Regional Livestock Assistant (Dairy Industry Development)

Organizational Context

FAO Afghanistan is implementing resilience-building initiatives across all 34 provinces, focusing on protecting agricultural livelihoods and ecosystems. The organization supports local food and income generation, and safeguards development gains by revitalizing rural markets. FAO provides humanitarian and non-humanitarian assistance to farmers and herders in agriculture, livestock, irrigation, and natural resources, aligning with the 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan.

Job Purpose

This role supports the development of integrated livestock and dairy production systems by enhancing animal health, feeding, breeding, and farmer capacity, with a focus on productivity and quality. The position contributes to strengthening dairy value chains and market linkages through data analysis, stakeholder coordination, value addition, and monitoring of interventions. Key activities include training farmers on best practices, tracking market prices, and supporting vaccination campaigns to ensure animal health, production, and promote sustainable practices.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with farmers to improve livestock production practices and productivity. Facilitate training on livestock management, breeding, and health care. Assist in implementing best practices for animal husbandry and welfare. Coordinate vaccination programs and animal health campaigns. Develop and implement nutritional programs for dairy and meat animals. Contribute to an extension, health, feed, fodder crop, and AI data collection network, and analyze data for recommendations. Support the head of the animal production and health team in improving practices and controlling zoonotic diseases. Assist in developing value-added dairy products and marketing strategies. Support dairy farmers in improving milk production and quality. Promote and facilitate the establishment of dairy cooperatives. Build relationships with farmers, cooperatives, and stakeholders. Collect and analyze data on livestock and dairy production. Monitor and evaluate the impact of development interventions. Collaborate with the private sector, IPs, and local authorities. Analyze market trends for livestock and dairy products. Assist in establishing effective marketing channels. Evaluate intervention impacts and report findings. Track and report pricing of dairy animals and products. Support project planning and implementation. Ensure timely distribution of inputs and resources. Organize workshops and training sessions. Provide ongoing support to farmers. Participate in regional meetings and workshops. Liaise with other regional development assistants. Prepare and submit reports on activities and progress. Communicate regularly with regional coordinators. Respond to farmer assistance requests. Perform other related duties.

Work Experience

Minimum of 5 years of experience in veterinary or livestock sectors. At least 2 years of experience working with a UN or INGO is desirable. Experience should be relevant to the field of livestock and dairy development.

Skills

Results Focus, Teamwork, Communication, Building Effective Relationships, Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement. Knowledge of finalizing scopes of work with implementation timelines. Experience working with the United Nations or other international organizations in the veterinary field is preferred. Proven ability to coordinate with relevant institutions and communities. Excellent knowledge of MS Office package and the Internet. Strong communication and facilitation skills.

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