Animal Production Officer

The Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) promotes and facilitates the sustainable development of the livestock sector, optimizing its contribution to nutrition, food security and rural poverty reduction. NSA integrates scientific, technical expertise and policy advice,  facilitates policy dialogue (including through intergovernmental bodies), encourages good governance, manages knowledge and provides information, analysis and technical assistance for the development and implementation of innovative solutions to produce safe animal products more sustainably, efficiently, and in a more integrated manner. 

The post is located in the Sustainable Animal Production, Feed and Genetics Branch (NSAP) of the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. The activities of the Branch cover all production systems, from pastoralism to intensive systems, including crop-livestock integrated systems, and aims to enhance their sustainability in its three pillars: environmental, economic and social.

The Animal Production Officer (Feed and Feeding Systems) reports to the Senior Animal Production Officer (NSAP) and is under the overall supervision of the Director NSA.

Improving feed production and feeding systems for greater economic and environmental efficiency and equity in the livestock sector, focusing on circular bioeconomy through the development of methods and tools, information and data, and innovations and technology.

Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of divisional programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with the FAO Strategic Framework.

• Plans and leads components of multidisciplinary teams, leads and/or participates in Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams, and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies.
• Ensures the integration of gender equality and women’s empowerment in FAO’s work, including the disaggregation of data by sex and age where appropriate.
• Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases, etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services.
• Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities from a gender perspective to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications, and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/specialist/advice and expertise.
• Responds to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects.
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within Member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials and on-line tools.
• Promotes international cooperation/advocates best practices, increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings.
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions:

• Coordinate NSAP’s work on feed production and feeding strategies, in particular:
• Develop strategies to improve the efficiency of natural resource use for the production, processing, storage and use of feeds and forage.
• Develop and advise on adequate feeding plans for livestock of different species and in different production systems taking into account the nutrient requirements of the animals, nutrient supply from the feed, and nutrient bioavailability or anti-nutritional substances in the diet.
• Enhance use of local feed, including pasture, and suitable agro-industrial by-products and explore novel and alternative feed, including insect-based products.
• Provide technical advice and training on quality control systems in feed analysis laboratories.
• Develop guidelines and reports related to animal feed and feeding systems, specifically on the processing of feed and its effects on feed quality and animal performance, optimization of nutrient use efficiency (to reduce environmentally relevant emissions), use of zootechnical feed additives (e.g. organic acids, enzymes, probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, etc.) and influence of undesirable substances.
• Coordinate with other technical units within NSA, other technical divisions and field offices to:
• Develop and promote solutions to improve animal feed and feeding, especially in resource poor environments, to improve production sustainability and efficiency, as well as resilience of production systems.
• Develop animal nutrition and feed-based solutions to enhance livestock productivity, including through the application of new technologies in the field of animal nutrition, while decreasing environmentally important emissions and water consumption in primary food production.
• Support countries in conducting national feed inventories and assessments, and in developing the capacity of small-scale producers on animal feed and feeding.
• Identify and formulate projects aiming at developing the feed sector specifically in the context of developing countries.
• Perform any other related tasks.

 Candidates Will Be Assessed Against The Following:

Minimum Requirements:

• Advanced university degree in agriculture or animal science/production or any related field, with particular emphasis on animal nutrition or feed production, including pasture management.
• Seven years of relevant experience in animal nutrition and feed production .
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Technical/Functional Skills:

• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Familiarity with gender issues as needed.
• Extent and relevance of experience in extending the feed resource base, using efficiently local and alternative feed resources.
• Demonstrated laboratory knowledge, including methodologies for feed quality control and proficiency tests, is a desirable skill.
• Experience with international research, initiatives and programmes in these areas.
• Experience in the formulation and/or implementation of development projects related to feed and feeding systems.
• Work experience in developing countries is an asset.

Source:   https://jobs.fao.org/careersection/fao_external/jobdetail.ftl?job=2401022