Guidance

Food and Agriculture: Technical Competency Framework

Updated 4 August 2025

1. About the FCDO Advisory Cadres

World-leading technical and analytical capability is central to FCDO’s mission. FCDO Advisers embody these capabilities, playing a key role in the delivery of the UK’s international objectives and development impact in particular.

Advisers have a central role in the design, implementation, appraisal, and evaluation of international development programmes; in the development and implementation of foreign and development policy; and in diplomacy and international partnerships. They play an expert role in inter-disciplinary thinking and thought leadership, linking programmes and bringing deep expertise to maximise impact. They have strong links with specialist networks, research organisations, and professional bodies in the UK and globally.

Advisers are accredited to one or more of 12 Advisory Cadres. These are professional bodies within FCDO and cover: Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Energy, Conflict, Economics, Education, Evaluation, Food and Agriculture, Governance, Health, Humanitarian, Private Sector Development, Social Development, and Statistics. The Economics, Statistics, and Evaluation Cadres are linked to government-wide advisory services. Each Cadre has a Head of Profession (HoP), who is responsible for ensuring that professional standards are maintained both within the Cadre and for those wishing to join. The HoP provides thought leadership, quality assurance, and supports continuous professional development.

Adviser capabilities

Advisers have certain capabilities in common. These include but are not limited to the following:

• expertise and thought leadership in international policy and investment, applicable across a range of themes and geographies, and with a focus on development impact

• use of evidence to inform policy and programming including the use of political economy analysis

• policy and programme delivery, from design through to implementation and appraisal

• international influence and diplomacy, thinking and working politically and cooperatively, and through appropriate challenge, to shape norms and approaches

• brokering partnerships with governments, civil society, the private sector, multilaterals, research organisations and professional bodies in the UK and globally

• delivering value for money by applying key economic and commercial concepts

• safeguarding to ensure the UK does-no-harm by integrating gender equality, child protection, disability inclusion, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment

• tackling climate change and restoring nature, ensuring that programmes are aligned with the Paris agreement on climate change and UK commitments on nature

• embodying Civil Service behaviours in applying, communicating, influencing, and leading technical and evidence-informed processes and engagement

• knowledge of data relevant to operating sector and context, and application of professional expertise in interpretation and analysis of this in support of intended outcomes

• systems thinking, recognising inter-linkages, real-world dynamics, and complexity to help design effective policies and interventions

• innovation and digital development, proactive in exploring and validating innovative approaches, technology solutions and creative ways to address the world’s challenges

2. About the Food and Agriculture Cadre

FCDO’s Food, Agriculture and Livelihoods expertise is central to promoting UK interests and is global in its reach and impact. Our network builds markets and trade opportunities, reduces humanitarian need and addresses conflict and migration, delivering the climate agenda and protecting natural resources through a people centred lens.

The Food and Agriculture cadre (formerly known as the Livelihoods Cadre) comprises approximately 45 Advisers working across FCDO in UK policy and research teams, at Post, and seconded to international institutions and priority multilaterals, using a politically informed lens to deliver on the UK and its partners’ shared’ priorities.

Advisers:

• are specialists in building resilience and preventing humanitarian need; accelerating sustainable inclusive growth; tackling climate change and protecting nature; and strengthening nutrition and global health, with a focus on food, agriculture and people’s livelihoods

• take a people-centred, politically informed approach in line with the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. This means putting people, their own motivations (drawing from behavioural science), assets and constraints at the heart of our understanding and ensuring policy and external support works with people’s livelihood strategies, environment and ability to adapt

• apply a systems lens to maximise synergies and minimise trade-offs across sectors and priorities, recognising and working to resolve/overcome political economy issues that hinder or support progress

3. Food and Agriculture Technical Competencies

Advisers are expected to demonstrate knowledge and practice on approaches to achieving the UK’s priorities through the following competencies:

Competency 1:  building resilience and reducing humanitarian need through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector.

Competency 2:  accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector.

Competency 3:  tackling climate change and protecting nature through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector.

Competency 4:  strengthening health, in particular good nutrition, through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector.

