Veterinary Consultant – Minimising AMR in animal health and production systems

Organizational Setting

In 2015, FAO adopted a resolution on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) followed by development of the FAO Action Plan on AMR in 2016.

The Food Safety and Quality Unit is working closely with the Chief Veterinary Officer and the Animal Production and Health Division, in close collaboration with the Plant Production Division, the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, the Land and Water Division and the Development Law Service) to facilitate regional and national AMR initiatives.

This recruitment is to create a roster for positions that will support the implementation of projects to strengthen the four pillars of the FAO AMR Action Plan (governance, scientific evidence, awareness and good practices). The posts will specifically bring technical veterinary expertise to projects  aimed at characterising different aspects of AMR awareness and antimicrobial use (AMU), and implementing interventions to address selected poor AMU practices in key stakeholder groups (farmers, animal health workers, veterinarians).

Reporting Lines

Under the overall responsibility and supervision of the leading officer or project officer in consultation with regional and headquarter technical leads

Technical Focus

These are highly technical role where the incumbent is expected to provide technical veterinary input (poultry production, and/or pig production and/or cattle (beef, dairy) and/or aquaculture) to support projects aimed at characterising AMU and implementing interventions to address selected poor AMU practices and minimise the development and transmission of AMR in key stakeholder groups.

FAO International Consultant and Call purpose

The Organization frequently engages specialists to work on short-term projects as international consultants. The functions of a consultant are results-oriented and normally involve analysing complex issues, directing seminars or training courses, preparing documents for conferences and meetings, or writing reports on matters within their area of expertise.

An international consultant is engaged by the Organization to provide expertise, skills or knowledge for the performance of a specific task or piece of work, which would be short-term by nature. The assignment may involve full-time or part-time functions similar to those of staff members.

The assignment can be from several days to up to 11 months. The possibility of extension is subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the resources and needs of the Organization.

Tasks and responsibilities

The consultant will work in close liaison with headquarter and regional technical consultants and the relevant regional and national project officers in focal countries, to perform the tasks outlined below to support projects to characterise AMU and implement interventions to address selected poor AMU practices in key stakeholder groups\:

• Provide specialist veterinary guidance/ advice on production systems, animal health, husbandry including biosecurity in livestock production systems (poultry and/or pig and/or cattle (dairy, beef, pastoral) and/or aquaculture), including through;
• Review of available information (literature, publications, reports, interviews with key informants, KAP studies) on livestock value chains relevant for the specific projects (including common diseases, AM use practices, infection prevention and control and biosecurity practices)
• Advise on selection of study intervention strategies (such as addressing specific disease management or antimicrobial use practices, etc.) to achieve the greatest impact on the potential selection and spread of AMR from targeted livestock productions into community(ies)
• Advise on selection and design of qualitative and quantitative monitoring data collection methodologies;
• Develop and support the testing (using collaborative approach) of guidelines and guidance, tools and training materials for key stakeholder groups to support project interventions, including on antimicrobial prescribing and/or use.  Provide training for project teams and/or project stakeholders on deployment of these materials
• Provide technical support, advice and training to project teams on collection of data to monitor uptake and impact of interventions and on analysis of this data
• Support use of data sharing platforms between projects
• Support harmonization of studies across countries, e.g. by input into design and insertion of transversal research module(s).
• Support individual studies and overall regional outputs by regular remote and on-site monitoring of activities, review of monitoring data at regular intervals during implementation phases, advising on shaping of projects to reflect ongoing feedback
• Provide veterinary technical input to analysis of study data; support the drafting of reports in collaboration with national, regional and HQ teams;
• Facilitate sharing experiences, lessons learned and materials between countries during and at the finalization of projects, making recommendations for future interventions.  
• Maintain regular communication and provide ongoing updates to HQ team on study progress
• Create and foster links to locally based research/ government institutions and researchers to promote the sustainability of projects and to transfer knowledge gained through project design and deployment.  Where required, present and publicise projects at regional/ global fora