Veterinary Doctor

Background

Concern Worldwide is an Irish International NGO working in the world’s poorest countries. Under the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) fund, Lebanon Branch of Concern Worldwide along with ESDU-AUB are implementing a two years project in Akkar and T5 entitled “Value chains for improved socioeconomic well-being of Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities”. 

The Project intends to provide capacity building on topics related to livestock management and production for vulnerable population through each phase of the implementation of the livestock management and dairy value chain. The value chain is implemented applying the Farmer Field School approach for Lebanese farmers and Syrian workers and aims to teach selected farmers on how to efficiently raising livestock and produce good quality of meat and milk in addition to  increasing access to income generating activities in a protective environment that supports the economic and psychosocial well-being of targeted beneficiaries.

Along with the technical support for farmers, all participants of the livestock value chain will benefit from seeds to grow forage to feed their livestock in addition to peer to peer visits from a veterinary doctor in order to ensure that livestock owned by programme participants are raised while applying healthy practices, ensure they are free of diseases, illness and contribute to their higher state of production.

1. Scope of work

Under this action, Concern has selected a total of 120 farmers, owners of livestock and living in different locations in Akkar. Each one of the selected farmers has a minimum of three cows or small ruminants which are their basic source of livelihoods and income.   

This call of consultancy is specifically for veterinary doctors having a previous experience in animal health, in livestock health in specific. The veterinary doctor should be able to diagnose health problems, medicate animals suffering from illness and/or diseases and advice owners about prevention measures and treatments, vaccines, animal feeding, behaviour and breeding. 

Therefore, the veterinary doctor will be directly responsible on the following:

• Conduct 240 farm and field visits to 120 farmers selected by Concern Worldwide and located in 6 different villages in Akkar. Each farmer should receive two visits through which the doctor will discuss with beneficiaries the health state of their livestock and the recommendations.
• Provide Concern with detailed animal health report that should include but not limited to: date of visit, physical observation, the health status of livestock, the health problems and diseases diagnosed for each farmer, etc… The animal health report will be developed by the Consultant in coordination with Concern technical staff.
• Provide Concern with prevention measures and specific treatments including list of medicines for the diseases diagnosed during the first visit and mentioned in the health report for each animal owned by the selected farmers.
• Provide Concern with a list of vaccines recommended for the livestock owned by the farmers to protect them and/or reduce the risk of diseases, therefore, improve their production.
• Coordinate regularly with Concern Agriculture Specialist for the provision of technical inputs and/or agriculture officers to plan for the visits and access the selected land for each farmer in the targeted areas of intervention.

2. Reporting lines

The consultant will report to Concern Livelihood Project Manager and will liaise closely with livelihood Agriculture Specialist and Livelihood Agriculture Officer.

3. Timeframe

This consultancy is to be finalized within an overall duration of three months with all deliverables completed after signing the contract.

Specific work plan and timeframe will be prepared and attached to the contract indicating the deadlines of each one of the deliverables mentioned in the scope of work above.

4. Required experience and qualifications

• A degree in veterinary medicine.
• At least three years of previous experience in similar field.
• Deep understanding of livestock management, health, production, medicine and vaccination. 
• Experience in conducting field assessments and animal health reports.
• Proficiency in Microsoft office especially Excel. 
• Experience in dealing with vulnerable communities. 
• Humanitarian motivation and commitment to Concern Values.
• Excellent communication skills.