Animal Husbandry 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.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has approved the Government of India’s GEF6 Green Ag. Project titled, “Green-Ag\: Transforming Indian agriculture for global environmental benefits and the conservation of critical biodiversity and forest landscapes”.
Government of India recognizes the critical importance of transforming agricultural practices to become more sustainable and net contributor to conservation achievements. Improving agricultural practices is particularly important where productive landscapes are associated with places of high ecological value such as protected areas and/ or key biodiversity areas. The project objective is to catalyze transformative change for India’s agricultural sector to support achievement of national and global environmental benefits and conserve critical biodiversity and forest landscapes. The project is organized around two components. The first component strengthens the enabling framework and institutional structures to mainstream bio-diversity (BD), sustainable land management (SLM), climate change mitigation (CCM) and sustainable forest management (SFM) policies, priorities and practices into India’s agricultural sector. The second component demonstrates replicable “Improved agricultural and conservation practices” for sustainable production, resilient livelihood advancements, habitat improvements, and delivery of tangible BD, LD, CCM, and SFM benefits. The project works at the national, state and pilot site levels. The project’s five demonstration states are i) Madhya Pradesh, ii) Mizoram, iii) Odisha, iv) Rajasthan and v) Uttarakhand. Site level project effort focuses upon high conservation priority landscapes (e.g. protected areas) within each of these states.

The position is located in the FAO Country Office in India.

Reporting Lines

Under the direct supervision of the FAO Representative in India and guidance of the National Technical Coordinator, the Animal Husbandry Specialist will provide scientific/technical and training process inputs on livestock management.

Technical Focus

Animal production and animal health, particularly in the piggery, poultry and small ruminants’ sector.

Tasks and responsibilities

The incumbent will undertake the following duties\:

• Provide technical inputs in the curriculum on Livestock Field Schools for all five landscapes.
• Coordinate development of Livestock Field Schools monitoring and impact indicator formats, design Livestock Field School protocols, tools, and methods.
• Provide scientific/technical and training process inputs on livestock management to households, to raise awareness on maintaining quality indigenous livestock and local carrying capacities, and for implementing improved nutrition and fodder management strategy, and for the training Prani Mitra/ Pashu Sakhis to assist farmers/ herders in all the five project landscapes.
• Work with SPMU and GLIU in developing monitoring protocols and tools for data collection and assist in ensuring complete documentation and report writing on all the activities relating to livestock management for all five project landscapes.
• Lead overall coordination with one project implementing state.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree in veterinary sciences, animal sciences or equivalent.
• 3 years of relevant experience in animal production and animal health, particularly in the piggery, poultry and small ruminants’ sector
• Working knowledge (level C) of English, working proficiency in Hindi is desirable.
• Indian National

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

• Relevant experience of working in Animal production systems.
• Experience of working with government agencies and in development projects.
• Experience working with or in international non-governmental and donor organizations (UN agencies, World Bank, IFAD, Asian Development Bank, etc.) with implementation of participatory projects
• Experience in understanding the impact of climate change to livestock development.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION