Posted on Wed, 14 Nov 2018, 11:39

Deadline on Thu, 06 Dec 2018, 23:00

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat is calling for individuals wishing to be trained as facilitators to support the design and evaluation of pest risk management to improve negotiations over market access. Successful facilitators will be actively involved in implementing, and possibly enhancing, already existing pest risk management decision support tools, as part of the project “Rolling out Systems Approach Globally", which is funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and implemented by the IPPC Secretariat, in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London (ICL). Facilitators are then expected to become resource experts for their National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) or region; be consulted on an ad hoc basis; or train others.

Facilitators will be expected to complete up to ten hours of review of phytosanitary principles and ISPMs in advance of in-person training; and participate in a one week basic on-site training (first quarter 2019, location to be determined). Facilitators who successfully complete the training will have a second week of training and continue group learning for up to one year through monthly calls. They will be called upon to support real cases going forward to market negotiation.

Deadline: 7 December 2018

Who can apply?

Individuals (a) working for a NPPO, Regional Plant Protection Organization (RPPO) or related research organization; and (b) working with some aspect of risk analysis or management or market access. Preference will be given to applicants from a developing country. It may be possible to train facilitators from other parts of national government, development projects or trade associations, if the NPPO endorses the choice.

Highly experienced individuals are needed, but junior staff planning to pursue a plant health career also are encouraged to apply. The candidates should be able to work with the technical team in English. Knowledge of a second Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official language (Chinese, French, Spanish, Arabic or Russian) is a plus.

Applicants from countries or regions that have applied to participate with a Trade Case will have priority. Trade Cases may still be submitted by your NPPO or RPPO through the earlier Call application form [https://www.ippc.int/en/publications/86476/], with the new deadline of December 7. Trade cases do not necessarily have to be accompanied by an application for training a facilitator.

How to apply

Applicants should complete the Facilitators template available (in English) using this link to the application form: https://www.ippc.int/en/publications/86794/

The candidate also should have a written statement of support from their supervisor and permission to dedicate the necessary time over the course of approximately one year. Selected candidates will have all training costs covered but will need access to a computer, internet, and may have to cover very minor domestic expenses.

There also is the possibility, if approved by the selection committee, of participants from developed countries to join the training if they cover travel costs. This may be approved if the individual could amplify the impact of the project, but would otherwise not be included due to limited project funds.

The complete Facilitator’s application should be submitted to:

• Ms Ketevan Lomsadze, IPPC Secretariat Implementation Facilitation Officer ([email protected])

• With copy to : Ms Megan Quinlan, ICL ([email protected])

The deadline is 7 December 2018.

Selection Criteria

The nominations will be reviewed by the project steering committee and selections will be made based on:

• experience with and commitment to learn pest risk management principles, the use of Systems Approach and of equivalence, as shown in the CV;

• good traits for facilitation of groups (such as groups of experts in risk management measures, or stakeholder groups);

• ability to work in English, and possibly a second language;

• written support from your supervisor of the qualifications of the applicant and stating commitment of staff time; • diversity of countries represented (geographic area, development status);

• some preference for coming from a country or region that also has submitted a Trade Case for project support.

All the applicants will be contacted to acknowledge receipt of application. Your submissions are welcome and we look forward to having a fruitful exchange of experiences in disseminating the Beyond Compliance tools.

More Information

The Facilitators who successfully complete the full training will become resource experts as part of the project “Rolling out Systems Approach Globally", which is funded by the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and implemented by the IPPC Secretariat, in collaboration with the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London (ICL).

This project aims at adapting and introducing a series of decision support tools provided by ICL. The tools can be used by NPPOs to design and evaluate risk management plans for trade agriculture products considered a source of pest risk.

The Beyond Compliance tools, developed under another STDF-funded project (STDF/PG/328), provide practical support to improve pest risk management for plant health needs in trade. The tools range from a checklist of questions to consider when meeting stakeholders, to user fill-in probabilistic models of efficacy, which will allow the participants to:

• Organize existing knowledge and data

• Better understand the value of each measure in a system, in particular for Systems Approach (ISPM 14), and where redundancy may be valid or be restrictive

• Estimate the impacts of risk management measures on pest risk, even when empirical data may be lacking

• Enhance the competency and confidence of NPPOs in market access negotiations

An eBook about the development and use of these tools can be found at: www.standardsfacility.org/sites/default/files/Beyond_Compliance_eBook.pdf