Oportunidade para trabalho voluntário em projeto das Nações Unidas em Brasília, não é exatamente para Relações Internacionais, mas pode interessar a meus leitores e como me chegou por e-mail com pedido para dar publicidade. É bom prestar particular atenção ao item 13.
UNV Assignment Title: Project Associate – Green Commodities and Trade Specialist – Brazil
1. UNV Assignment Title: Project Associate – Green Commodities and Trade Specialist – Brazil
2. Type of assignment: National UN Volunteer
3. Project Title: Trade for Sustainable Development (T4SD)
4. Duration: One year, renewable
5. Location, Country: Brasília, Brazil
6. Expected starting date: 1 June 2011
7. Brief Project Description:
This project is a partnership between ITC’s T4SD and UNDP’s GC Facility. The aim of the project is to promote and scale up the sustainable production of agricultural commodities and products in Brazil. This will be through capacity building of farmers and farmer organizations, policy reform, supply chain management and farmer financing.
Specifically the T4SD will centralize, organize and disseminate information on voluntary sustainability standards and related research. T4SD will:
- Systematically integrate comprehensive, recent and comparable information on voluntary sustainability standards.
- Provide research and case studies that complements this information, such as impact assessment, market data, how-to guides and best practice(s) examples.
- Allow information tailoring through customized tools and websites addressing users’ specific needs, ensuring direct access to relevant information and intuitive web navigation.
The core of T4SD is a global database on sustainability standards and initiatives, which serves as a central neutral repository of information. The main output of T4SD is a web-based tool that disseminates information on voluntary sustainability standards and related research results to strengthen the capacity of local communities, mostly local producers, exporters and buyers to participate in sustainable production and trade.
The GC Facility country projects are more wide ranging covering all aspects of capacity building for environmentally sustainable agricultural production. Globally the Facility is identifying and developing its portfolio of country projects. This assignment will be a direct input into this phase of portfolio development.
This assignment aims to promote the objectives of T4SD and GC Facility in Brazil. This has two main components to be carried out at a national level:
- Bring transparency on voluntary sustainability standards to local communities and SMEs and increase their opportunities for sustainable production and trade.
- Identify and develop partners, funding and projects for the GC Facility to support environmentally and commercially important agricultural commodities
Voluntary standards
The expert will establish a community of farmers, SMEs and related trade promotion organizations networks to disseminate the T4SD web-tool. The expert will deliver capacity building and training workshops on T4SD that will enhance the ability of local communities, producers and exporters to identify development challenges with regards to sustainability standards. The national expert will report these issues and challenges to ITC: this feedback will be used as a key means to identify technical assistance to help producers and exporters successfully enter the sustainable trade market.
Project identification and development
The expert will build the community into a platform to identify all national activities to support green commodities, prepare baseline map of initiatives and stakeholders. The expert will facilitate meetings and formulate a national strategy for greening commodities. Building on this the expert will consult with donors and partners to identify, secure funding for and design proposals for green commodity projects. The expert will work through and in conjunction with the UNDP country office and under the supervision and guidance of the GCF global team.
8. Host Agency/Host Institute: International Trade Center (position based within UNDP CO Brazil)
9. Organizational Context:
The International Trade Centre (ITC) is the joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations. As the development partner for small business export success, ITC’s goal is to help developing and transition countries achieve sustainable human development through exports.
ITC partners with trade support institutions to deliver integrated solutions for "Export Impact for Good". ITC’s services are delivered through five complementary business services: business and trade policy, export strategy, strengthening trade support institutions, trade intelligence and exporter competitiveness.
Through strategic development and capacity building based on these business services, ITC connects opportunities to markets. As such, ITC provides on-line public tools, tailored market research and trade analysis, and conducts training programmes in market analysis for trade policy makers, trade support institutions and local communities in developing countries.
Over the past several years, voluntary sustainability standards developed by civil society organizations, the private sector and other groups have experienced unprecedented growth. Accompanying this growth is the increasing need for standards information and transparency. Producers and exporters in the developing world often lack information when considering how to engage in sustainable production and trade practices.
Additionally, manufacturers, retailers and public procurement officials lack detailed information when making sustainable purchasing decisions. ITC is currently leading a partnership-based effort to enhance transparency on voluntary sustainability standards and to increase opportunities for sustainable production and trade. This project is called “Trade for Sustainable Development” (T4SD).
