Country: India
Closing date: 04 Sep 2015
Bioversity International is a global research-for-development organization. We have a vision – that agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet.
We deliver scientific evidence, management practices and policy options to use and safeguard agricultural biodiversity to attain sustainable global food and nutrition security. We work with partners in low-income countries in different regions where agricultural biodiversity can contribute to improved nutrition, resilience, productivity and climate change adaptation.
Bioversity International is a member of the CGIAR Consortium – a global research partnership for a food secure future.
For further information on Bioversity International, consult our Web page at: www.bioversityinternational.org
****Context****
This position will assist Bioversity advancing its work on neglected and underutilized species (NUS) [1] in the field of nutrition and nutrition sensitive value chain development. The position is funded by the EU in the framework of a newly approved 3-years Project on “Linking Agrobiodiversity Value Chains, Climate Adaptation and Nutrition: Empowering the Poor to Manage Risk” [2] . The Project, which is co-funded by IFAD, will be contributing to the work of the CGIAR Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) [3] and the nutrition component will also have links to the CGIAR research programme on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH) [4] . The project will be implemented in Guatemala, Mali and India. CCAFS’s mission is to address the increasing challenge of global warming on agriculture and food security through a strategic collaboration between the CGIAR and Future Earth. CCAFS seeks to promote a food-secure world through the provision of science-based efforts that support sustainable agriculture and enhance livelihoods while adapting to climate change and conserving natural resources and environmental services. This project is meant to strengthen CCAFS’s efforts in the field of risk management and preparedness to climate change of local communities and in particular the poor and vulnerable groups through a better deployment of agrobiodiversity in their livelihood systems. The project will also be in alignment with the A4NH work on value chains for enhanced nutrition.
****Main responsibilities****
Under the supervision of the Scientist on nutrition and dietary diversity, and in close collaboration with the Senior Scientist on marketing diversity, the incumbent will assist Bioversity and its partners in the implementation of the IFAD-EU-CCAFS Project aimed at empowering the rural poor by strengthening their income options, their nutritional security and their sense of identity through the improved use and marketing of NUS. The candidate’s work will focus on assessing project entry points for improving nutrition through greater valorisation of NUS and attention to nutrition sensitive actions for NUS value chains with a particular focus on fonio, minor millets, chaya, tepary bean and underutilized vegetables. The candidate will build capacity of value chain actors on specific actions related to processing for optimizing nutrition and stimulating consumer demand through behaviour change communication. Owing to the highly inter-disciplinary and inter-sectorial approach of the project, the candidate will work closely with experts of different domains of research (e.g. conservationists, marketing specialists, policy experts) from Bioversity and partner organizations consistently with the ‘holistic value chain approach’ [5] pursued by Bioversity in its pro-NUS efforts. The candidate will be based in New Delhi, India, with frequent travel to Mali and Guatemala. He/she will be supporting the implementation of Bioversity’s overall Healthy Diets and Sustainable Food Systems Initiative, leveraging lessons learnt through the Project. He/she will be responsible for supporting open communication within Bioversity, and between the CGIAR centres and partners involved in different projects related to NUS. More specifically, the incumbent will:
- Support research at Bioversity on nutrition and nutrition-sensitive value chains for NUS related to the IFAD-EU-CCAFS Project (“NUS5”);
- Support the capacity building of Bioversity’s partners in identifying ways to make value chains of higher nutritional value (e.g. optimizing processing methods for nutritional value) and assist partners in assessing the food composition of selected NUS and NUS related products;
- Set up systems to monitor enhanced competitiveness and marketing of crops/products of higher nutritional value;
- Develop and test approaches for using nutrition as a marketing entry point and assist partners in understanding emerging market niches for the value of including nutrition as a marketing strategy (e.g. novel ingredients, nutritional functional properties, health applications, ethnic food etc.), together with the marketing team;
- Explore and document trade-offs between market demand for convenience products developed using NUS (e.g. millet biscuits) and nutritional value of the product (e.g. trans-fat, added sugar);
- Design and carry out research and interventions together with local partners that improve diet diversity and the role of NUS in improving diet quality;
- Author and publish articles in peer-reviewed international journals and prepare technical materials to demonstrate scientific quality and enable replication of approaches, methods and tools in other contexts;
- Assist Bioversity’s Policy Unit in identifying policy recommendations related to making NUS value chains more nutrition-sensitive;
- Coordinate with other Bioversity and CCAFS and A4NH researchers;
- Collaborate in the development of proposals to fund research on NUS;
- Contribute to other organizational and programmatic activities as and when required.
Qualifications and competencies
****Essential qualifications & competencies:****
- PhD in nutrition, food science/technology or related field.
- Experience in agriculture-nutrition linkages, particularly nutrition sensitive value chains.
- Experience of working and living in developing countries, and with community-based development.
- Well-developed analytical and synthesizing skills including the ability to write clear and concise scientific documents and research proposals.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively interact with people at all levels and build consensus in a multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment.
- Excellent English language skills, both verbal and written.
- Drive and entrepreneurship to pursue opportunities to garner additional support for research.
Desirable qualifications and competencies:
- Experience in agri-business or private-public partnerships for product development.
- Work experience in India, Guatemala or Mali.
- Working knowledge French and Spanish languages.
- Skills in value chain participatory analyses methods.
- Familiarity with the CGIAR system.
****Terms and conditions:****The Post Doctoral Fellow will be offered a three-year contract. Bioversity offers an attractive stipend and contribution to the costs of living, inclusion in Bioversity insurance schemes, contribution to retirement fund, and leave provisions. Additional benefits apply for Post Doctoral Fellows recruited from outside India.
Bioversity is an equal opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity.
[4] http://www.a4nh.cgiar.org/
How to apply:
****Applications:**** Please apply online through Bioversity Job Opportunities web page (http://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/) by clicking the “Apply” button, completing the online application and attaching the required information, no later than 4 September, 2015. Please note that in the application you are required to provide the contact details (address, telephone number and e-mail address) of at least three referees, which Bioversity will contact for short listed applicants.