Civil Society Mechanism for relations to the UN Committee on World Food Security.

The Secretariat of the Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSIPM) for relations with the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is seeking for a full-time administration and logistics officer during the period September – December 2026, with possibility of a longer-term extension of the contract.

• Location: Rome, Italy
• Working hours: Full time 
• Closing date for applications: 15 July 2026

Background

The Civil Society and Indigenous Peoples’ Mechanism (CSIPM) for relations with the United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is the largest international space of social movements, Indigenous Peoples’ and civil society organisations working to eradicate food insecurity and malnutrition. The Mechanism was founded in 2010 as an essential and autonomous part of the reformed CFS. The purpose of the CSIPM is to facilitate civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ participation and articulation into the policy processes of the CFS.

The CSIPM is an open and inclusive space that gives priority to the organisations and movements of the people most affected by food insecurity and malnutrition. Since it was founded, several hundred national, regional or global organisations have participated in the CSIPM. Far more than 380 million smallholders and family farmers, agricultural and food workers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, Indigenous Peoples, consumers and urban food insecure around the world are affiliated to organisations that participate in the CSIPM. The Mechanism respects pluralism, autonomy, diversity and self-organisation and tries to ensure a balance of constituencies, gender, and regions.

The CSIPM Secretariat is dedicated to facilitating the functions of the CSIPM, supporting the implementation of its work plan and activities during the CFS inter-sessional period and throughout the CFS Plenary Sessions. The CSIPM Secretariat supports the different CSIPM structures and articulations both in terms of governance and policy thematic work, accompanying all related processes. It is also responsible for providing coordination, facilitation, logistical, financial, and communication support to increase the overall capacities of the space and its participating organisations. The CSIPM Secretariat’s team is currently composed of 3 people with longstanding experience in the follow-up and coordination of the overall CSIPM activities, including the related logistics. The CSIPM is looking for a 4th team member to provide logistics and administration support, who will be accompanied by the rest of the team in the handover process

Main duties and tasks of the Administration and Logistics Officer are:

Logistics:

• Support in the organisation of in-presence meetings and online calls, including the organisation of interpretation;   
• Ensure the reservation of flights and hotels and an adequate accounting and archiving of these expenses.
• Supporting CSIPM participants in providing the necessary documentation for their Schengen Visas requests 
• Reimbursement of participants expenses and ensuring an adequate accounting and archiving of these expenses.
• Support the registration process to CFS meetings, CFS Plenary and the Annual Forum of the CSIPM.
• Preparation of meetings documentation, including photocopying, organising and assembling folder for participants and distributing meeting materials.
• Communication with service providers (website, applications, universities, hotel etc.)

These tasks will be implemented with the support and in close collaboration and coordination with the CSIPM Secretariat team particularly with the Secretariat’s Coordinators. 

Administration of funding and administrative tasks:

• Account for CSIPM expenditures on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. Work in close collaboration with the CSIPM Coordination to evaluate expenditures against available budget
• Liaise with CSIPM host organisations that administer funds on behalf of the CSIPM to:
  • Facilitate the signing of funding contracts between hosting NGOs and donors;
  • Ensure payment of invoices on a weekly basis;
  • Prepare sub-contracts between CSIPM and the NGOs for the transfer of funds provided by the CSIPM for the regional/constituency consultations.
• Work in close collaboration with the CSIPM Coordinators for the preparation and finalisation of service contracts for CSIPM consultancy services (i.e. interpreters, translators, communication experts, website designer, etc.), and working contracts for CSIPM secretariat staff.
• Support the CSIPM Coordination in:
  • In close collaboration with the CSIPM Coordination, keeping an overview and control of CSIPM funding needs, income and expenditure.
  • Supporting in the liaison with FAO Partnerships Division for the preparation of Letter of Agreement for funds provided by Member States
  • Liaising with the CSIPM host organisations to facilitate access to resources and their use.
  • Supporting the preparation of funding proposals for submission to donors, working closely with the CSIPM Coordination, particularly for multi-year funding projects, and follow up the process until their final approval and signature.
• Exploring and proposing long term options for the administration of CSIPM funds, for example by identifying and selecting organisations that could administer CSIPM financial resources or researching and follow up of procedures to establish a legal entity and association for the CSIPM.
• Managing working group email lists once or twice a week. 
• Brings a problem-solving attitude and is willing to support the team with research or ad hoc tasks when capacity is stretched, understanding that this role may occasionally require stepping in on areas outside the core remit to keep things moving.

