Veterinary doctor For Technical vocational training (broiler breeding)

[Al-Hamdaniya,Iraq ]

1. Background:

AVSI is an international non-profit organization founded and headquartered in Italy with long-term development and emergency relief projects in 30 countries around the world. In addition to considerable private funding. AVSI’s presence and commitment in Iraq dates back to 1991 with emergency health activities and later educational projects between 2003 and 2006. AVSI Iraq is an implementing partner of PRM since 2018 improving livelihood opportunities that contribute to the economic recovery and return of IDPs through the reconstruction of farming businesses. Additionally, an 18-month project funded by the Italian Agency of Development (AICS) was launched in 2019 to support rural areas in Al-Hamdaniya by increasing income and strengthening social cohesion among breeders affected by the Iraqi crisis. In Duhok governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan, a 10-month project funded by AICS mitigates socio-economic consequences of the Iraqi crisis on the most vulnerable groups of refugees, IDPs and host community and improves the beneficiaries’ opportunity for access to income and social cohesion through strengthening and expanding two agricultural value chains of mushrooms and ornamental plants.

 

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) invasion in the summer of 2014 was especially brutal for the Yazidi, Shabak, Kakaii and Christian minorities.  Over one million individuals were displaced in Nineveh Governorate between June 2014 and March 2015.  Among the most vulnerable displaced persons, 500,000 Yazidis, ethnic- religious minority predominantly from Sinjar, fled out of the Governorate, of which more than 200,000 relocated in Duhok Governorate (camps and non-camps) .

The Nineveh Plains was Iraq’s most productive farming region before the arrival of the ISIL, producing around 1.5 million tons of wheat per year (21% of Iraq’s total wheat output). An estimated 80% of farmers fled the area when ISIL took over, and those who stayed faced heavy taxation.  Agricultural and livestock losses have been steep; essential supplies, agricultural and veterinary services have not completely been reactivated. Farmers do not have access to general bank services and loans. The Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Water Resources in Al-Hamdaniya district have identified 2,830 agricultural holdings, of which only 20% have partially restarted their activities with minimal resources. Based on these findings and AVSI’s Market and Livelihood Assessment (December 2019-January 2020), the post-ISIL recovery began during the first half of 2018. The experience gained by AVSI during the first 15 months of implementation of its PRM-funded economic recovery program in Al-Hamdaniya district confirms the interest of IDPs and returnees to invest in their farms and improve production as well as the many constraints faced. However, there are a number of cautionary signs indicating continued vulnerability among the different groups of the community. For instance, in Duhok, the Yazidi do not intend to return to Sinjar due to the lack of security, economic opportunities, and infrastructure. As a result, the Yazidi have limited access to sources of income due to language barriers causing constraints on the socio-economic integration of the group in Duhok. The 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Iraq, states that an estimated 6.7 million people are in need of humanitarian support, of which around 1.4 million in Nineveh District and 295,000 in Duhok .

AVSI will reach 370 family-owned businesses (about 2 workers per business, and their household) and 330 home-based producers and their household. AVSI will also reach 5,020 individuals through participation in social cohesion and garden-based activities. AVSI will identify beneficiaries based on the following criteria: 1) analysis of the productive capacity and impact of each business on the economy  2) a damage assessment identifying businesses that could be restored and reactivated; 3) crop or livestock to be produced; 4) female-headed households and household size; 5) priority to youth and families with minors or dependent individuals; 6) people with disabilities and victims of gender-based violence.

AVSI will build upon the success of its previous project, “A virtuous production cycle to relaunch a city and its economic fabric for IDPs and returnees to the Nineveh Plains, Iraq”, funded by PRM. AVSI will expand the successful model to include the whole Al-Hamdaniya District and replicate activities in Dohuk Governorate. The multi-year project will provide an integrated livelihood and protection response to vulnerable returnees, displaced persons and the host community. To ensure mid to long-term sustainability, AVSI, in full agreement with the Local community actors, has designed the Cooperative Profit-Sharing System to be managed by the Association of Farmers in Baghdeda, The direct beneficiaries will receive assets and agricultural inputs and will sign a contract, in which they will commit to return a percentage (25 to 50 %) of the amount of the donation over a period of 5-7 years or share part of the cost (in kind) before the delivery of the support. This will allow for immediate refurbishing of the farms and put into place a mechanism to reinvest the original resources for the years following the completion of the project. Part of the money returned, will be used to cover the running costs of the farmers’ association , allowing them to continue to carry out their activities and to guarantee the continuity of the mechanism.

