Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to eradicate hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all by ens…
Skills: UAV-based remote sensing, Precision agriculture, Multispectral imagery analysis, GIS software, Agronomic data collection
Papua New Guinea · On-site
Organizational Setting The “Enabling Sustainable Production Landscapes in Eastern Highlands and Western Highlands Provinces for Biodiversity, Human Livelihoods and Well-being” (GCP/PNG/011/GFF) project is funded by the G…
Skills: Agriculture, Agribusiness, Value Chain Development, Agricultural Economics, Capacity Building
Belgrade, Central Serbia, Serbia · On-site
Organizational Setting Aligned with national priorities for the Sustainable Development Goals, FAO in Serbia focuses its activities to accelerate action towards sustainable agriculture. Jointly with partners, FAO works o…
Skills: Project management, Agricultural economics, Rural development, Stakeholder engagement, Investment pipeline development
Kano, Kano State, Nigeria · On-site
Organizational Setting The main aim of the FAO country offices, which are headed by an FAO representative, is to assist governments to develop policies, programmes, and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hun…
Skills: Project management, Operational support, Budget monitoring, Data analysis, Stakeholder engagement
Rome, Lazio, Italy · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Administrative support, Office management, Data entry, Correspondence drafting, Travel coordination
Namur, Namur, Belgium · Remote Solely
Organizational Setting FAO's office for Iraq is responsible for developing, promoting, overseeing and implementing agreed strategies for addressing countrywide food, agriculture and rural development. It develops and mai…
Skills: Aquaculture, Recirculating Aquaculture Systems, RAS Design, Project Coordination, Technical Specifications
Somalia · On-site
Organizational Setting The key mission of the FAO Representation in Somalia, which is led by FAO Representative (FAOR), is to assist and support the national government to develop policies, strategies and programme aimed…
Skills: Communications strategy, Media relations, Multimedia content creation, Digital communications, Project cycle management
Nairobi, Kenya · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is implementing the EU-funded PLACE project (GCP/INT/1051/EC), which aims to contribute to the development of sustainable, climate-…
Skills: Livestock health, Animal production, Project coordination, Community mobilization, Report writing
Bangkok, Thailand · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Client Support, Administrative Support, Data Analysis, Process Coordination, Staff Training
Yerevan, Armenia · On-site
Organizational Setting FAO is a longstanding partner of the Government of Armenia in supporting the transformation of the country’s agrifood systems through policy advice, institutional capacity development, investment p…
Skills: Forestry, Natural resource management, Training delivery, Silviculture, Tree marking
Bridgetown, Barbados · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Strategic planning, Programme management, Leadership, Policy dialogue, Resource mobilization
Rome, Lazio, Italy · On-site
Organizational Setting The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) works to ensure that countries and stakeholders respond to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental de…
Skills: Communications strategy, Media outreach, Digital communication, Social media management, Content creation
Praia, Cape Verde · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Strategic planning, Project management, Resource mobilization, Policy advocacy, Stakeholder engagement
Rome, Lazio, Italy · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Ethics, Compliance, Conflict of interest, Policy development, Risk management
Gaborone, Botswana · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Strategic planning, Program management, Resource mobilization, Policy advocacy, Stakeholder engagement
Rome, Lazio, Italy · On-site
The FAO Investment Centre (CFI) provides investment and finance solutions that lead to more efficient, sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems. Working in over 120 countries, CFI provides a full suite of in…
Skills: Value chain analysis, Agribusiness, Investment planning, Policy development, Agrifood systems
New Delhi, Delhi, India · On-site
Organizational Setting: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE eff…
Skills: Natural Resource Management, Integrated Landscape Management, Ecosystem Restoration, GIS, Remote Sensing
Budapest, Central Hungary, Hungary · On-site
Organizational Setting FAO's commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations. The Shared Services Centre (SSC) recommends and administers process management and procedure…
Skills: Financial reporting, Accounting, Cash management, Asset management, Data analysis
Brasília, Federal District, Brazil · On-site
Organizational Setting Adopted by the FAO Conference in 2001, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) aims to facilitate the conservation and sustainable use of plant geneti…
Skills: Journalism, Institutional communication, Knowledge dissemination, Content creation, Digital communication
Ilagan, Isabela, Philippines · On-site
Organizational Setting The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE effi…
Skills: Cash-based transfer interventions, Food security, Livelihood recovery, Project management, Capacity building
Colombo, Western Province, Sri Lanka • On-site
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The incumbent will provide technical and operational support for the design, implementation, and validation of drone-based seeding, nutrient management, and weed management protocols. They will also assist in processing multispectral imagery, managing field trials, and developing national standards for agricultural drone applications.
Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Remote Sensing, Agricultural Engineering, or Soil Science. A minimum of five years of professional experience in UAV-based remote sensing, with at least two years in precision agriculture, is required.
Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to eradicate hunger. FAO’s goal is to achieve food security for all by ensuring that people have regular access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to lead active and healthy lives. With 195 Members - 194 countries and the European Union, FAO operates in more than 130 countries worldwide. In Sri Lanka, FAO has been working since 1979 through its Representation (Country Office) in Colombo.
FAO contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through its Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation of agri-food systems to become more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. This is guided by the Four Betters: Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Sri Lanka’s rice and other field crop (OFC) production systems are under increasing pressure from climate variability, labour shortages, rising input costs, and inefficient input use. Smallholder farmers commonly apply weedicides and fertilizers uniformly across their fields despite significant intra-field variability, resulting in reduced input-use efficiency and increased environmental risks.
Under TCP/SRL/4104, FAO is supporting the Department of Agriculture (DOA) in developing and field-validating performance-based, platform-agnostic standards and protocols for drone-based direct seeding, weed management, and nutrient management in a maize-mungbean cropping system in the Dry Zone. The project utilizes drone-acquired RGB and multispectral imagery to facilitate the early detection of weed infestations and nutrient stress, enabling targeted, site-specific input applications instead of conventional blanket treatments.
Reporting Lines
The National Expert on Drone-based Seeding, Plant Nutrient and Weed Management will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programmes), and the technical guidance of the Lead Technical Officer of the project. The incumbent will work closely with the relevant technical teams at the Field Crops Research and Development Institute (FCRDI) and other selected partner institutions.
Technical Focus
The objective of this assignment is to provide technical and operational support to FCRDI for the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and validation of drone-based seeding, plant nutrient management, and weed management protocols for maize–mungbean cropping systems. The assignment will support the development of national standards and operational guidelines under project TCP/SRL/4104.
The incumbent will provide technical and operational support to FCRDI for the UAV-based remote sensing components of the project, including supporting the processing and analysis of drone-acquired multispectral imagery, assisting in the validation of field data, and contributing to the development of operational protocols for weed and nutrient management for use by the Department of Agriculture's extension system and the national agricultural service-provider sector.
The incumbent will provide technical and operational support for the following activities:
• Supporting the implementation of imagery-based components of the project, including weed characterization and management (Output 2).
• Supporting activities related to nutrient deficiency detection and management (Output 3).
• Assisting with impact assessments and economic viability analyses.
• Supporting the delivery of capacity-building activities and the development of knowledge products.
Tasks and responsibilities
• Provide technical and operational support to the planning, establishment, and management of field trials for drone-based mungbean seeding, maize nutrient management, and maize weed management.
• Assist in the identification and preparation of suitable research and demonstration plots in coordination with the Field Crops Research and Development Institute (FCRDI) and other relevant local stakeholders.
• Support the development of field protocols and data collection methodologies to evaluate the agronomic, operational, and economic performance of drone-based applications.
• Support the coordination of drone operations and assist in ensuring compliance with approved experimental designs and field protocols.
• Collect, compile, and analyze field data on crop establishment, plant growth, nutrient status, weed suppression, yield performance, input-use efficiency, and operational costs.
• Support the assessment and interpretation of drone-derived imagery and related datasets to inform decision-making and validate operational protocols.
• Document field observations, lessons learned, implementation challenges, and opportunities for scaling up drone-based technologies.
• Contribute to the development and refinement of national standards, technical guidelines, and operational protocols for drone-based applications in agriculture.
• Provide technical and operational support to FCRDI in organizing stakeholder consultations, field demonstrations, and capacity-building activities for extension officers, researchers, and farmers.
• Prepare technical reports, progress updates, and recommendations, and perform any other related duties as required...
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• A university degree (Bachelor’s degree) in Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics/GIS, Agricultural Engineering, Precision Agriculture, Soil Science, or a closely related discipline.
• A minimum of five years of professional experience in UAV-based remote sensing applications, including at least two years of experience in agricultural or precision agriculture applications.
• Working knowledge (level C) of English.
• National of Sri Lanka or resident of the country with a valid work permit
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Selection criteria
• Master’s degree or PhD is an asset
• Proficiency in GIS software, such as QGIS or ArcGIS, for producing georeferenced prescription maps and other decision-support products.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in multispectral image acquisition, radiometric calibration, and image processing using software such as DJI Terra, Pix4Dfields, Agisoft Metashape, or MicaSense Atlas.
• Experience in designing and analysing field calibration studies that relate vegetation indices to ground-truth agronomic data.
• Experience in delivering technical training for extension officers, researchers, and farmer groups.
• Excellent command of written and spoken English. Working knowledge of Sinhala and/or Tamil is required.
Working for a sustainable world and secure #FutureofFood for all. Our actions are our future.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
Offices: Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Lazio 00153, IT
Working for a sustainable world and secure #FutureofFood for all. Our actions are our future.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
Offices: Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, Rome, Lazio 00153, IT