Competency 5:  navigating the geopolitics of food, agriculture and livelihoods through diplomacy, negotiations and strategic cooperation

Specialisms:

• livestock and aquatic food systems
• forests
• land use and tenure governance
• migration and mobility
• food system innovation and digital transformation

Competency 1: building resilience and reducing humanitarian need through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector

Evidence and practice areas:

1. Identify and analyse the drivers of poverty and vulnerability, including inequality, gender dimensions, geography and discrimination; and how these affect different groups.

2. Understand the causes, impacts and approaches to address food insecurity and malnutrition, both acute and chronic in fragile and crisis affected settings.

3. Assess the effects of climate change, natural resource scarcity and conflict on livelihoods.

4. Understand rural transformation and connectivity including through migration, urbanisation and the role of remittances in fragile and conflict-affected areas.

5. Design and implement strategies to build resilience, especially for women and girls, through sustainable livelihoods and graduation from extreme poverty.

6. Integrate social protection mechanisms, such as shock-responsive systems and targeted support models, into humanitarian and development responses.

7. Use science and technological solutions to strengthen livelihoods and the agri-food sector in hard-to-reach environments.

8. Understand international commitments, political economy factors and the role of foreign policy in responding to crises and building resilience through food, agriculture and livelihoods while maximising wins across other priorities, namely sustainability, nutrition, growth and poverty reduction.

Competency 2: accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector

Evidence and practice areas:

1. Understand the capabilities, choices and strategies that make up the livelihoods of rural and urban people, and identify approaches to promote sustainable livelihoods linked to markets and wider economic change processes. In the context of smallholder agriculture, this includes supporting agricultural commercialisation (‘stepping-up’), supporting shifts away from agriculture (‘stepping-out’) and supporting and building the resilience of the most vulnerable (‘hanging in’).

2. Understand the drivers of and barriers to agricultural transformation and the role of agri-food sector growth within the wider economy and within structural transformation processes. This includes broad supply and demand-side factors in the agri-food sector and how these affect prices, incentives and access to land, labour and input and output markets; improving productivity sustainably; strengthening value chains and navigating standards and barriers to trade; employment diversification and responsible investment.

3. Promote gender equality and women’s empowerment through inclusive livelihood opportunities, using gender analysis and aligning with UK policy commitments.

4. Apply private sector led and market systems approaches to strengthen value chains, improve access to inputs and services, and create jobs and livelihood opportunities across the agri-food sector.

5. Support inclusive and sustainable land tenure systems that enable responsible investment in land, incentivise sustainable land use; and reduce tenure risk.

6. Address safeguarding risks in the agri-food sector, including child labour and exploitation.

7. Use science, technology and innovation to boost sustainable inclusive growth, e.g. climate-resilient crops; livestock health approaches; digital tools and AI.

8. Understand international commitments, political economy factors and domestic policy and regulatory levers to strengthen markets, jobs and growth, while maximising wins across other dimensions of the food system, including subsidy reform and the regulatory environment for investment in the agriculture sector.

Competency 3: tackling climate change and protecting nature through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector

Evidence and practice areas:

1. Understand how climate change is and will continue to impact agriculture productivity and food systems and what this means for food security and land use in vulnerable countries.

2. Understand how the global food system and agricultural production contributes to GHG emissions through land use change, on-farm emissions, etc, and strategies to reduce agri-food sector emissions.

3. Recognize the interdependence between livelihoods, food systems and natural resources – namely, biodiversity, water, soil, forests – including, the role of the food system as a major driver of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, and the pressures of environmental change on food security and livelihoods.

4. Navigate trade-offs and the political economy of land and natural resource governance – including productivity and the impact of power, vested interests, users and consumers.

5. Apply climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies to reduce emissions and build resilience through livelihoods and the agri-food sector.

6. Promote solutions that protect and restore nature, such as raising agricultural productivity sustainably, reducing food loss, water efficiency and integrated pest management.

7. Use science and technological solutions including precision agriculture, improved varieties and weather and climate forecasts to support climate smart food production.

8. Understand international commitments, political economy factors and the role of agriculture, food and environmental policy in shaping climate and environment outcomes, maximising the opportunity for wins across other priorities including growth, and food security.

Competency 4: strengthening health, in particular good nutrition, through interventions in livelihoods and the agri-food sector

Evidence and practice areas:

1. Understand the causes and consequences of all forms of malnutrition (stunting, wasting, micronutrient deficiencies and overweight / obesity), the scale and trends in malnutrition and consequences for human and economic development – in particular for women, adolescent girls and young children.

2. Promote approaches to address and prevent malnutrition across the food system (including changes in food availability, affordability, access, quality and the role of cultural and consumer preferences).

3. Apply approaches to strengthen food safety and reduce the burden of foodborne disease from physical, chemical and microbial hazards.

4. Address global health risks linked to the agri-food sector, including zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and health risks associated with unsustainable agriculture practices.

5. Use science and technological solutions including biofortification, food processing and storage to improve nutrition and tackle global health threats.

6. Understand international commitments, political economy factors and policy frameworks that shape nutrition, food systems and global health security, maximising the opportunity for wins across other priorities, namely resilience, food security and sustainability.

Competency 5:navigating the geopolitics of food, agriculture and livelihoods through diplomacy, negotiations and strategic cooperation

Evidence and practice areas:

1. Understand the global architecture and key policy frameworks on agriculture and food, including the role of multilaterals like the UN Rome Based Agencies and the Development Banks to support coherent international strategies.

2. Demonstrate experience in international negotiations and/or diplomacy, including multilateral forums (e.g. UN, WTO, COP), to advocate for food, agriculture, and livelihoods priorities.

3. Analyse geopolitical dynamics –such as trade relations, sanctions, and regional alliances – and assess their impact on food security, agricultural trade, and supply chains.

4. Build partnerships and coalitions with governments, research institutions, international bodies, civil society, or the private sector underpinned with sectoral technical knowledge.

5. Frame food system issues strategically to resonate with diverse international audiences and align with broader foreign policy and development goals.

6. Monitor and respond to emerging global risks, such as pandemics, climate or conflict driven shocks, and supply chain disruptions, and their implications for food systems diplomacy.

7. Promote cross-sectoral cooperation, recognising the intersections between food systems, climate change, conflict, migration, and development finance.

Specialisms

Demonstration of knowledge and practice specialist areas such as:

1) Livestock and aquatic food systems

This specialism covers the sustainable development, management, and governance of terrestrial and aquatic animal-source food systems. It includes livestock production, pastoralist livelihoods, inland and marine fisheries, and aquaculture. It requires understanding of the ecological, economic, and cultural dimensions of these systems, and their role in food security, nutrition, and climate resilience.

2) Forests

This specialism focuses on the role of forests in supporting sustainable livelihoods, climate and nature benefits, and inclusive economic development. It includes understanding and experience of international frameworks, promoting inclusive and equitable governance of forest resources, the drivers, impacts and strategies to reduce deforestation and restore forest landscapes, and familiarity with national frameworks and the integration of forestry with other priorities such as food security, gender equality, and conflict sensitivity

3 Land use and tenure governance

This specialism focuses on the governance, use, and management of land as a critical resource for food security, livelihoods, climate resilience, and inclusive development. It includes understanding and experience of working to strengthen land governance and rights, formal and informal tenure systems, land use planning and management, policy and legal frameworks and the role of land in driving or resolving conflict.

4 Migration and mobility

This specialism focuses on the drivers and dynamics of internal and cross-border migration and their implications for livelihoods, food security, agricultural development, rural transformation, and resilience. It covers both regular and irregular migration, seasonal labour mobility, and displacement due to conflict or climate change, using a whole-of-route approach that considers conditions in countries of origin, transit, and destination. It explores the complex interplay between legal and illicit migration systems, the vulnerabilities migrants face, and the systemic factors influencing their journeys.

The specialism also examines the development benefits of well-regulated migration, such as remittances and skills transfer, alongside the political economy of migration in transit and host countries. It considers how development assistance and other tools can be used to reduce harm and maximise the positive impacts of migration on individuals, economies, and broader geopolitical stability.

5 Food systems innovation and digital transformation

This specialism focuses on the application of emerging technologies, digital tools, and innovative approaches to transform food systems for sustainability, resilience, equity, and efficiency. It encompasses both frontier innovations and inclusive digital solutions that support smallholders, value chains, and policy systems.

