Organizational Setting

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) operates through country offices, headed by an FAO Representative, to support governments in developing policies, programmes, and investment frameworks aimed at achieving food security, reducing poverty and malnutrition, and promoting sustainable agricultural development.

In Ghana, FAO provides strategic and technical support to the Government of Ghana (GoG) through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and relevant sector institutions to strengthen agricultural policy, investment planning, and private sector engagement. The Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) is one of FAO’s key mechanisms for providing direct, practical support to country governments. It is designed to respond quickly to priority needs identified by governments, especially in areas that strengthen food security, agriculture, and resilience. TCP’s act as catalysts, providing targeted technical assistance that help governments address urgent needs such as disease outbreaks, drafting national strategies and action plans, training and capacity building of staff and farmers, among others.

Transhumance pastoralism plays an important role in livestock production and regional trade in West Africa. Transhumance improves Ghana's food security by supplying essential animal protein, meat, and milk to meet rising national demand. When properly managed, this pastoral system supports environmental health through nutrient cycling, genetic diversity, and rangeland regeneration. It also drives economic growth by creating livelihoods and employment across livestock trade, transport, and processing value chains.

Despite the importance of transhumance activity to national development, the seasonal movements of herders and livestock often lead to conflicts with farmers, resulting in the destruction of crops, loss of livestock, competition over water and grazing resources, outbreaks of zoonotic diseases and threats to peace and security in communities. In many areas where transhumance activities are prevalent, the peaceful co-existence between communities and pastoralists have come under threat, and the resulting conflicts undermine rural livelihoods, social cohesion, livestock productivity and national stability. These challenges have further been intensified by climate variability, land-use changes, and increasing pressure on natural resources. While ECOWAS protocols on transhumance is in place, Ghana lacks a comprehensive policy framework that integrates conflict prevention, and sustainable resource management. In the absence of targeted policy interventions, tensions between pastoralists and host communities will continue to escalate, jeopardizing both agricultural productivity and regional peace. There is therefore the need for a coordinated approach that promotes peaceful coexistence, sustainable resource management, and effective governance of transhumance systems.

To address these challenges, FAO, in collaboration with the Animal Production Directorate of MoFA, is implementing a Technical Cooperation Project titled: “Peaceful co-existence between communities and transhumance pastoralists”. This TCP seeks to promote peaceful coexistence and sustainable interactions between host communities and transhumance pastoralists through strengthened community dialogue, conflict prevention mechanisms, and improved natural resource governance.

Reporting Lines

The National Conflict-Sensitive Resource Management Specialist will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Country Representative and the direct technical supervision of the Project Manager, and in close coordination with the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) and the FAO project team in Ghana.

Technical Focus

The National Conflict-Sensitive Resource Management Specialist will conduct a comprehensive conflict and context analysis of access to and use of natural resources, including land, grazing areas, and water resources, in the Kwahu Afram Plains North and South Districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Tasks and responsibilities

•    Prepare an inception report detailing the methodology, work plan, data collection tools, stakeholder engagement strategy, and timeline for the assignment.
•    Conduct a comprehensive desk review and analysis of all relevant studies, policies, reports and other available documentation related to cross-border transhumance, conflict/context analysis and access to natural resources in Ghana and the West African sub-region.
•    Conduct a comprehensive assessment of cross-border transhumance systems, migration routes, grazing patterns, and access to renewable natural resources in the target area.
•    Support senior colleagues identifying and analyzing the key drivers, dynamics, and impacts of conflicts between pastoralists and host communities in the target area.
•    Assess the socio-economic, environmental, institutional, and governance factors contributing to resource-based conflicts.
•    Map conflict hotspots, resource-use patterns, and vulnerable communities within the target areas.
•    Assess existing conflict prevention and management interventions and identify areas requiring further investment.
•    Recommend priority investment areas for strengthening peaceful coexistence, sustainable resource governance, and conflict prevention.
•    Support senior colleagues in preparing a national policy brief outlining key findings, policy implications, and recommendations for improving the governance of cross-border transhumance.
•    Support development of practical recommendations for strengthening community dialogue, mediation, and conflict resolution mechanisms.
•    Propose strategies for improving access to and sustainable management of land, water, and grazing resources.
•    Organize and facilitate a multi-stakeholder validation workshop to present and validate the study findings.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

•    Advanced university degree in Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Sociology, Natural Resource Management, Peace and Conflict Studies, Public Policy, or other relevant disciplines.
•    At least five (5) years of relevant experience in developing and implementing pastoralism and transhumance issues and governance, farmer-herder conflict management, community development, livestock sector development, policy and institutional analysis and participatory rural development.
•    Working knowledge of English both written and spoken.
•    National of Ghana or resident of the country with valid work permit

FAO Core Competencies

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

Technical/Functional Skills

•    Proven expertise in pastoralism, livestock systems, or transhumance management..
•    Knowledge of ECOWAS Transhumance Protocol, livestock mobility systems in West Africa, natural resource governance and One Health approaches is desirable.
•    Clear understanding of conflict/context analysis over the access to renewable natural resources at national and ECOWAS levels.
•    Experience in conflict resolution and peacebuilding, particularly in rural/agricultural settings.
•    Strong quantitative, statistical and analytical skills.
•    Proven track record in conducting socioeconomic studies.
•    Familiarity with the use of priority setting/ranking methods.
•    Advanced knowledge of use of land and water management.
•    Advanced knowledge in animal mobility and herder-farmer conflicts.
•    Ability to engage government, traditional authorities, pastoralists, and community groups

Selection Criteria

•    Prior experience working with FAO or any UN agency
•    Prior experience working with the government and other relevant institutions in Ghana
•    Expert knowledge in English and local language (Twi) is essential