Reporting:

• Support the CSIPM Coordination in the preparation of financial reports and narrative reports for submission to donors.
• Work in close collaboration with the CSIPM Coordination and hosting organisation during audits on financial reports
• Support in the preparation of quarterly/biannually Financial Reports and status of CSIPM funding needs to be presented to the CSIPM Finance working group and the Coordination Committee (CC) during the CSIPM Annual Forum and CC meetings. 

Profile and requirements

The CSIPM is looking for an Administration and Logistics officer committed to support social movements, Indigenous Peoples’ and civil society organisations meaningful participation in global food governance spaces, that has a positive and problem solving attitude and that enjoys working in a team and for the service of rights holders, marginalised communities and in contact with decision makers. 

The selected candidate will have: 

• A university degree, relating to economy, administration, political science, or an equivalent combination of a relevant undergraduate degree, plus related work experience and on-the-job training;
• 3 years work experience related to project administration management; basic financial administration, including budget tracking, expense reporting, and supporting financial reporting processes;
• Experience in organising and preparing international meetings and events with peoples’ organisations and social movements and a substantial understanding of what this entails and how it is different from other type of meetings. 
• Commitment to supporting civil society participation in inter-governmental policy dialogue and decision-making; 
• Working experience with social movements, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society organisations that promote human rights approaches to food security and nutrition, gender equality, and food sovereignty will be considered a plus;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills are necessary;
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with attention to detail;
• Proactiveness in taking on further responsibilities as the learning and handover process advances
• Good working knowledge of Excel and Word;
• Good knowledge in managing online community and video-conferencing platforms such as Zoom;
• Fluent in English and knowledge of Italian. Working knowledge of another language between Spanish and French is an asset;
• We are looking for someone who
  • Is committed, reliable, responsible and proactive with good problem-solving skills;
  • Enjoys working in a multi-cultural environment and can contribute harmoniously to team work;
  • Can adapt to a flexible working schedule and can work and communicate well under pressure and tight deadlines;
  • Has experience collaborating effectively and working in a team, fostering clear, transparent and respectful communication.
  • Takes ownership of their work and communicates proactively even when problems arise, e.g. when deadlines or tasks are at risk, including being comfortable flagging when something has not been completed rather than letting it go unnoticed.

We offer

• Working in a unique and dynamic space of civil society and Indigenous Peoples’ democratic participation to the United Nations;
• Being part of a highly motivated, welcoming, professional, caring and intercultural team in the context of intercontinental diversity; 
• An appropriate remuneration and a rewarding work environment. Further details will be provided in the event of an interview;
• The position is based in Rome. The selected person will be offered an Italian working contract (either a consultancy contract or a so-called co.co.co. contract with paid leave and holidays) with a monthly net salary that lies at 1.800 Euro. 
• The first contract offered will last for a trial period of four months (September to December 2026); if performance is positively assessed the contract will be further extended. In case of extension and after one year, the contract typology will be confirmed with the selected candidate. The salary may be reviewed subject to performance assessment and availability of funds. 

If you are fit for this role, we invite you to submit your CV and a one-page cover letter highlighting your motivation and most relevant experiences to this role. Applications should be sent to: csmrecruitments@gmail.com by 15 July 2026. 

Timeline of the recruitment process 

• 15 July – Deadline for submitting applications
• Weeks of 20 and 27 July – First round of interviews. 

