Junior Officer for Sustainable Agriculture

Host entity: UNDP

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Natural resources management, Project management, programme development, strategy, Energy

Application deadline: 15/10/2026

Mission and objectives

UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

Assignment context

Agriculture is a strategically important sector for Kazakhstan's economic diversification, food security, rural employment and sustainable management of natural resources. Kazakhstan has approximately 205 million hectares of agricultural land, including around 183 million hectares of pasture, providing a substantial natural resource base for agricultural development and positioning the country as an important producer and exporter of agricultural commodities.

The sector's economic and social significance extends well beyond its direct contribution to GDP. Agriculture generates approximately 11–13 percent of value added in the goods-producing sectors and provides employment to around 1.03 million people, making it one of the country's three largest employment sectors. At the same time, average monthly wages in agriculture, forestry and fisheries remain approximately 35 percent below the national average.

Kazakhstan therefore faces a strategic challenge of increasing agricultural productivity and competitiveness while maintaining the long-term productive capacity of its land and natural resources. Climate change, soil degradation, declining land quality, water constraints and increasing exposure to droughts and extreme weather events create risks to agricultural productivity, farm incomes and food security. At the same time, agricultural landscapes are critical for biodiversity, ecosystem services and climate mitigation, creating an opportunity to align agricultural development with environmental and climate objectives.

UNDP Kazakhstan supports the Government and other national and regional partners in promoting sustainable agricultural production, climate resilience, integrated land-use planning, restoration of degraded landscapes and sustainable food and agricultural value chains.

Within this context, UNDP is implementing initiatives that promote more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices, strengthen agricultural knowledge and innovation, improve access to sustainable production technologies and finance, and support the integration of environmental considerations into agricultural planning and investment.

The International UN Volunteer will support UNDP’s work on sustainable agriculture and food systems, with particular attention to climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land and soil management, agricultural value chains, nature-positive production and evidence-based approaches to improving the environmental and economic sustainability of agricultural production.

The UN Volunteer will work across relevant UNDP programmes and projects and will interact with government counterparts, research institutions, farmers and producer organizations, private-sector actors, development partners and technical specialists. The assignment will provide an opportunity to gain practical experience at the intersection of sustainable agriculture, climate change, land management, food systems and development cooperation in Kazakhstan.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Head of Energy and Environment Unit, and in close collaboration with relevant UNDP programme and project teams, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the analysis and development of approaches for promoting sustainable, climate-resilient and nature-positive agricultural production in Kazakhstan;
• Support UNDP programmes and projects in identifying, documenting and assessing sustainable agricultural practices, including climate-smart agriculture, soil conservation, sustainable nutrient and water management, crop diversification, agro-forestry, pasture management and other land-management approaches;
• Conduct research and analysis of international good practices, technologies, standards, methodologies and policy approaches related to sustainable agriculture, climate-smart food systems and sustainable land management, and assess their relevance to Kazakhstan;
• Support the identification and assessment of opportunities to integrate sustainable agriculture and environmental considerations into agricultural policies, programmes, investment projects and regional development planning;
• Contribute to the analysis of agricultural value chains and identification of opportunities for improving their environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, climate resilience and economic viability;
• Support the identification and documentation of sustainable production practices and technologies that can be promoted among farmers, agricultural enterprises and other value-chain actors;
• Assist in research and analysis related to soil health, land degradation, sustainable soil management, agro-ecology, regenerative agriculture and carbon-smart agricultural practices;
• Support the assessment of opportunities for carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emission reductions in agricultural landscapes, including through improved soil management, agro-forestry, pasture management and other nature-based approaches;
• Contribute to the review of best international practices of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) approaches for sustainable agriculture, land management and climate-related interventions, including the use of GIS, remote sensing and other digital tools;
• Support the preparation of analytical briefs, technical notes, background papers, presentations, concept notes and other knowledge products related to sustainable agriculture and food systems;
• Contribute to the development of project concepts and proposals related to sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, land restoration, food systems and nature-positive production, including identification of potential donors and financing mechanisms;
• Support resource mobilization activities by researching relevant international financing opportunities, donor priorities, calls for proposals, partnerships and innovative financing mechanisms related to sustainable agriculture and climate action;
• Participate in consultations, workshops, field missions and technical discussions with government counterparts, farmers, research institutions, private-sector representatives, development partners and other stakeholders;
• Support knowledge-sharing and capacity-building activities on sustainable agricultural production, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management and related topics;
• Assist in documenting project results, lessons learned, good practices and recommendations for scaling up sustainable agricultural approaches;
• Contribute to other activities related to sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, food systems and environmental sustainability as required.

Skills and experience

Demonstrated interest and/or experience in:

• Sustainable agriculture, climate-smart agriculture, agro-ecology, food systems, natural resource management or related fields;
• Agricultural production systems, sustainable land management, soil health, agricultural value chains and/or rural development through academic projects, internships, research, volunteering or professional experience;
• Research and analysis related to climate change, land degradation, biodiversity, sustainable production or environmental sustainability;
• Development of project concepts, proposals, analytical materials or research outputs related to agriculture, environment, climate change or sustainable development;
• Familiarity with agricultural policies, programmes, development projects and/or inter-national development cooperation would be an asset;
• Familiarity with GIS, geospatial data, remote sensing, agricultural monitoring or other digital tools would be an asset;
• Familiarity with carbon accounting, greenhouse gas emissions, soil carbon, agro-forestry or MRV approaches would be an asset;
• Previous experience as a volunteer and/or experience of another culture, i.e. studies, volunteer work or internship, would be highly regarded.

Skills in:
• Basic understanding of sustainable agriculture, climate-smart agriculture and sustain-able food systems;
• Understanding of key environmental and climate challenges affecting agricultural production, including soil degradation, water scarcity, climate variability and biodiversity loss;
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to identify, assess and synthesize technical information from international and national sources;
• Ability to analyse agricultural and environmental data and translate findings into practical recommendations;
• Ability to contribute to the development of project concepts, proposals, presentations and technical materials;
• Good understanding of sustainable development and the linkages between agriculture, climate change, land management, biodiversity and rural livelihoods;
• Basic knowledge of GIS, remote sensing, data analysis or other digital tools would be an asset;
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences;
• Good written communication, teamwork and interpersonal skills;
• Strong willingness to learn and ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary environment.

Competencies and values

Accountability
Adaptability and Flexibility
Commitment and Motivation
Communication
Creativity
Ethics and Values
Integrity
Knowledge Sharing
Professionalism
Respect for Diversity
Self-Management
Technological Awareness
Vision
Working in Teams

Living conditions

The UN Volunteer will be based in Astana, Kazakhstan. Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan.
The city lies on the banks of the Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmola Region, though administered as a city with special status separately from the rest of the region. Astana is the second-largest city in the country, after Almaty. Astana is a safe town, but the usual precautions should still exercise. Medical services: No special vaccination is required to travel to Astana, Kazakhstan. Medical services (including dental care) are provided at European standards. Clinics working 24 hours are available in the city. There are both private and state clinics and hospitals.

Astana is a modern and well-developed capital city offering a safe and comfortable living environment, with good access to housing, public transportation, healthcare, shopping, restaurants and other essential services. The city has a continental climate, with warm summers and long, cold winters, during which temperatures can fall significantly below freezing. Astana is well connected internationally and offers a multicultural environment with a growing international community. Russian and Kazakh are widely spoken, while English is increasingly used in international organizations, businesses and services

The Conditions of Service, available here: https://explore.unv.org/cos, outline the policies and rules governing UN Volunteer assignments. Full information on entitlements at the duty station can be accessed here: https://app.unv.org/calculator.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.