Livestock Production Specialist

Organizational Setting

The main aim of the FAO country office, which is headed by the FAO Representative, is to assist government to develop policies, programmes and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.

Reporting Lines The incumbent reports to the FAO Representative under the direct supervision of the Head of Program. He/she works in collaboration with the technical and operations teams in country and at the Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa (RNE).

Technical Focus Provide technical guidance to the Livestock Sector and lead technical components of the Enhancing Rural Resilience in Yemen (ERRY) project, in line with FAO’s rules and procedures.

Key Results Effective and efficient management and coordination of the technical and operational support of the project activities.

Tasks and responsibilities • Analyze the livestock subsector status as an integral part of Yemen’s agricultural sector with the multi-faceted forms of livestock keeping. • Assess smallholder dairy/beef/sheep and feed value chain practices and knowledge in Yemen. • Conduct livestock value chain assessment of smallholder-based dairy/beef/sheep value chains with major priority areas of potential intervention to enhance benefits to smallholder producers and other value chain actors. • Identify and develop portfolio of intensification and market orientation of potential livestock value chains providing interesting case studies (dairy, beef, sheep, and goats) for the commercialization of production with stimulating rapid change in feed-related elements of these value chains. • Study the potential livestock value chains with the full range of activities and services required including input suppliers, producers, processors and buyers as well as support of technical, business and financial service providers. • Focus on livestock value chains without insurmountable supply constraints in the medium term, particularly with stimulating rapid change in various types of inputs of these value chains. • Determine the outputs in the livestock value chains required by the market agents including quality, consistency, cost, value-added, food safety, and ethical credential. • Identify the major value chain actors and core functions carried out categorized as: input supply, production, trade (marketing), processing and consumptions. • Propose interventions encouraging a business attitude to livestock farming rather than the current situation where livestock farmers have other reasons for keeping cattle other than just to sell. • Determine interventions to improve livestock value chain such as animal health and forage resources and water supply in potential strict with offering adequate training packages. • Develop the livestock value chain credit scheme with the identification of suitable financial institutions to assure sustainability. • Analyze feeding constraints to intensification of livestock production in Yemen and opportunities to improve feed value chain, and determine the main drivers leading to changes in feeding practices in the livestock sector. • Identify Farmers who should form competent marketing groups (cooperatives) which can be used as bargaining blocks, to ensure better prices for inputs for the dairy / beef / sheep / feed suppliers and would ensure continuity and sustainability. • Identify topics and needs to train the actors at various levels to create a harmoniously operating system along the entire value chain from primary production to consumption. • Identify technology uptake, impact, intensification, feed strategies based on available feeds and assessments of feed gaps. • Analysis of actors, their linkages, technical/innovation capacity, and incentives for collaboration to ensure ability of value chain to efficiently generate value for smallholders. • Analyze water supply, fodder producers, traders (Enhancing fodder production and options for fodder producers, Feed/ fodder markets performance, innovation and technology. • Performs other duties as required

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements • University degree in veterinary medicine or an advanced university degree in veterinary epidemiology or related field. • At least seven years of relevant experience in animal health, infectious disease management, including regulatory aspects, standard setting and policies. • Working knowledge of English and limited knowledge of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

FAO Core Competencies • Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement.

Technical/Functional Skills • Experience in managing teams remotely in humanitarian contexts • Knowledge of livestock intervention in humanitarian contexts • Experience working in Yemen or similar contexts • Working experience in conflict affected countries • Knowledge of the humanitarian architecture (IASC, HCT, Cluster systems) • Ability to work and deliver in stressful situation with minimum supervision. • Excellent communication, writing and presentation skills

Selection Criteria: • Evaluation of qualified applicants may include an assessment exercise and a technical / competency-based interview.