Selected applicants will be asked to participate in an online interview (or potentially in-person if the candidate is based in Rome) with the full team of the CSIPM Secretariat, as well as the responsible of the hosting organization of the CSIPM. 

• Short-listed candidates might also be asked to pass a written evaluation task, and a second interview. 
• The selected person is expected to join the CSIPM Secretariat from the first week of September 2026. 
• The CSIPM office, where part of the work will take place, is in FAO Headquarters, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00154 Roma, Italy. In addition, the CSIPM Administration and Logistics Officer will be required to go on bi-weekly basis to the office of the hosting organization of the CSIPM, currently located in the Garbatella neighbourhood. 

Download the vacancy announcement (PDF)

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Artificial intelligence and digital technologies are already transforming food systems and daily lives. For peasants, smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, pastoralists, Indigenous Peoples, women and youth, the stakes are high: these technologies can deepen power concentration, land and resource grabbing and the erosion of sovereignty, excluding the peoples whose knowledge and labour sustain food systems. At the same time, community-led initiatives show how these technologies can support self-determination, peasant and Indigenous knowledge and innovation. Rights-holders must be at the centre of any decision-making on the use of these technologies, and this open consultation is an opportunity to engage. 

The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN), the independent science–policy body of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), has published a draft background note on AI, digitalization and data governance for open consultation until 15 June 2026. The note will inform the CFS High-Level Forum (HLF) on 30 June, whose outcomes can contribute to identifying key messages and policy considerations for future discussions or potential workstreams of the CFS.

Read the HLPE-FSN draft note How to participate in the HLPE e-consultation 

Deadline for submissions: 15 June 2026 (23:59 CEST)

The HLPE-FSN is inviting written inputs in English, French and Spanish, regarding the overall orientation of the note and experiences on AI, digitalization and data governance in food systems.

Questions to guide the e-consultation

– Share your feedback on the overall orientation of the note: 

1. Are the issues identified by the HLPE-FSN the most important issues related to Artificial Intelligence, digitalization and data governance affecting food security and nutrition, globally and in specific contexts? 
2. Are there any other key issues that should be added and elaborated? If yes, please provide a justification of why they are important, together with relevant literature and data.

– Share your inputs and experience on Artificial Intelligence, digitalization and data governance in food systems: 

1. Are the issues identified fully capturing the links with food security and nutrition (FSN) outcomes?
2. Is there any aspect of direct or indirect FSN outcome that should be further elaborated?
3. Is there any example or case study that deserves to be mentioned?
4. In particular, do you have examples of effective policies to improve FSN outcomes of the use of Artificial Intelligence, digitalization and data governance in food systems?
5. Is there any missing reference to key literature and data? 

Submit your contribution directly through the HLPE form before 15 June 2026 (23:59 CEST).

Contribute through the CSIPM

Deadline: 10 June 2026.

The CSIPM Data Working Group is coordinating a collective input to this consultation. Join the Working Group and share your inputs by 10 June (five days before the official deadline) so the CSIPM can consolidate a contribution. 

Join the CSIPM Data Working Group 

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies are seeping into the lives of small-scale food producers, Indigenous Peoples and the general population, becoming acceptable, unquestioned, normalized, and seemingly inevitable. 

But what are the costs – to society, to the environment, to self-determination, to national and food sovereignty, to the future of humanity? How do we address the contradictions that arise in regards to the known risks and the potential benefits? And can these technologies be used to advance food sovereignty and agroecology? If so, under what conditions and with which regulations and governance frameworks?

Join us to unpack these questions! 

The CSIPM webinar cycle on digitalization, artificial intelligence and data governance is a space for exchange and collective reflection among social movements, civil society organizations, Indigenous Peoples, researchers, and allies. It will bring together diverse experiences and perspectives to explore key questions related to digitalization and its implications across different contexts. You can find more information below. 

