Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Recruitment of Subject Matter expert on Dairy Production
SNV is a not-for-profit international development organization, working in Agriculture, Energy, and Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. Founded in the Netherlands in 1965, we have built a long-term, local presence in more than 30 countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Our global team of local and international advisors works with local partners to equip communities, businesses and organizations with the tools, knowledge and connections they need to increase their incomes and gain access to basic services empowering them to break the cycle of poverty and guide their own development.

Project Background
The Embedding Integrated Water Resources Management (EWMR) Project in Rwanda is a 3-year project funded by the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (EKN) in Kigali. The overall project is led by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and SNV is leading the component on Innovative Financing Mechanisms and Value Chains for enhanced livelihoods in Sebeya and other catchments of Western Rwanda.
The project implements activities to restore the Sebeya catchment using landscape approach through institutional capacity strengthening; village-based land use planning and action implementation; engaging with the private sector for market access; developing livelihood alternatives; and scaling up community-based approaches for restoration. The government of Rwanda is a major player in this project as they facilitate investment fund to enable action on the ground while the technical assistance will be provided by IUCN and SNV subsequently.

Community-based approaches
The EWMR project is anchored on a community-based approach and in recognition of diverse community needs and priorities, it is crucial to incorporate various types of livestock including cows, sheep, goats, pigs, rabbits, and chickens
Rwanda’s livestock masterplan recognizes the potential of livestock to accelerate growth in the agricultural sector, contributing to nutritional gaps as well as improving household incomes. In addition, the need for fodder for livestock can act as an incentive for farmers to grow fodder crops on their farms that are good for feeding livestock as well as providing fuel. The manure from livestock is crucial for improving soil fertility and consequently farm productivity. Livestock integration presents an opportunity for multiple benefits in terms of income generation from the sale of livestock while contributing to EWRMR Project’s environmental objectives.

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The rationale for the assignment
Following recommendations based on community-led Village Land Use Actions Plans (VLUAPs), EWMR disbursed dairy cows to households to improve their livelihoods. However, the households lack knowledge and skills that are crucial for the application of good practices in animal husbandry such as housing, health, reproduction, milk handling, and hygiene. This knowledge gap can easily result in low productivity in both body mass, reproduction, and post-harvest losses in products such as milk due to poor handling and hygiene thus becoming an impediment to optimizing the economic benefits of livestock keeping. Therefore, the support to farmers through training and linkage to both MCCs, inputs, and service providers is necessary to bridge the knowledge gap and equip the dairy farmers with relevant skills that will help them to maximize the benefits of sustainable livestock rearing (within the provisions of their environment) and improve their food security and incomes.
SNV is seeking the services of a technical expert in livestock management, who will work with the EWMR project team to deliver training to farmers in Nyabihu and Rubavu.

Overall objectives of the consultancy
The aim of this assignment is to impart basic knowledge and skills on good animal husbandry practices targeting dairy farmers and integrate them into the dairy value chain to ensure that benefitting households are maximizing benefits from their dairy cows.

Scope of the assignment
This assignment will target dairy farmers, MCCs, and dairy cooperatives in Rubavu and Nyabihu districts. The key activities under the assignment include:
1. Marketing of livestock and livestock products
2. Value addition of milk
3. Milk handling and hygiene
4. Reproduction and breeding including breed types and calf management
5. Health including pest and disease control,
6. Feeding including feed and fodder management,
7. Proper livestock housing and hygiene including waste management,
8. Develop/adapt training modules and deliver training on:
9. Support the establishment of fodder production and conservation demos.
10. Link dairy farmers and MCCs with input and service providers.
11. Develop training reports including before and after evaluations.
12. Monitor uptake of good animal husbandry practices and their effect on dairy cow productivity and household food security

Main deliverables
The main deliverables of the assignment are as follows:
Deliverable Description
Develop training Modules
i) Detailed Modules covering at least the key training aspects as shown in the scope of the assignment.

Deliver training
ii) Present the methodology to use for delivering training
iii) Deliver training of trainers and carry out related technical backstopping in an appropriate manner.
Establish demos of fodder management
iv) Demo plot sites for fodder production and conservation for at least 2 MCCs
Produce training reports
v) Training reports including before and after training evaluation
Submit all related materials and data on trainees to the project team
vi) All training modules will be submitted before the training for review and approval by relevant SNV EWMR staff.
vii) Plans on technical backstopping of training will be submitted after the TOTs
viii) Data on training participants disaggregated by gender will be submitted after the delivery of training.
Duration of the assignment
The assignment will be conducted for a period of 6 months starting from November 2022-April 2023. The Expert will spend most part of the duration of the assignment in the districts of Rubavu, and Nyabihu delivering the training. The expected start date is 1st November 2022.
Submission of applications
Applications should be submitted to https://smrtr.io/b_xNy not later than 4th November 2022, 1700hrs Rwanda, time.