UNDP’s Green Commodities Facility (GC Facility) works to scale up existing initiatives with companies, governments, and other stakeholders that aim to shift markets towards the production and sale of green commodities. Green commodities are those produced and supplied in a manner which minimizes negative environmental impacts, and include bulk-traded products as well as specialized niche varieties.
The aim of the GC Facility (GCF) is to work on a range of important commodities from all over the globe, such as on beef, cocoa, coffee, cotton, pineapples, palm oil, rice, timber and tuna. The GCF operates at global and national levels to address issues across the supply chain at different scales. On a global level the GCF undertakes research, formulates baseline reviews, prepares guidance documents, and develops partnerships and policy. Projects include engagement with companies on sustainability policy, programmes and procurement through the supply chain. At the country level, support services for a commodity include delivery of training and technical assistance, for producers and businesses, in both management and sound environmental practices.
10. Type of assignment place: family duty station
11. Description of tasks:
Under the direct supervision of the T4SD Program Manager at ITC, GC Facility Global Coordinator and the Environment and Development Unit Coordinator UNDP Brazil, the national expert will undertake the following tasks:
• Serve as focal point for T4SD and GC Facility in the country of assignment for the implementation of the T4SD project and gathering of new requests for support and technical assistance in the area of sustainability standards.
• Present T4SD to key stakeholders and disseminate the T4SD web-tool to its main constituents - local producers and exporters, Trade Support Institutions (TSI) and Trade Promotion Organizations
(TPO) as well as to other potential stakeholders such as governmental extension services, NGOs, local consultancies or development agencies.
• Coordinate and deliver five to ten trainings and workshops to present the T4SD web-tool and provide a demonstration of its functionalities and features.
• Gather feedback on the T4SD program and organize focus groups discussions to review specific information needs on sustainability standards that are not yet addressed by T4SD.
• Develop national green commodities platform for all stakeholders
• Formulate national green commodities strategy for UNDP
• Identify donors and funding opportunities for in-country projects
• Develop proposals to secure funding, particularly with corporate partners
• Assist in the research process of scoping papers produced by the GC Facility on greening commodity supply chains as well as support additional desk studies conducted by GC Facility staff.
• Input data into GCF’s stakeholders/initiatives database.
• Contribute to articles/write-ups on field experiences for T4SD and GC Facility publications/websites, newsletters, press-releases, etc. Liaise with UNDP country office communications unit.
• Provide short monthly reports to the T4SD Program Manager and GC Facility Global Coordinator.
Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to:
• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant
UNV and external publications and taking active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark IVD);
• Be acquainted with and building on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
• Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking, including participation in ongoing reflection activities;
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submitting them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encouraging relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
12. Results/Expected Output:
The following outputs are expected:
(i) Local community networks are established for green commodities and trained to use T4SD, thereby
generating improved opportunities for voluntary standards, sustainable trade and production (increased number of certified producers, etc.);
(ii) National policy makers and extension system authorities are knowledgeable about UNDP’s green commodities facility and the T4SD web-too
(iii) Extension staff are trained to use the T4SD database and extension service curricula incorporate guidance on voluntary sustainability standards.
(iv) Work sessions highlight local constraints regarding sustainable certification and technical assistance needs;
(v) Improved capacity of local authorities and trade promotion organizations to design and implement
sustainable trade policies.
(vi) 2-3 specific green commodity projects identified, developed and funded, ready for implementation
(vii) A set of corporate partners supporting green commodity supply chains work with UNDP and are in agreement to source sustainable products and support green commodity projects.
(viii) A final statement of achievements toward volunteerism for development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.
13. Qualifications/Requirements:
• Bachelor in natural resource management-economics, environmental economics, environmental management, economics, biology, agronomy, forestry, or social science;
• Field experience in sustainable agriculture and natural resource management, including (if possible) government extension, training/capacity building, multi-stakeholder coordination;
• Good knowledge of voluntary sustainability standards and further labeling and certifying initiatives;
• Good knowledge of the developmental, social and environmental implications of voluntary standards and international trade;
• Experience in key Brazilian commodity sectors, such as coffee, cocoa, tea, cotton, forestry products, seafood, nuts, sugar, among others;
• Experience with private sector and donors preferred (particularly in the food sector, farmer training, and/or farmer financing);
• Fundraising skills and proposal writing experience;
• At least 25 years of age
• Brazilian nationality.