In response to the lack of income generating activities and livelihood opportunities that emerged from AVSI’s needs assessment, the project will focus on the refurbishment of the production capacity of local microenterprises and SMEs active in the agricultural sector. Additionally, a set of technical trainings will be delivered to develop the knowledge and technical competencies of the farmers thus sustain a vigorous efficient production of livestock and plants within the designated region of the project implementation.

 

Program description, duration, and location:

Sector: Livelihood – Duration: 24 months (1 September 2020 – 31 August 2022).

Location: Nineveh Governorate, Al Hamndanya district:  Al-Hamdanya, Bartella, Namrud.

Duhok Governorate: Essian Camp, Domiz, Faydia and Sharia.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The overarching objective of this assignment is to implement professional technical vocational training sessions in Al-Hamdaniya district (AL-Hamdaniya center, and/or Bartella, and/or Nimrud) to cover better practices and intensification of broiler breeding. Specifically, the assignment has following objectives:

• Health management,
• Principal diseases,
• Prevention and treatment measures and vaccination;
• Fattening activities: use of the fodder, best practices to decrease the stressful condition;
• Control of temperature and humidity during the different phases of breeding cycle

 

3. Responsibilities of the Parties

3.1 External Consultant: design and implement 1 technical vocational training in Al-Hamdaniya district ( AL-Hamdaniya center, and/or Bartella, and/or Nimrud) to assure for the farmers a clear understanding of:

• Definition of chicken meat and its importance
• Chicken Meat Specifications:
• Factors affecting meat production
• Broiler chicken coops.
• Closed barn system.
• Devices and tools in the incubation, growth and production stages:
• Methods and systems for raising broiler in barns.
• Broiler chicken coops environment.
• The importance of ventilation and temperature maintenance.
• Broiler lighting system
• Feeding and watering (feeders and watering cans)
• How to disinfect the barn after cleaning it
• Cleaning jobs for sheds and tools
• Fasting, holding and transporting chickens
• Records
• Veterinary treatments, immunizations and blood test results

 

3.2 AVSI: The main responsibility of AVSI IRAQ Regional Office is to provide all necessary support to the consultant to undertake the assignment as per given plan and time framework. Remaining within the main responsibility, followings are the specific responsibilities:

• Provide a detail overview of the project and the given assignment;
• Arrange field visit for consultant if needed;
• Facilitate consultant in field to travel;
• Release budget as per agreed payment schedule

4. Guiding Principle and Values

While executing this assignment, the consultant shall follow standard ethics with diligence and high degree of professionalism. In return, Practical Action AVSI IRAQ Regional Office expects (from its consultant) to respect others, confidentiality of information, anonymity of responses, and making information publicly unavailable in a usable format.

1. Background:

AVSI is an international non-profit organization founded and headquartered in Italy with long-term development and emergency relief projects in 30 countries around the world. In addition to considerable private funding. AVSI’s presence and commitment in Iraq dates back to 1991 with emergency health activities and later educational projects between 2003 and 2006. AVSI Iraq is an implementing partner of PRM since 2018 improving livelihood opportunities that contribute to the economic recovery and return of IDPs through the reconstruction of farming businesses. Additionally, an 18-month project funded by the Italian Agency of Development (AICS) was launched in 2019 to support rural areas in Al-Hamdaniya by increasing income and strengthening social cohesion among breeders affected by the Iraqi crisis. In Duhok governorate in Iraqi Kurdistan, a 10-month project funded by AICS mitigates socio-economic consequences of the Iraqi crisis on the most vulnerable groups of refugees, IDPs and host community and improves the beneficiaries’ opportunity for access to income and social cohesion through strengthening and expanding two agricultural value chains of mushrooms and ornamental plants.

