Organizational Setting
The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is responsible for leading FAOโs response to regional priorities for food security, agriculture and rural development through the identification, planning and implementation of focused, multi-disciplinary projects and programmes. It identifies priority areas of action for the Organization in the Region, in collaboration with departments and divisions at Headquarters, and promotes the value and deliverables of the FAOโs New Strategic Framework within the context and outputs of work to help our Members achieve Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life for all โ leaving no one behind.
The Asia and Pacific region is home to nearly 60% of the global human population, the largest global poultry & swine populations, millions of farmed wildlife, an increasing regional demand for livestock-based protein, and a hotspot for transboundary diseases and zoonotic disease spill over including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the Asia and Pacific region hosts a wide diversity of livestock production systems ranging from small holders to intensive commercial production systems, and is connected to local, regional and global food systems and value chains. With the ongoing Triple Planetary Crisis (climate change, biodiversity loss & pollution), more than 70 million small holders in the Southeast Asia region alone who depend on livestock for their livelihood, income, food and nutrition security, and the variable national infrastructure and capacity to support safe livestock-based food production, technical interventions are crucial to support better production, better nutrition, a better environment and better lives. ย ย
The Animal Health and Production Module at the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific is supporting delivery of the One Health Program Priority Area and the Regional Food Systems Transformation Initiative. Technical emphasis is placed on: 1) Improved Sustainable livestock production, good husbandry & farming practices including supporting the Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and Pacific (APHCA): 2) Improved risk management, prevention and control of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR); 3) Prevention and control of zoonotic diseases (emerging, endemic & food-borne) & transboundary animal diseases; and 4) Expanding One Health beyond animal & public health stakeholders, to be inclusive of the forestry, wildlife, natural resource management & environment sectors.ย
This work requires close coordination with other technical modules/experts within FAO at headquarters, the FAO regional office and at FAO country offices, harmonization among regular program, the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), and close coordination and collaboration with strategic partners such as the Regional Quadripartite (UN Environment Program, World Health Organisation, World Organisation of Animal Health), the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and technical bodies (the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Animal Health and Zoonoses (ACCAHZ), the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB)), and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), and the Pacific Community (SPC) among others. This work also fits within the global Sustainable Livestock Transformation Platform with linkages to RAP Regional Priority 1: Transforming agrifood systems for sustainable production and healthy diets, and RAP Regional Priority 2: Accelerating sustainable natural resources management for biodiversity conservation and climate actions.
The purpose of the Regional Call is to attract expertise for the Consultant and Personal Services assignments as they become available in the Animal Health and Production Module at regional or country level in the region. Depending on the task to be undertaken, the appointment will be on a short-term contract, lasting from several weeks up to 11 months, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the resources and needs of the Organization.
Regional positions will be based at the Regional Office for Asia-Pacific, while country positions will be in the country of need.
Reporting Lines
The incumbent will work under supervision of the Senior Animal Health and Production Officer (and APHCA Secretary) in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP), in close consultation with the Livestock Development Officer, and in consultation with team members of the Animal Health and Production Module and ECTAD team members.
Technical Focusย
The Animal Health and Production Module is seeking to recruit profiles in the various technical areas related to programmes covering FAOโs mandate, priorities and strategic framework, and the SDGs. The incumbents will work to support strategy and policy development, governance, inter-sectoral (human-livestock-wildlife-environment) collaboration & coordination mechanisms, capacity development at the human-animal-environment interfaces, field response, surveillance & lab strengthening, One Health, transboundary animal & zoonotic disease risk assessments, investment planning, prevention, preparedness, emergency response, and recovery including wildlife and environment sectors, safe biosecurity farming practices, sustainable livestock production, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and food safety.
Tasks and responsibilities
The assigned tasks and responsibilities related to the various profiles include but are not limited to the following elements:
โข ย ย Support the Regional Animal Health and Production Module, OH Program Priority Area, cross-sectoral programming and implementation of NSA global One Health-Animal Health-Disease-AMR programs in the RAP region aimed at sustainable livestock development & mitigating risks to the health of people, animals & the environmentย
โข ย ย For relevant One Health-Animal Health-Disease-AMR country projects in the RAP region, provide reviews, feedback & inputs to animal health & production project documents (concept notes, draft reports, veterinary products specifications)
โข ย ย Support and serve as the FAO project coordinator and focal point for regional components of One Health-Animal Health-Disease-AMR projects with the Regional Quadripartite and the Regional Quadripartite Secretariat the Coordination and Management Groups including delivery of programming to support ASEAN, SAARC, BIMSTEC and SPC
โข ย ย Support the role out of the OH Joint Plan of Action in countries of the RAP region, utilizing FAO and joint tools or approaches to develop national OH strategies or action plans, national pandemic fund proposals, and/or national OH investment cases, or livestock sector development investment plans
โข ย ย Lead advocacy, awareness, country and regional engagement and the roll out of the Field Training Program for Wildlife, Environment Biodiversity and Ecosystem (FTP-WEBE) professionals and relevant One Health-Animal Health, Disease-AMR FAO or Quadripartite tools, trainings, policies or programs in the Asia and Pacific Region
โข ย ย Lead coordination, planning and implementation of FAO led and Quadripartite workshops on behalf of FAO, including awareness, capacity development, implementation of tools in the Asia and Pacific Region
โข ย ย Ensure close coordination among FAO Country offices, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, and FAO HQ in relation to all One Health-Animal Health-Disease (transboundary animal & zoonotic)-AMR global programs being delivered at country level in the RAP region
โข ย ย Develop an FAO RAP Regional One Health Strategy in coordination with Member Countries, ongoing Regional and Global FAO initiatives, programs and projects, and keeping in mind relevant partner initiatives,
โข ย ย Prepare monthly FAO OH updates that can be posted or included in newsletters or other locations to increase awareness of FAO OH initiatives in the Asia and Pacific Region
โข ย ย Perform other related duties, as requested.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
โข ย ย Advanced university degree in sustainable livestock production, animal science, veterinary medicine, agriculture development, environmental sciences, public health, One Health, Animal Health, Transboundary Animal or Zoonotic Diseases prevention and control, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), international relations, or a similar specialization.
โข ย ย For level C (Consultants/PSA): at least two years of relevant experience
โข ย ย For level B (Consultants/PSA): at least five years of relevant experience
โข ย ย For level A (Consultants/PSA): at least twelve/fifteen years of relevant experience respectively
โข ย ย Excellent Working knowledge of English.
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 Skills
- ย ย Work experience in more than one location or technical areas of work desirable
- ย ย Extent and relevance of experience in a technical area of assignment
- ย ย Extent and relevance of experience in providing technical support at local, national, or regional levels.
- ย ย Extent and relevance of knowledge in the implementation of international or regional instruments related to pertinent fields of expertise.
- ย ย Extent and relevance of professional experience in project and/or programme coordination, formulation and implementation
- ย ย Familiarity and/or ability to support national or regional coordination mechanisms, inter-sectoral collaboration, work planning, and implementation
- ย ย Familiarity with and understanding the work of international organisations, regional entities, and national governments.
- ย ย Ability to support resource mobilization efforts.
- ย ย Ability to organize and conduct technical meetings, conferences, and capacity building workshops, when applicable.