National Project Personnel – National Livestock Specialist

Organizational Setting:

Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. The FAO-GEF partnership addresses critical challenges at the nexus between agriculture and the environment. FAO has a history of partnership with the Government of Mongolia (GoM), to eradicate poverty and malnutrition through the development of the agriculture sector. It has also been an active partner of the government in protecting the environment,promoting sustainable development and the disaster risk management strategies of the country.

The project “Promoting Dryland Sustainable Landscapes and Biodiversity Conservation in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia” is part of a global program led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO), the Global Environment Facility 7th replenishment (GEF-7) Sustainable Forest Management Impact Program on Dryland Sustainable Landscapes (SFM/Drylands IP). In Mongolia, the project is led by FAO in partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and will be executed by the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food agriculture and light industry (MoFALI) and other partners.

WWF works to sustain the natural world for the benefit of people and wildlife. Working with many others – from individuals and communities to business and government – WWF urgently seeks to protect and restore natural habitats, stop the mass extinction of wildlife, and make the way we produce and consume sustainable. As a part of WWF Network, WWF-Mongolia embraces the concept of being international and at the same time national. WWF-Mongolia focuses its efforts on critical conservation issues in 2 of the world’s outstanding places for biodiversity conservation, the Altai-Sayan Ecoregion in Western Mongolia and Amur-Heilong Ecoregion Complex in Eastern Mongolia.

Reporting Lines:

Under the direct supervision of National Project Manager (NPM) and technical guidance by FAO-Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and WWF concerned experts in close collaboration with the ALAMGAC, MoFALI and Local government, the National Livestock Specialist will be responsible for the implementation of following activities described as project Outcome 2.2.

Technical Focus:

The objective of the project is to reverse and prevent dryland ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss through an inclusive, integrated landscape and value chain approach securing multiple environment benefits and sustainable, resilient livelihoods in the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Through desktop review and field surveys as necessary, document and map, with Land specialist, the location of current grazing lands in the PAs, number and location of herding families. Livestock composition and other basic data on the current status of livestock and pasture use in the NPs and LPAs within.
• Review and compile available scientific information on carrying capacities and optimal grazing and livestock management regimes for the PA, including discussions with key experts from the National University of Mongolia and studies at the PA;
• Compile and review data on historical and recent trends of livestock numbers and herd composition in the target soums especially in the NRs and LPAs within the landscape connectivity and develop a systematic data collection spreadsheet for monitoring purposes;
• Conduct assessment and review on existing capacity of herders and herder’s groups with regards to understanding current and potential sustainable livestock management practices and climate resilient rangeland management;
• Facilitate consultations to understand and document current practices, current herd dynamics, natural resource and pastureland use, practice and off-take/sustainability parameters in each soum and selected baghs. Develop clear recommendations transitioning to sustainable pastureland and livestock management.
• Facilitate consultations to carry out considered stakeholder analysis in each soum and selected baghs to identify and agree upon existing herder groups/ institutions/decimal groups that will form appropriate use, protection and restoration and local pasture and identify their roles and responsibilities and procedures to regulate pasture use;
• Facilitate participatory development of climate resilient seasonal rotational grazing/resting/reserve pasture management and restoration plans or agreement, which are endorsed by the soum governments as part of soum integrated land management plan, in close coordination and technical support of land management and biodiversity specialists.
• Support implementation of pasture and restoration plans or agreements through climate resilient rangeland management and restoration and rehabilitation interventions.
• Ensure pasture management interventions are implemented in parallel with market based incentives and other measures that support a reduction in the stocking density as well as compatible with the NRs and LPAs management plans;
• Develop practical guidelines/handbooks for local decision makers and stakeholders on sustainable pasture management based on the pasture survey findings conducted by research team of National University of Mongolia (including environmentally-friendly haymaking) and the conservation/restoration of critical ecosystems, building on existing good practices and approaches implemented by other projects and initiatives;
• Based on the above guidelines and handbook, which is develop integrated programme for training/advocacy and conduct training for local trainers.
• Plan and implement livestock activities for herders, herders groups and cooperatives on strengthening livestock health, breeding and feeding practices in the target soums, with a view to strengthening quality rather than quantity of livestock, in cooperation with the herders groups, cooperatives and soum veterinary and livestock breeding units;
• Collaborate closely with the World Bank-financed Livestock Commercialization project to explore further synergies for strengthening animal health services, and livestock breeding and feeding practices;
• Cooperate with National Land Specialist, National Biodiversity specialist and National Agriculture specialists for development and implementation of consolidated training program for local decision makers, livestock officers and stakeholders (herders, herder’s group, cooperative, private sector, CBOs) on pasture degradation, its causes, sustainable livestock and pasture management, conservation and restoration of critical patch ecosystems;
• Organize trainings for herder groups and cooperatives (in particular, women-led cooperatives) in governance, business and legal skills based on the training needs and investment assessment;
• Develop a guideline for imposing ultimate amount livestock tax by based on the pastureland carrying capacity by closely working with soum Citizen’s representative khural as an option to establish financing mechanism to finance climate resilient rangeland management activities by ensuring co-financing of local government and herder groups with ultimate goal to reduce grazing load.
• Establish mechanisms, in coordination with national Agriculture specialist, for conflict resolution between herders and crop farmers, where relevant.
• Organize annual community fairs or festivals, workshop to demonstrate and share best practices on climate resilient rangeland management and organize cross-site visits (at aimag, national levels) to transfer knowledge and exchange lessons learned on sustainable livestock and pastureland related best practices;
• Ensure that all activities are screened against the Environment Social Management Framework, support the targets of the gender action plan, as well as guidelines/handbooks and training programs are integrated social and gender issues;
• Develop specific monitoring indicators to support implementation of ESMF measures related livestock and pasture management, and monitor progress of the activities;
• Develop guidelines, lessons learned and policy recommendations on the activities conducted, and provide inputs for project progress reports and a consultant’s final report at the end of the project. This will include assisting Knowledge management and M&E specialist to prepare a scale-up strategy and investment plan for after project completion including specific options for MOFALI, aimag authorities follow-up and scale-up after the project.
• Provide quarterly M&E report, co-financing report and inputs to the project six-monthly project progress reports and annual project implementation reports;
• Any other tasks relevant to the positions.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Advanced degree in an animal science, animal husbandry and/or pasture management,
• A minimum of 10 years directly applicable experience working on animal science and management, hands-on experience in sustainable livestock and pasture management planning and design of monitoring tools.
• Familiarity with relevant national laws and regulations and international policies and methods for sustainable livestock and sustainable pastureland management.
• Strong participatory and facilitation skills, in leading stakeholder consultations and participatory planning.
• Previous experience with similar donor-funded project(s) is an advantage.
• Proven experience with statistical and data analysis; familiarity with both qualitative and quantitative information analysis tools.
• Excellent command of language in English and Mongolian including ability to write clearly and concisely at technical level.
• Nationality of Mongolia.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills

• Excellent capacity to manage project planning, implementation and evaluation,
• Excellent inter-personal skills, including the ability to develop and maintain strong relationships at all levels,
• Teamwork and strong soft skills including interpersonal, ethical, listening and communication skills, proactive, problem solving, self-organizing, planning, organizing, setting priorities and efficient use of time;
• High computer literacy in MS Office; familiarity with animal identification and traceability systems and pasture monitoring tools;
• In-depth knowledge of programme and project implementation is considered a strong asset;
• Experience in international programme and project implementing organization is an asset;
• Willingness to travel regularly in the field;

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
• Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: [email protected]
• Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
• Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications
• For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/