Organizational Setting
The Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) assists FAO members in the development of sustainable livestock systems. It hosts intergovernmental bodies, multi-stakeholder initiatives and knowledge networks that provide information and technical and policy support to development efforts, including emergency preparedness and response. The Division has expertise in animal health (One Health), animal production and genetics, and livestock sector analysis and policy. The assignment is within the Livestock Innovation, Climate and Post-harvesting Solutions Branch (NSAL), which conducts policy analyses to support technical and policy interventions aimed at achieving sustainable livestock development across social, economic, and environmental dimensions. The incumbent will work within the Livestock Policy Lab (LPL) that provides high-quality, evidence-based analytical support to national, regional, and global policy processes and initiatives focused on sustainable livestock transformation.
Reporting Lines
Under the overall supervision of the Chief, NSAL, the direct supervision of the LPL Policy Officer and in collaboration with FAO colleagues, the incumbent will contribute to FAO Strategic Objectives.
Technical Focusย
The incumbent will lead economic analyses with a primary focus on applying a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to assess pathways for the sustainable transformation of the livestock sector. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated expertise in developing and applying CGE models in agriculture, environmental, or related policy contexts, particularly in evaluating economy-wide impacts of productivity shifts, environmental regulations, and macroeconomic policy changes. Experience with complementary quantitative tools, such as econometric analysis, cost-benefit analysis, and marginal abatement cost assessment, is a plus. The candidate should be skilled in designing sound empirical strategies, interpreting complex model results, and clearly communicating findings to both technical and policy audiences. This analytical work will inform sectoral strategies, guide investment planning, and support evidence-based policymaking for sustainable development in the livestock sector.
Tasks and responsibilities
Consultant/PSA subscribers will:ย
โข ย ย Develop, calibrate, and apply CGE models to simulate the economy-wide impacts of agricultural, environmental, and livestock-related policies.
โข ย ย Work with multi-sectoral datasets, including Social Accounting Matrices (SAMs), Input-Output tables, livestock health data, and environmental indicators.
โข ย ย Integrate livestock production systems, environment, and health dynamics, such as antimicrobial resistance, disease outbreaks, and methane emissions into CGE modeling framework.ย
โข ย ย Translate model outputs into policy-relevant insights, contributing to evidence-based policy formulation in livestock and agrifood sectors.
โข ย ย Produce technical reports, peer-reviewed publications, and policy briefs to inform decision-making.
โข ย ย Provide additional analytical or technical support as required, in line with evolving project needs and priorities.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements depending on the profile and orientation
โข ย ย Advanced university degree in economics, agricultural economics, environmental economics, development economics, or a closely related field, with a strong background in quantitative policy analysis.
โข ย ย At least 2 years of relevant experience in CGE modeling, ideally with practical applications in agriculture, environment, or related sectors.ย
โข ย ย Demonstrated proficiency in the use of GAMS for CGE modelling and simulation.
โข ย ย Working knowledge of English (Level C)
FAO Core Competencies
โข ย ย Results Focus
โข ย ย Teamwork
โข ย ย Communication
โข ย ย Building Effective Relationships
โข ย ย Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skillsย
โข ย ย Broad experience in developing and applying CGE models for economic policy and scenario analysis.
โข ย ย Understanding of livestock systems, including feed use, emissions, trade dynamics, and disease resilience.
โข ย ย Skilled in analyzing economic and environmental impacts of livestock production and trade policies, including simulating policy shocks (e.g., subsidies, disease control, trade restrictions) on productivity and markets.
โข ย ย Proficient in constructing and adjusting SAMs, and integrating multi-source data (livestock, trade, household) into economic models.
โข ย ย Advanced use of GAMS and familiarity with R, Python, or Stata is a plus.ย
โข ย ย Experience in analytical writing supported by a publication record in peer review journals.