 

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) invasion in the summer of 2014 was especially brutal for the Yazidi, Shabak, Kakaii and Christian minorities.  Over one million individuals were displaced in Nineveh Governorate between June 2014 and March 2015.  Among the most vulnerable displaced persons, 500,000 Yazidis, ethnic- religious minority predominantly from Sinjar, fled out of the Governorate, of which more than 200,000 relocated in Duhok Governorate (camps and non-camps) .

The Nineveh Plains was Iraq’s most productive farming region before the arrival of the ISIL, producing around 1.5 million tons of wheat per year (21% of Iraq’s total wheat output). An estimated 80% of farmers fled the area when ISIL took over, and those who stayed faced heavy taxation.  Agricultural and livestock losses have been steep; essential supplies, agricultural and veterinary services have not completely been reactivated. Farmers do not have access to general bank services and loans. The Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Water Resources in Al-Hamdaniya district have identified 2,830 agricultural holdings, of which only 20% have partially restarted their activities with minimal resources. Based on these findings and AVSI’s Market and Livelihood Assessment (December 2019-January 2020), the post-ISIL recovery began during the first half of 2018. The experience gained by AVSI during the first 15 months of implementation of its PRM-funded economic recovery program in Al-Hamdaniya district confirms the interest of IDPs and returnees to invest in their farms and improve production as well as the many constraints faced. However, there are a number of cautionary signs indicating continued vulnerability among the different groups of the community. For instance, in Duhok, the Yazidi do not intend to return to Sinjar due to the lack of security, economic opportunities, and infrastructure. As a result, the Yazidi have limited access to sources of income due to language barriers causing constraints on the socio-economic integration of the group in Duhok. The 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Iraq, states that an estimated 6.7 million people are in need of humanitarian support, of which around 1.4 million in Nineveh District and 295,000 in Duhok .

AVSI will reach 370 family-owned businesses (about 2 workers per business, and their household) and 330 home-based producers and their household. AVSI will also reach 5,020 individuals through participation in social cohesion and garden-based activities. AVSI will identify beneficiaries based on the following criteria: 1) analysis of the productive capacity and impact of each business on the economy  2) a damage assessment identifying businesses that could be restored and reactivated; 3) crop or livestock to be produced; 4) female-headed households and household size; 5) priority to youth and families with minors or dependent individuals; 6) people with disabilities and victims of gender-based violence.

AVSI will build upon the success of its previous project, “A virtuous production cycle to relaunch a city and its economic fabric for IDPs and returnees to the Nineveh Plains, Iraq”, funded by PRM. AVSI will expand the successful model to include the whole Al-Hamdaniya District and replicate activities in Dohuk Governorate. The multi-year project will provide an integrated livelihood and protection response to vulnerable returnees, displaced persons and the host community. To ensure mid to long-term sustainability, AVSI, in full agreement with the Local community actors, has designed the Cooperative Profit-Sharing System to be managed by the Association of Farmers in Baghdeda, The direct beneficiaries will receive assets and agricultural inputs and will sign a contract, in which they will commit to return a percentage (25 to 50 %) of the amount of the donation over a period of 5-7 years or share part of the cost (in kind) before the delivery of the support. This will allow for immediate refurbishing of the farms and put into place a mechanism to reinvest the original resources for the years following the completion of the project. Part of the money returned, will be used to cover the running costs of the farmers’ association , allowing them to continue to carry out their activities and to guarantee the continuity of the mechanism.

In response to the lack of income generating activities and livelihood opportunities that emerged from AVSI’s needs assessment, the project will focus on the refurbishment of the production capacity of local microenterprises and SMEs active in the agricultural sector. Additionally, a set of technical trainings will be delivered to develop the knowledge and technical competencies of the farmers thus sustain a vigorous efficient production of livestock and plants within the designated region of the project implementation.

 

Program description, duration, and location:

Sector: Livelihood – Duration: 24 months (1 September 2020 – 31 August 2022).

Location: Nineveh Governorate, Al Hamndanya district:  Al-Hamdanya, Bartella, Namrud.

Duhok Governorate: Essian Camp, Domiz, Faydia and Sharia.

