Transboundary Basin Investment Expert

Job Description - Transboundary Basin Investment Expert (2600156)

Job Description

CALL FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST - VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT : 2600156

Transboundary Basin Investment Expert

26/Jan/2026

09/Feb/2026, 10:59:00 PM

Organizational Unit : SFSMD

Non-staff opportunities

Type of Requisition :
Consultant

Home-Based

Duration : 132 days WAE

Post Number : N/A

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture.
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply;
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality

FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations.

The Zambezi Watercourse, spanning eight Southern African nations and covering 1.4 million km², is a critical natural asset supporting over 51 million people projected in 2025. Despite its vast water and ecological resources, the basin is under severe pressure from climate change, poverty, environmental degradation, and weak governance systems. Over 60 % of the population lives in rural areas, relying heavily on rain‑fed agriculture and natural ecosystems, leaving them acutely vulnerable to droughts, floods, and declining land productivity.

Key challenges include:
Climate variability resulting in extreme and unpredictable weather patterns, widespread poverty, with 44 % of the population living below the poverty line, environmental degradation, with 65 % of land in the basin moderately or highly degraded, fragmented governance and inadequate infrastructure for water and land management. To address these systemic issues, ZAMCOM is implementing the Strategic Plan for the Zambezi Watercourse (ZSP: 2018 – 2040), anchored on four pillars: infrastructure development, livelihood support, environmental protection, and water resources management.

Inadequate policy frameworks and institutional capacities in the Zambezi Watercourse Riparian States are hampering efforts to address climate change, water management, and food security in an integrated manner. Fragmented governance and lack of coordination between sectors often lead to ineffective interventions. In view of the above, FAO and ZAMCOM have initiated a project to titled “Support to the Development of the Strategic Basin Investment Programme to Build Resilience and Sustainable Development in the Zambezi Watercourse” support the development of the investment plan/programme which shall ensure that (i) available resources are sufficient to match the challenges, (ii) there is convergence of activities in same geographic zone, (iii) there shall be increased ownership and access to land for sustainability, and (iv) community‑level sub‑projects are demand‑driven.

The objectives of the investment programme are;

• Mitigate the impacts of climate change by improving resilience in the watercourse area, promoting sustainable use and management of water and related resources, and enhancing climate‑adaptation measures;
• Enhance enabling environment for sustainable agriculture, water resources management and climate change adaptation in the Zambezi watercourse. The plan will strengthen institutional capacities, improve policy coherence, and foster regional cooperation for transboundary water management. This includes development of supportive policies, regulations, and institutions to promote investment in sustainable agriculture infrastructure, facilitate…