systems in the region threatening their resilience, impeding their growth, and disrupting the pathways to achieving the 2030 agenda. Urgent and concentrated action is needed to put the SDGs back on track, yet substantial financing gaps persist. In this final push towards 2030, more and better financing is required to promote inclusive and resilient agrifood system development pathways that are structurally capable of delivering durable food security and nutrition through economically, socially and environmentally sustainable approaches, consistent with FAO’s 4 betters – Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment and Better Life - all the while leaving no-one behind.

To contribute to addressing these financing challenges, REU has formulated a regional Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) aimed at assessing the regional landscape of agrifood system financing, providing policy guidance for Member States, and enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of REU’s regional and country-level programming support for improving access to finance for agrifood system finance stakeholders. While the project will take a systems-level perspective, due attention will be placed on demographics that are typically excluded from meaningfully engaging with the formal financial sector such as small-holder farmers, women, youth and “missing middle” agricultural SMEs. The TCP will begin with a situational analysis (study) of access to finance for agrifood system actors in the region, while evaluating existing public policies, support measures, financial instruments, and the role of the private sector. The analysis will cover key features of agricultural financial markets, including supply and demand of different financial services for farmers and other value chain actors; policies and meso-level supporting infrastructure, and related gaps and issues at product, institutional and policy level. Depending on data availability, the analysis will delve deeper into specific countries and carve out common issues and challenges as well as difference between countries and sub-regions. Based on this analysis, the study will identify best practices, promising trends and innovations, as well as challenges, and gaps, while laying the groundwork and evidence base for informed policymaking, and regional and country-level programme development. In a subsequent stage, the regional situational analysis will be followed by deeper dives in select technical or thematical areas that are deemed most relevant, scalable or otherwise innovative in the ECA context. Finally, a regional event on sustainable and inclusive finance for agrifood system transformation will be organized to present results; stimulate knowledge exchange, dialogue and facilitate partnerships for action.

In this context, REU is seeking to recruit a team of qualified experts with deep domain expertise in the field of rural and agricultural finance, agrifood system finance or other relevant background and demonstrated experience in the ECA region. These experts should have substantial experience in assessing, designing and/or implementing rural and agricultural finance related technical, strategic, policy, project-based or capacity building-related initiatives or interventions in the agrifood system context.

Reporting Lines

The consultant(s) will operate under the overall supervision of the Regional Programme Leader (RPL) in REU and under the direct supervision of the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) of the project. The consultant is expected to work in close collaboration with technical officers, international/national project personnel and government stakeholders.

Technical Focus

The main objective of the consultants’ assignment is to provide expert strategic and technical inputs; engage in research activities and provide narrative contributions throughout the design, implementation and drafting of the technical analyses; as well as to actively participate in related stakeholder consultations and internal and external meetings/workshops as part of the review process. Duty travel is foreseen as part of the assignment. Depending on expertise and experience, consultants will focus either on specific countries or sub-regions and/or on specific subject areas.

Tasks and responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the LTO and the Senior Rural Finance Officer and direct coordination by the FAO Lead consultant, the consultant(s) are expected to contribute as follows during the different phases of the work:

Phase 1: Design and planning for analytical work

Contribute to the conceptualization and design of the technical analysis, including the development of the implementation plan;
Collaborate with the project team to develop the methodological approach, data collection plan and tools;
Support the identification of key stakeholders and relevant sources of quantitative and qualitative data;
Conduct desk-based research as required to fill gaps in secondary information and prepare for field activities.

Phase 2: Data-collection and field research

Review secondary data and literature from various public sources as well as grey literature and project documents;
Engage in stakeholder consultations and interviews to gather data, information and contextual insights;
Conduct field visits to selected countries in line with the study implementation plan;
Document key information and findings as inputs into the technical analysis and overall report, ensuring adherence to the agreed methodology.

Phase 3: Drafting of Study

Lead and/or contribute to drafting assigned sections or annexes of the study, integrating findings from research and fieldwork;
Participate in internal and external review processes, addressing feedback on draft sections;
Support finalization of the study, ensuring technical rigor, consistency, and clarity.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Advanced university degree in finance, agricultural economics, developmental economics, rural development, or related field. A first level degree with 2 years of additional experience may be considered as equivalent;
At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in rural and agricultural finance, agrifood system financing, or relevant combination of experience in agribusiness, agricultural or rural development and private sector finance and/or development finance;
Working knowledge (C level) of English is required.

FAO Core Competencies

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

Selection Criteria

Proficiency in Russian is highly desirable due to its regional relevance. Knowledge of additional regional languages (e.g. Ukrainian, Serbian, Georgian, Armenian, or Kazakh) is considered an asset;
Depth and breadth of experience working in the Europe and Central Asia (REU) region, including familiarity with the rural finance landscape, national policies, financial institutions, and stakeholder ecosystems;
Demonstrated understanding of sustainable finance and inclusive finance approaches, including new trends and innovations in agricultural and green finance as well as in gender-responsive and youth-sensitive financial solutions for smallholders and agri-SMEs;
Prior engagement with international organizations, development finance institutions, or donor-funded programmes supporting rural or agricultural finance;
Demonstrated experience in assessing rural financial markets and in designing, implementing, or evaluating policies, strategies, technical assistance programmes, or investment initiatives aimed at improving access to finance for agrifood system actors;
Extensive experiences in the ECA region and well-established networks facilitating access to relevant stakeholders and information;
Strong analytical and critical thinking skills, with strong writing ability and keen attention to detail.

Apply NowDeadline 19 July

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