2. Objectives of the Assignment

The overarching objective of this assignment is to implement professional technical vocational training sessions in Al-Hamdaniya district (AL-Hamdaniya center, and/or Bartella, and/or Nimrud) to cover better practices and intensification of broiler breeding. Specifically, the assignment has following objectives:

• Health management,
• Principal diseases,
• Prevention and treatment measures and vaccination;
• Fattening activities: use of the fodder, best practices to decrease the stressful condition;
• Control of temperature and humidity during the different phases of breeding cycle

 

3. Responsibilities of the Parties

3.1 External Consultant: design and implement 1 technical vocational training in Al-Hamdaniya district ( AL-Hamdaniya center, and/or Bartella, and/or Nimrud) to assure for the farmers a clear understanding of:

• Definition of chicken meat and its importance
• Chicken Meat Specifications:
• Factors affecting meat production
• Broiler chicken coops.
• Closed barn system.
• Devices and tools in the incubation, growth and production stages:
• Methods and systems for raising broiler in barns.
• Broiler chicken coops environment.
• The importance of ventilation and temperature maintenance.
• Broiler lighting system
• Feeding and watering (feeders and watering cans)
• How to disinfect the barn after cleaning it
• Cleaning jobs for sheds and tools
• Fasting, holding and transporting chickens
• Records
• Veterinary treatments, immunizations and blood test results

 

3.2 AVSI: The main responsibility of AVSI IRAQ Regional Office is to provide all necessary support to the consultant to undertake the assignment as per given plan and time framework. Remaining within the main responsibility, followings are the specific responsibilities:

• Provide a detail overview of the project and the given assignment;
• Arrange field visit for consultant if needed;
• Facilitate consultant in field to travel;
• Release budget as per agreed payment schedule

4. Guiding Principle and Values

While executing this assignment, the consultant shall follow standard ethics with diligence and high degree of professionalism. In return, Practical Action AVSI IRAQ Regional Office expects (from its consultant) to respect others, confidentiality of information, anonymity of responses, and making information publicly unavailable in a usable format.

5. Eligibility/Professional Qualification

AVSI is ideally looking for an expert Veterinarian who has strong knowledge and skills in broiler breeding.

Skills and Attributes:

• Minimum 10 years of hands on experience
• Strong technical background
• Previous hands on experience in the sector
• Good technical background on sales and marketing.
• Excellent communications skills in Arabic and English
• Understands the Business marketplace, its working principle, benefits and limitations
• Works well together with a team as well as independently

6. Deliverables and Schedule

The final deliverable of the assignment will be delivery of:

• Design and implementation of 1 technical vocational training in Broiler breeding for the farmers in the designated area. (refer to table 1 for details).

7. Budget and Payment

The total maximum budget available for this assignment will be appropriate with number of days required and expertise and experience of the consultant in the related field. All applicable taxes will be deducted at source. The payments will be done at different installments depending upon the accomplishments of the tasks which will be spelled out in contract.

 

8. Contact and Communication

The reporting officer for this assignment is the Project Manager of the project entitled “Achieving socio-economic stability of returnees, host community and IDP’s in Iraq”. The consultant will make sure to include the deputy country director, Finance Manager and Logistics officer in the communication loop for soliciting information, cross-check of the information, logistic and secretarial support.

9. Evaluation of CVs

All received CVs shall be reviewed following different indicators. These will be but not limited to sound understanding of the assignment, competent methodology, consistency, coherence and compliance, experience of the consultant in the related field.

 

10. Time Duration:

The total duration of this assignment will be starting from the date of signature of the contract until the delivery of the documentation prementioned in point 6 and the table below and in any case before July 30^th 2022. The total duration of this assignment will be 30 hours (see Table 1 below); each lesson will last 3 hours and it will be attended by 15-20 person. The implementation timetable will be defined and agreed in details with AVSI Project Manager.

Table 1: training hours per sector

Sector	No. Hours	No. of Lessons/Days	No. of trainings
TOTAL	30	10	1

 

PS: due to COVID 19 pandemic and the preventive measures followed, it may be required to deliver the trainings online and avoid grouping a big number of people.

AVSI is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, to apply.

How to Apply (Application Process):

Interested candidates are required to send CV and cover letter to [email protected] by 18-11-2021. Interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis, and based on urgency, AVSI may fill the position prior to the closing date. 

Please mention  job position in the subject of your email. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.