Animal Production and Health Officer

Organizational Setting

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, the Centre provides a full suite of investment and finance support to FAO Members. It partners with governments, international and national financing institutions, the private sector and farmers, research institutions and academia to improve the quality and quantity of agrifood investment. The Centre’s four main areas of work include support to strategic investment planning and policy, public investment, private investment, and innovative finance. These are complemented by the knowledge for investment and capacity development for investment programmes that serve to share knowledge, learn and build capacities at country level. For additional information on the FAO Investment Centre, its activities, partners and the organizational structure please visit the following link.

The post is located in the Near East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia Service (CFIC) of the FAO Investment Centre (CFI) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting lines The Animal Production and Health Officer reports to the Chief, Near East and North Africa, and Europe and Central Asia Service.

Technical Focus Provide analytical and technical support on sustainable livestock management, including livestock production and economics, animal nutrition and forage development, animal genetic resources improvement and management, animal health and advisory services, development and capacity building of producers and producers’ institutions, value chains development, functionality of markets and private sector engagement, environmental services and waste management, and biological diversity, in addition to addressing climate change, resilience, and risk management aspects for the formulation, implementation and evaluation of investment policies, strategies, programmes and projects in food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing.

Key Results Delivering investment and finance support solutions through the provisions of technical expertise/assistance and support to capacity development, in collaboration with country stakeholders and cooperating partners, to achieve impact at scale in the transformation of agrifood systems in the scope of the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions • Participates in multidisciplinary teams to assist governments in the identification and preparation of investment and finance support initiatives in the fields of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing, and participates in pre-appraisal and appraisal missions. • Supports the implementation and the preparation of final evaluation of investment and finance support solutions. • Participates in the preparation of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing studies and strategies, in the formulation of national sector and/or sub-sector investment plans and programmes. • Supports the development of inclusive and sustainable food systems involving producers, their organizations, other private sector actors, civil society organizations and governments. • Contributes to capacity development initiatives in the areas of food and agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment support to government staff, non-state actors and private sector organizations. • Prepares reports in accordance with the requirements of FAO, governments and financing partners. • Promotes knowledge sharing and best practices at international meetings and conferences, and interacts with international and national partners. • Establishes, promotes and maintains relationships with the FAO Strategic Framework, FAO Technical Units and Decentralized Offices in order to ensure best synergies between investment, policy and innovation work in support to Members. • Supports resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific functions • Analyses the constraints and opportunities for improved sustainability of the livestock sector with emphasis on resilient production, competitiveness, social inclusion and environmental footprints. • Contributes to strengthening the capacity of national public institutions, farmers and private agribusiness organizations in aspects related to governance, inclusive growth, climate change adaptation and mitigation, disaster risk reduction and disaster management, and biodiversity conservation. • Provides inputs for the design of investment operations that support the development of livestock and poultry production and commercialization and improving livestock production and productivity through effective animal feeding, nutrition and genetics improvements, optimization of herd replacement and management, pasture and rangeland management, and animal health and welfare. • Provides technical assistance to enhance the social and environmental sustainability of livestock production, meat and dairy processing and providing sound technical parameters and inputs in support of economic and financial analysis and emission assessment (such as through the use FAO tools such as Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model – interactive (GLEAM-i) and EX-Ante Carbon-balance Tool (ExAct). • Provides inputs to food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing national or regional investment plans and operations ensuring compliance with food safety, nutrition quality, emission intensity reduction, and compliance with national policies and priorities.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree in animal production and animal science or a related field. • Five years of relevant experience in planning and implementing sustainable livestock and agricultural development projects and programmes, including experience in the formulation and/or implementation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management investment operations in developing countries and/or countries in transition. • Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another official FAO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies • Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building effective relationships • Knowledge sharing and continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills • Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions. • Extent and relevance of experience in major technical fields related to livestock production and processing including animal feeds and feeding systems, forage, pasture and rangeland management, animal husbandry and herd management, animal genetic resource improvement and management and biodiversity conservation, livestock services and animal health management, commercialization and value chain analysis, waste management, resilience reduction and disaster risk management, climate change mitigation and adaptation. • Extent and relevance of experience in participating in multidisciplinary teams for the preparation of strategies and sector studies as well as formulation, implementation support or evaluation of food security, agriculture, rural development, natural resource management and agro-processing investment and finance support solutions, with a focus on sustainable livestock production. • Extent and relevance of experience in investment design, implementation support and evaluation procedures of FAO’s main development partners, in particular the World Bank, the International Fund for Agriculture and Development (IFAD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and other partner International Finance Institutions (IFIs). • Knowledge of the context as well as partners and institutions of the specific subregion would be an asset. • Relevance of experience in capacity development for the design and implementation of food security, agriculture, agribusiness, rural development, and natural resource management investments. • Demonstrated capacity to write technical reports in English. • Limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of Arabic would be an asset.