Expression of Interest for Final Program Evaluation – Volunteers for Healthy Animals and Healthy Communities Project

1. Overview
The Volunteers for Healthy Animals and Healthy Communities project (V4H2) will directly improve the livelihoods of some of the most food insecure people in the developing world by using skilled Canadian volunteers to support the efforts of small-scale farmers to produce more and better food from livestock and to reduce health threats to people from animals. Veterinarians without Borders / Vétérinaires sans frontières (VWB/VSF) will recruit and send 102 Canadian volunteers over the next five years to work with developing country partners in Ghana, Kenya, Lao PDR, Tanzania, Uganda, and Vietnam to help create integrated animal health systems that benefit small-scale farmers. Volunteers will use various techniques and activities to ensure that their work builds local capacity:

2. Context and Project Rationale
In the global south, more than 90 per cent of food animals are raised by subsistence farmers; yet small-scale livestock producers, the majority of whom are women, have very limited access to the animal health services. Aside from the risks associated with the loss of valuable livestock, zoonotic diseases that can be passed from animals to humans offer a very real threat to human health.

Small-scale livestock producers in the south have little or no expert support in the care of their animals, particularly when it comes to animal health. Producers in the developing world remain poor because they are so vulnerable – they lack the necessary support to prevent, or cure diseases in their livestock, or to maximize the benefits that their livestock offer. The V4H2 project addresses that vulnerability by improving the livelihoods, health, and nutrition of some of the world’s poorest communities through the care and management of animals. In working toward the goal of increasing food security and improving the economic outlook for marginalized people, VWB/VSF is guided by the aspirations of the communities with which it works and is committed to participatory and inclusive approaches to development.

Sustainable agricultural development, a key focus of all VWB/VSF volunteers, is a key objective for VWB/VSF’s work. The improvement of livestock production also builds sustainable economic growth for communities and individual farmers. Small livestock are relatively easy for poor people to access. Livestock grow and reproduce, offering risk mitigation through income diversification. However, farmers also need community-owned enterprises to support them in their economic endeavors. VWB/VSF will also recruit small business advisors to assist farmers in improving their own business practices as well as those of community-owned businesses, such as dairy cooperatives, and livestock production and marketing groups.

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Qualifications/Necessary skills and Experience of the Consultants
• A post-graduate degree in monitoring and evaluation or another relevant field.
• Alternatively, a training in the field of agriculture or related field.
• At least 5-10 years’ experience in conducting similar studies.
• Proven track record and ability to liaise with many different groups at different levels; including policy makers, grass-root civil society organizations, field workers, technical experts, etc.
• A broad knowledge on food security programs and their relationship to socio-political factors.
• Conceptual and analytical skills.
• Knowledge of participatory approaches and tools.
• Fluency in English is a must, Arabic an asset.
• Excellent time management skills, with an ability to deliver high-quality outputs on time.

Application Guidelines
Interested and qualified professionals (individuals, Consulting Agencies, Firms or Institutions) should submit their applications including the following:
a. Technical Proposal (including Work plan & Methodology)
b. Financial Proposal (Proposed Budget)
c. Profiles of Firm/Consultants (CVs) and Introduction Letters
d. References and List of previous works
The Documentation requested above shall be sent via e-mail to: career@sendwestafrica.org
Deadline for Applications 25th of October 2019

Notes:
• Please DO NOT send original documents and/or heavy attachments
• Additional information will be required only in case of pre-selection and short-listing.
• Applications will be assessed on a continuous basis and once a qualified individual or institution is identified the opportunity will be closed.
• Please indicate the earliest you can commence the assignment