Livestock Specialist

Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind.
FAO is a specialized agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. FAO's goal is to achieve food security for all and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With 195 Members (194 countries and the European Union), FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.

With support of the European Union, FAO Pakistan is implementing a project “Post-floods resilient recovery and strengthening of the livestock sector in Balochistan”. The project aims to enhance food security and resilience status of the livestock farmers/households in line with the post-flood Resilient, Recovery, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction (4R) Framework and climate smart approaches. In accordance with priorities of the Government of Balochistan set forth in its Balochistan Livestock Policy and Strategy 2020-2030, the project will focus mainly on small ruminants, and reproductive efficiency improvement in dairy. To achieve this goal, the project will build capacity of livestock farming households through a comprehensive and tailored hand-on community outreach following the Farmer Field School approach, in a bid to improve sustainable production and productivity of husbandry in line with climate resilient approaches while creating/sustaining working opportunities with a focus on youth and women in the target districts of Balochistan. 

FAO wishes to recruit a highly motivated and innovative female livestock specialist to lead outreach activities of the project geared at building capacity and empowering women livestock farmers in their husbandry practices; preparation of safe and nutritious family food; value addition; and enhancing their opportunities for income generating activities to support their families.

The position will be level SBIV SC8 and based in Quetta, Balochistan.

Reporting Lines

Under the overall supervision of FAO Representative in Pakistan, Assistant FAO Representative – Programme and Head of Province, the incumbent will report to the Senior Programme Officer. Within the framework of a programmatic approach, the incumbent will be part of a technical team, and the role will involve close collaboration with various sectoral specialists, and project team both at the province and districts. The incumbent is expected to closely collaborate with the relevant technical departments of Government of Balochistan both at province and district level to ensure alignment of interventions.

Technical Focus

Facilitate integrated capacity building interventions tailored for empowering women livestock farmers through Farmer Field Schools; enhancing value addition and processing of diary and meat products wool; income generation activities and market linkages.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Develop a comprehensive gender-sensitive activity plan for empowering youth and women livestock farmers in the project area through Farmer Field Schools to be established and implemented through local organisations
•    Develop realistic guidelines and criteria for mobilising, selection and organising the beneficiary women livestock farmers
•    Ensure that the community outreach activities for the women livestock farmers through Farmer Field Schools are appropriate and tailored to meet their unique needs 
•    Support the Service Providers for the community outreach to articulate value addition and business opportunities, and requisite training needs for the different clusters of women livestock farmers
•    Provide technical backstopping to the Project district teams and Service Providers and quality assurance of interventions being implemented through the Farmer Field Schools to enhance knowledge and skills of women livestock farmers in climate smart livestock production technologies and practices; safe and nutritious family food preparation; values addition and entrepreneurial skills.
•    Plan/coordinate procurement and distribution of appropriate learning materials, biosafety items, assorted equipment and food processing kits for the women livestock farmer groups/clusters 
•    Support the district project teams and respective Service Providers to put in place a functional records and documentation system
•    In collaboration with other Sectoral Specialists, ensure timely production and distribution of simple and well-illustrated appropriate Information, Extension and Communication (IEC) materials for the women groups
•    Facilitate and undertake tailored capacity building for district project teams, Service Providers and Extension Workers
•    In collaboration with the Provincial project team, support the district teams in the oversight and quality assurance in the implementation of Letter of Agreements with different Service Providers. 
•    Keep close track and completeness of all targets, identifying strategic linkages for sustainability completeness 
•    Conduct regular field visits to the project area and provide guidance on the ongoing interventions in the community outreach for the women livestock farmer groups.
•    Facilitate production and collating of work plans and progress reports (monthly, quarterly, and final) on the community outreach for women livestock farmer groups
•    In liaison with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) colleagues, document, report and develop database, based on the progress of trained beneficiaries’ information
•    Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor.

FAO Standards and guidelines:

•    Liaison with OCC will be maintained, either directly or through an agreed focal point/coordinator, to ensure compliance with OCC standards, aligned messaging, and appropriate review and clearance processes.
•    All communication materials will follow FAO clearance processes and comply with FAO standards, including:
FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31: https://www.fao.org/strategic-framework/en  
FAO social media policy and guidelines: https://www.fao.org/2/socialmedia   
Social Media Branding Guidelines: https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb5044en 
FAOSTYLE https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cb8081en 
FAO terminology http://www.fao.org/faoterm 
FAO Names of Countries https://www.fao.org/nocs/en    
Story guidelines, Story template, UN map standards, FAO logo policy and related branding guidelines (available to staff). 
•    Further guidance regarding FAO communications, policies and procedures can be found through the FAO intranet, OCC section.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements  
  
•    Advanced university degree (DVM/MS/M.Sc/M.Phil/Ph.D) in Livestock/Veterinary Medicine or Animal Sciences (any Specialization/Discipline) 
•    Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in livestock management especially small ruminants
•    Working knowledge of English and working knowledge of Urdu, Sindhi, Saraiki and other local languages used in relevant province  
•    National of Pakistan

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Practical knowledge of livestock management especially small ruminants and poultry & Community organization skills.
•    Proficient in basic computer skills including MS Office.
•    Good interpersonal & communication skills.
•    Good report writing skills.
•    Analytical, communication and presentation skills.
•    Good networking and advocacy skills.
•    Ability of working in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic environment and rural communities.
•    Familiarity with UN systems and procedures regarding code of conduct and resource use.

Selection Criteria

•    Proven experience in Farmer Field School (FFS) methodology
•    Climate Resilient Agriculture/Livestock (CRA), private sector, livestock value chain experience will be an asset.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION