Want to work in food security? Here are 6 career paths

While the development community as a whole has made progress in eradicating extreme poverty and hunger — the first of eight Millenium Development Goals — there is still much work to be done, and only a little more than 500 days until the goal deadline. This month, Devex, along with partners ACDI/VOCA, Chemonics, Fintrac, GAIN, Nestlé and Tetra Tech, is hosting the online conversation Feeding Development to reimagine solutions for a food-secure future. Food security both impacts and is impacted by all facets of global development work, from climate change to land rights and supply chains to nutrition. If you want to work on food security issues, there are many ways you can get involved, including some that may surprise you. Here are six different career paths to consider. 1. Nutrition Nutrition is at the core of food security efforts, and while the challenge is multi-sectoral, experts in nutrition are needed for a wide range of food security programming. A nutritionist could work on food labeling, creating a food education campaign for kids or on maternal nutrition and breastfeeding programs. The nutrition discipline is known for prizing research and publications, so if you want to pursue this path, a doctoral degree might also eventually be advised. Check out these jobs on Devex that call for experience in nutrition and food security. 2. Agriculture development A common path to a food security career is one in the many areas of agriculture. From irrigation and pest management to animal husbandry and dairy production, there are many specialties in the areas of agriculture science that one can pursue — even insect farming. Food technology is also a growing field in eradicating hunger, an area where engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs can get involved. To get a sense of the wide range of opportunities available, take a look at these jobs on Devex. 3. Climate change Climate change has already contributed to food insecurity around the world. An uptick in natural disasters and irregular weather patterns wreak havoc on farmers and make producing enough food for our world’s growing population an increasingly difficult endeavor. Food production is also one of the biggest contributors to climate change. So how do we increase food production while decreasing its impact on the environment? This is a quickly growing area of global development work where those with a background in areas like environmental science, natural resources management and forestry can play a role. If you want to work on issues impacting food security and the environment, check out these job opportunities advertised on Devex. 4. Supply chain management A large ecosystem of people, organizations and activities is necessary to get food from farm to table. The issue of food security is less that we don’t produce enough food to feed the world, but that the food doesn’t efficiently get to the right people at the right time. Do small-holder farmers have access to credit? Are storage facilities adequate to preserve food long enough to safely distribute to consumers? Can more value be created — both nutritionally and monetarily — by processing a commodity into a more premium product? Those with a background in business and finance, food safety and commodity marketing are among those who are often called upon to help improve supply chains for food security. Here are a few jobs you may want to consider. 5. Land rights To meet increased food production needs, we will need land to grow that food. As younger generations flock to cities and leave their pastoral homelands behind, how we use that land for agriculture development will become an increasingly complex challenge. And encouraging farmers to stay and invest in crop production requires a sense of security that their investments will not be seized by governments or landowners on a whim. Access to land rights, for people of all descents, gender and socio-economic backgrounds, is a key component to feeding our world. Professionals with a background in law, investment,gender, policy and governance can all play a role. 6. Integrator There’s no one silver-bullet solution to solving world hunger, and attempts to do so will require cooperation between the private and public sectors, civil society and across multiple disciplines. In addition to specialists from the various areas that impact food security, there is a critical need for professionals who can help bridge the gaps and facilitate cooperation and partnership across all of these actors to truly achieve results. In a recent Devex webinar on careers in food security, Dominic Schofield, the director of the Multinutrient Supplements Initiative at the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, described this role as the “integrator.” An integrator could be a communications specialist, corporate social responsibility professional, program manager or a specialist who has developed the ability to work across disciplines. Are you a professional working on food security issues? What other career paths have you pursued and seen in this dynamic area? Please leave your comments below and follow the conversation at #FeedingDev. Check out more career advice stories online, and subscribe to Doing Good to receive top international development career and recruitment news.