Short term technical consultant (STTC) on Poultry Biosecurity and Chicken Rearing

MISSION CONTEXT

Based on a SIF study on “Resilient Livelihoods for Farmers of Rachaya, Zahle and Shouf Following the Syrian Refugee Crisis”, SIF designed a Food Security and Agricultural Livelihood project that aims at:

• Offering technical and financial assistance to farmers and rural women cooperatives in the aim to increase the added value of their products.
• Develop and support a marketing strategy for farmers and cooperatives
• Capacity empowerment for rural women cooperatives for a better quantitative and qualitative production.

The Project is part of a longer term strategy aiming at supporting and reinforcing capacities of local stakeholders, mainly farmers, local rural women cooperatives, and related governmental entities (MoA and MoPW).

OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANT MISSION

General Objective

The general objective of the consultancy is to train around 25 people in the techniques of hatching eggs and rearing chicks to reach the markets as chicks, broilers or as a laying hen.

Specific objectives

• Develop an appropriate curriculum for the theoretical and practical training
• Draft the agenda of theoretical and practical training with tentative time frame
• Provide details about all possible issues that face chicken farmers and the remedies for every issue; biosecurity and treatment.
• Coordinate with the incubator technical expert who builds hatcheries in the training delivery and schedule.

The expected outcomes of this consultancy are as follows

• The Project expects the consultant to deliver the training to incubators owners, prospective incubator owners, and others in the domain of poultry production.
• All the participants at the end of the training should be able to manage a small unit of egg hatching, chick raising and hens of broilers production. Incubators size varies from 48 eggs to 1000 eggs.

Poultry Biosecurity and Chicken Rearing

1. General Aspects of Incubation and Chicken Rearing

In the domain of egg fertilization and chick production techniques, the consultant shall provide an introduction about the sector and highlight the importance of this sector in the agricultural industry in Lebanon& as an additional source of income to the farmers & their families. It is expected that the Consultant will highlight techniques in chick rearing and hatchlings management.

Consultant will also train on hatchery management, the implementation of biosecurity measures & incubation equipment usage, & will provide practical advice and tools to improve the quantity and quality of one day-old chicks - and maximize their profit.

The following are the minimum required topics:

1. Rearing layers & Egg Hatching

Introduction to the curriculum (Management starts before receiving the layers until chicks’ production)

Biosecurity in farms, transportation, & hatcheries

Hazards at work place in egg incubation and chicken rearing

Problems the farmers might face & the solutions

1. Hatchery Management and best practices for a maximum economic return

Round table discussion with experienced managers of hatcheries 

Egg management

Bio-security

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning in the hatchery

Hatching triggers

Embryonic development

Hatch problem analysis

1. Practical training, follow up on hatcheries and on hatchlings

SIF expects the STTC to use power Point Presentations, videos and case studies throughout the whole session and provide the participants with brochure and manuals. 

1. Final report of findings and recommendations.

Reports directly to SIF’s Beirut Office, to the Food Security and Livelihood Manager. S/he will submit the following reports at the end of the training sessions:

• Presentation of the outcome to the SIF FSL team;
• The Narrative Report draft that provide technical guidance for future steps including recommendations

Agenda of the consultancy

Level of Effort (LEE):

• Curriculum preparation (cost to be suggested by the trainer)
• 10 working days of delivery of theoretical and practical training
• 1 day reporting

Qualifications of the consultant

Person qualifications

• Certified Agricultural engineer or veterinarian
• Strong interpersonal skills and a supportive technical and communication style
• Knowledgeable of the legal and regulatory issues pertaining to poultry production in Lebanon
• Strong experience in poultry production in the public and private sectors (At least 10 years including field experience)
• More than 7 years of expertise in poultry production training in Lebanon
• Strong experience in working with international organizations on poultry management & Health (More than 7 years)
• Experience in  the Shouf region is a plus
• Strong command of Arabic (the training language)

Time Frame

Training is divided into several sessions that includes practical and follow up, incubation progress and monitoring, hatching and chick health.

Duty station: Shouf, Lebanon

Contract Length: August 1 - October 30

Level of Effort (LOE): 16 days (5 days curriculum preparation, 10 days theoretical and practical, and 1 day reporting).