All webinars will have simultaneous interpretation to Spanish, English and French, and will take place from 3:00 to 5:00 pm CEST (Rome time). 

Join the conversation & register in advance! ​ Webinar 1: Impacts on people's territories and self-determined use of technologies

• Date & time:  June 1st 2026, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm CEST (Rome time) 
• Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/O6e5Yl6URBmNRUIcJk7KfA

Speakers:

• David Otieno, Kenyan Peasant League (Kenya)

• Dorn Cox, Farm Hack (USA)

• Natalia Lobo, World March of Women and IARAA – Artificial Intelligence for Agrarian Reform and Agroecology (Brazil)

• Soledad Vogliano, ETC Group (Argentina)

• Jim Thomas, AI and market Power Fellow – European AI and society Fund (Canada)

• Afsar Jafri, GRAIN (India)

Webinar 2: Processes, trends and regulation

• Date & time: June 24, 2026 | 3:00 to 5:00 pm CEST (Rome time) 
• Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/GGu1n9RnT86TaRtEn9hqQQ 

Webinar 3: Our vision and strategy for the Committee on World Food Security (CFS)

More information coming soon 

The post CSIPM webinar cycle on digitalization, AI and data governance appeared first on CSIPM.

• This consultation is open until 15 June 2026
• Comments can be submitted in English, French and Spanish

The High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) has launched an open consultation on the V0 draft of its report, Preserving, Strengthening and Promoting Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems and Traditional Practices for Sustainable Food Systems. The consultation is open from 15 May to 15 June 2026.

This draft was prepared following the 2024 consultation on the scope of the report, which received 78 contributions, including a submission from the CSIPM. The final report will be presented during the 54th plenary session of the CFS in October 2026, and it will contribute to the CFS policy workstream on the same topic. 

About the HLPE-FSN consultation

The outcomes of this consultation will support the HLPE-FSN to further develop the draft, which will undergo peer review before a final approval by the drafting team  and the  Steering Committee . More information on the different stages of the process is available here.

Questions guiding the e-consultation

1. The report proposes a working definition of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems. Do you have any observations on this definition? 
2. The report introduces a conceptual framework informed by key principles established in previous HLPE-FSN reports (HLPE, 2020) and grounded on the six dimensions of food security. The conceptual framework highlights the importance of relationality, values and territories to understand Indigenous Peoples’ food systems. Do you think the framework captures the key elements to guide policy-making aimed at improving the contribution of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems to food security and nutrition? Do you have any other comments? 
3. Data on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems are limited. What are additional trends and data, especially capturing impacts on food security and nutrition and inequalities/distribution issues affecting Indigenous Peoples, that could be included in the report? Please provide full references.
4. Are there any other issues concerning Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and food security and nutrition that have not been sufficiently covered in the draft report? Are topics under- or over-represented in relation to their importance?
5. Are there other references, publications, or different kind of knowledges, especially Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge, which should be considered?
6. Could you suggest case studies and success stories from countries that were able to preserve, strengthen and promote Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems? The HLPE-FSN is especially interested in examples that contribute to balance geographical representation in the report and that address issues related to all forms of malnutrition.
7. From your perspective what are the areas on which the HLPE-FSN could make recommendations in its report?
8. Do you have any additional comments you would like to share with the HLPE-FSN? 

How to participate

Written contributions can be submitted before 15 June, 2026 using the template provided by the HLPE-FSN.

Contribute to the CSIPM collective submission

The CSIPM Working Group on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems will facilitate the development of a collective submission to this consultation.

We warmly invite CSIPM Participants to contribute. If you are not yet part of the Working Group and would like to participate, please fill in this form and contact the CSIPM Secretariat  at cso4cfs@gmail.com.

HLPE- FSN DRAFT V0 REPORT ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ FOOD AND KNOWLEDGE SYSTEMS

• Further information on the consultation is available on the HLPE-FSN website
• Learn more about the HLPE-FSN publication cycle
• Read the CSIPM submission on the scope of the report.

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