Consultant for Livestock Breeding Curriculum Development

Background

Mada Association is seeking a qualified Consultant to work on the development of a Livestock Breeding Curriculum under the BMZ-funded project ‘Strengthening the resilience of Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities in northern Lebanon to the consequences of the country's socio-economic crises by promoting food and income security, rehabilitation of water-related and agricultural infrastructure, trainings, initial provision of households’, implemented by Mada Association in partnership with arche noVa.

The project targets Lebanese and Syrian breeders through direct support, namely distribution of feed, capacity building and training focused on enterprise development, and –support to build and/or enhance professional capacity, including integration into the formal market

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

The Consultant will develop a curriculum and trainers’ guide booklet covering the topics mentioned below for livestock breeding of both cattle and small ruminants of a training duration not exceeding the four weeks with training sessions not exceeding the 3 hours each. The curriculum will be expected to be concise and clear, delivered in two copies one English and one Arabic, delivered as Word document, and including photographs, charts and links for reference. Curriculum should be developed in collaboration, facilitated by Mada, with the Ministry of Agriculture. Curriculum for each type of livestock will be divided into ten chapters, six theoretical and four practical, containing the topics mentioned below.

The trainers’ guide booklet must include a clear outline of the trainings clarifying the division of chapters with the timing needed for the delivery of each of the topics per chapter. In addition, the guide should include the objectives per session, training methodology, materials and equipment needed for the trainer, learning activities and evaluation tools (pre and post-tests).

Mada will review the curriculum and provide comments and feedback, after which the Consultant will be requested to submit a final revised and adjusted version. The Consultant will be expected to be responsive to Mada’s revision and back and forth will be required to finalize the curriculum. 

The topics must include, but not be limited to, the following:

• For cattle:

1. Sector’s overall situation: challenges, risks, opportunities and solutions
2. Classification of cattle species and production types with characteristics of each
3. Livestock details: stages of life (newborn, yearling, heifer, milking stage or maturity, infertility or dry stage) and characteristics for each stage of life
4. Digestive system
5. Nutrition and feeding management: fodder types and mixtures’ composition needed for each stage of life, Feed Conversion Rate (FCR), Total Mixed Ratio (TMR), instructions for an adequate diet highlighting the importance of green silage and natural pasture; bad feeding habits risks: acidosis, displacement of the stomach, etc.; Proteins, fibers, vitamins and minerals’ requirements, water management
6. Silos, hydroponically sprouted seeds fodder
7. Mineral blocks: importance, how to make them
8. Raising, choosing and exchanging in the herd (importance of keeping records); routine operations and prevention methods
9. Breeding and reproduction management (artificial insemination.)
10. Milking and quality of milk (GHPs)
11. Health and diseases: Mastitis, Metritis, FMD, Brucellosis, Enterotoxaemia, Bovine campylobacteriosis, cowpox, etc.
12. Vaccination
13. Integrated parasites management
14. Good farming behaviors and daily farm inspection
15. Meat processing
16. Milk processing
17. Strategic planning and marketing

• For small ruminants (sheep and goats)

1. Sector overall situation: challenges, risks, opportunities and solutions
2. Classification of small ruminants’ species and production types
3. Livestock details: species, stages of life, and characteristics of each stage
4. Housing and micro-climate control
5. Breeding and reproduction management (detection, oestrus synchronization; flushing and artificial insemination; gestation; pregnancy detection; parturition; care and management of pregnant ewe and doe; care during lambing and kidding; care and management of nursing/lactating ewes and does; management of new-born animals; weaning, etc.)
6. Causes and management of mortality
7. Nutrition and feeding management (management of amount and quality of forage, resources as influenced by regional climate and seasonal weather conditions; seasonal fluctuation in quality and quantity of pasture; supplementary feeding with concentrates; nutrients and feedstuff; classification of nutrients; classification of fodder; roughages; concentrates; nutrients requirements, etc.)
8. Pasture management
9. Predator control
10. Health and diseases
11. Vaccination
12. Integrated parasites management (housing and feeding; drenching and spraying; record keeping, etc.)
13. Good farming behaviors and daily farm inspection
14. Meat processing
15. Milk processing
16. Strategic planning and marketing

Minimum Qualification and Experience

• Advanced degree in veterinary, animal production or relevant fields
• At least 5 years of experience in value chain programs or related fields 
• Experience working with livestock breeders  
• Experience in developing curriculums and guiding trainers
• Research skills, and reporting
• Time management, good organizational skills, ability to be flexible
• Excellent writing and Microsoft Word skills
• Experience working with NGOs on development projects is a plus
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills 
• Fluency in spoken and written English and Arabic

Time Frame/Duration

The total period of the consultancy is 6 weeks. The consultant is expected to provide Mada Association with the first draft of the curriculum by the Mid of April 2023, while the final version should be submitted by maximum end of April,2023.