4. Assessing capability

Assessments will be based around a review of evidence that describes the extent of knowledge and expertise applicants hold in the relevant competencies, and also against capability levels from the FCDO Capability Framework: Awareness, Foundation, Practitioner and Expert (within Expert HoPs Group differentiate between Expert and Senior Expert). Note that particularly for Senior Expert level, consideration will be given to candidates’ ability to give high quality demonstration of technical leadership and an ability to communicate and influence in their evidence.

The TCFs are structured so that competencies are clearly defined and can be expressed at Practitioner, and Expert and Senior Expert.

Practitioner

• strong and confident day to day application of capability in common or standard situations but may need to seek expert support on more complex issues

• holds relevant experience^{[footnote 1]} and may be augmented by a formal qualification of direct relevance

• minimum level for entry to the relevant Cadre – successful Technical Assessment dependent on fulfilling all stated criteria in the TCF

Expert

• recognised for specialist or technical knowledge and/or skill, underpinned by extensive experience applying it in practice on complex issues; connected with other experts
• holds significant relevant experience^{[footnote 1]} and likely to be augmented by a formal qualification of direct relevance
• standard level for entry to the relevant Cadre – successful Technical Assessment dependent on fulfilling all stated criteria in the TCF

Senior Expert

• recognised for deep specialist or technical knowledge and/or skill, underpinned by extensive experience applying it in practice on complex issues; connected with other experts
• holds very significant relevant experience^{[footnote 1]} and likely to be augmented by one or more formal qualifications of direct relevance
• evidence of applying specialist knowledge and skill as well as displaying leadership qualities in a range of contexts
• accreditation dependent on fulfilling all stated criteria in the TCF and assessment against 2 Civil Service Competencies, Leadership and Communicating and Influencing

Accreditation assessments will take into account the entire academic and professional history of a candidate and not rely solely on their last or most recent post.

Assessment framework

The table below sets out the framework for how capability will be assessed at the competency level. The framework is based on the standard 1 to 7 scoring system used for Civil Service recruitments.

During an accreditation round, the sift panel will agree a pass mark for all competencies. This could be, for example, 4. A sift will score all competencies at or above the pass mark for an applicant to pass from sift to interview. If a candidate applies for a level and does not pass, the sift panel can at their discretion agree whether they might still pass at a lower level. For example, an applicant might apply at Expert level. During the sift the panel might not pass them on all competencies, but after discussion agree to progress them to interview at Practitioner level.

Prior to interviews, the interview panel will again set a pass mark for all elements of the assessment. An interviewee must score higher than the pass mark in all areas to be considered for accreditation. If a candidate applies for a level and does not pass, the interview panel can at their discretion accredit the candidate at a lower level. Candidates who pass at a particular level cannot be considered for accreditation at a higher level, regardless of their scores. They must re-apply for accreditation at a higher level in a future accreditation round. The full set of accreditation requirements are specified in Section 5.

Standard scoring assessment

Score	Classification	Definition
7	Outstanding demonstration	The evidence provided wholly exceeds expectation at this level
6	Strong demonstration	Substantial positive evidence; includes some evidence of exceeding expectations at this level
5	Good demonstration	Substantial positive evidence of the competency or behaviour
4	Acceptable demonstration	Adequate positive evidence and any negative evidence would not cause concern
3	Moderate demonstration	Moderate positive evidence but some negative evidence demonstrated
2	Minimal demonstration	Limited positive evidence and/or mainly negative evidence demonstrated
1	Not demonstrated	No positive evidence and/or substantial negative evidence demonstrated

5. Routes to Accreditation

There are 2 accreditation pathways to accredit to the Food and Agriculture cadre:

• standard pathway: Demonstration of knowledge and practice that meets the requirement for Senior Expert^{[footnote 2]}, Expert or Practitioner in  4 of the 5 standard competencies

or

• specialist pathway: Demonstration of knowledge and practice meets the requirement for Senior Expert^{[footnote 2]}, Expert or Practitioner in at least 1 specialism and 3 of the 5 standard competencies

Those accredited at Senior Expert, Expert or Practitioner are considered to be accredited to the Food and Agriculture cadre.

The table below outlines the 2 routes to accreditation at the 3 levels:

1. Relevant experience is defined as international work experience of direct relevance to the competency. ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. Note that particularly for Senior Expert level, consideration will be given to candidates’ ability to give high quality demonstration of technical leadership and an ability to communicate and influence in their evidence. ↩ ↩²