Competencies
• Ability to build relationships with partner organizations and institutions;
• Fluency (speaking and writing) in English and Portuguese.
• Strong communication, analytical and presentation skills;
• Ability to analyze and categorize information;
• Ability to work independently;
• Advanced studies with an emphasis on international trade, international development, economics, etc.
14. Living Conditions:
Brasilia is the capital of Brazil and was created in the centre of the country in 1956 and inaugurated in 1960.
The administrative capital was designed as a modernist utopia by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, disciples of Le Corbusier and today is considered one of the major examples of the modernistic movement in architecture and urban planning in the 20th century, and was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. This city is now the host of a large international community.
The city was originally planned for 500.000 inhabitants, but has grown to more than two million, including satellite cities, created over the years to house the extra inhabitants and the Federal District today.
Brasília is connected to all the major cities by good roads and has an international airport. There are also railway connections with São Paulo but train use is sporadic. Distances to Goiânia are 207 km, Salvador 1.531 km, Belo Horizonte 716 km, Rio de Janeiro 1.200 km and São Paulo 1.015 km.
The altitude ensures that the climate is moderate without the tropical humidity of lower altitudes. The climate has basically two seasons: rainy and dry. Rains occur between October and March and are rare after April.
Maximum temperatures average 28ºC. In the dry season, the temperature decreases and can reach daily highs of 13ºC in July although maximum averages of 25ºC are the norm. During the dry season the relative humidity of the air reaches critical levels, particularly during the hottest times of the day. Between November and April the air quality improves, favored by the evaporation of the waters of Lake Paranoá. With almost 40 km² of area and 500 million m³ of water, this artificial lake was designed to ameliorate the harsh climactic conditions of the winter.
Brasília is the center of the federal government and is the location of executive, legislative, and judicial powers. There are few industries and most of the large-scale agriculture is located in the state of Goiás.
Almost everything consumed has to be brought in from outside, although there are some truck farms in a green belt around the city producing fresh fruits and vegetables.
Brasília and the Federal District have the highest per capita income in Brazil and more than double the national average. Because of the rapid population growth, due to migration from rural areas in the Northeast, Goiás, and Minas Gerais, there is great social inequality with poor workers living in bad conditions in "satellite cities" far from the main center and having to travel great distances by bus to come to work. Some of these satellite towns--Taguatinga for example--have become large enough to sustain their own economic life and attract middle class families.
The city is located in the heart of the Cerrado vegetation, the richest world’s savannah and surrounded by many natural attractions, such as the National Park Chapada dos Veadeiros with its waterfalls and hiking tracks and the colonial city of Pirenópolis. An enormous park called the Parque da Cidade gives the inhabitants a much-needed space for cycling, jogging, and contact with nature. There is also a zoo near the airport with many animals native to the cerrado area.
One major criticism of Brasília is that it was designed on a non-pedestrian scale. Since the city was developed at the advent of motor transport, pedestrians were not taken much into consideration. In the original plan there were no traffic lights and all cars moved over overpasses, through tunnels and around traffic circles. Today with half a million people living in the Plano Piloto - the Pilot Plan - this plan had to be modified. Distances are staggering and pedestrians have to walk far to move from one point to another. The high speed avenues are especially dangerous to cross. Recently a subway has been built with a line completed for the South Wing and continuing to the major satellite city of Taguatinga. Public transportation is plentiful but the automobile dominates life in Brasilia. A popular saying is that the inhabitants are born withwheels instead of feet.
15. Conditions of Service
A 12-monthly contract; monthly volunteer living allowance (VLA) intended to cover housing, basic needs and utilities, equivalent to R$ 1,990.00; settling-in-grant (if applicable); life, health, and permanent disability insurance; return airfares (if applicable); resettlement allowance for satisfactory service.
Detailed curriculum vitae including two referees and application letter should be sent to unv.brasil@undp.org until 27 April 2011, quoting reference "UNV Green Commodities and TradeSpecialist".
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