Consultancy Opportunity: Cattle Nutrition Mentoring for USDA Food for Progress Safety and Quality Investment in Livestock Project (SQIL) in Tbilisi, Georgia

CONSULTANCY OPPORTUNITY

Cattle Nutrition Mentoring

USDA Food for Progress Safety and Quality Investment in Livestock Project

Tbilisi, Georgia

Background: Land O’Lakes’ Venture37 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit helping communities around the world build economies by strengthening agriculture from farm-to-fork, helping businesses grow, and linking farmers to markets. Since our start in 1981, we have been leveraging nearly 100 years of expertise in dairy, animal nutrition, crop inputs and agricultural insights from our close affiliate, Land O’Lakes, Inc., a farmer-owned agribusiness committed to fulfilling its purpose of feeding human progress.

Our team is made up of nearly 350 employees who are committed to market-led approaches, and passionate about collaborating locally to create lasting inclusive economic growth. By unlocking the potential of agriculture for the last 40 years, the lives of more than 3 million people have been transformed through nearly 300 programs in more than 80 countries.

Project Description: The USDA Food for Progress Safety and Quality Investment in Livestock (SQIL) project is an eight-year demand-driven project that will improve food safety and quality along Georgia’s dairy and beef value chains. From farm-to-fork, USDA Food for Progress SQIL aims to reduce losses, improve food safety and quality, boost competitiveness, productivity and trade within the Georgian dairy and beef market systems. The project achieves these goals through an integrated approach of expanding market access, improving sanitary standards, strengthening postharvest handling and storage, increasing productivity, improving access to finance, and promoting regulatory reforms.

Purpose and Objectives of the Assignment: The Consultant will conduct tailored technical assistance and mentoring to animal nutritionists and animal feed specialists to three of Georgia’s leading animal nutrition companies. Through a series of online training sessions, the technical assistance will be provided to each company individually to improve their knowledge of cattle nutrition and their extension practices.

Consultant Tasks: To complete this scope of work, the Consultant is expected to complete the following task:

Conduct an envisioned seven technical assistance and coaching sessions (online) with each of the three Georgian animal feed companies over a six-month period (21 sessions in total). The technical assistance and coaching sessions are envisioned to last 1 hour each, including Q&A and will be tailored to each of the companies’ individually needs based on discussions with the participants. A reasonable amount of follow-up and communication between sessions with the animal feed companies is expected. Topics that are expected to be covered:

• Different feed rations per age range and status of the cattle (dairy, beef, lactating, dry, transitional).
• Adjusting feed components based on the age, category, lactation.
• Basis of the US cattle nutrition formulation principles (examples could include formulation programs).
• Alternative ingredients and functional additives to improve yield.
• Animal feed company extension practices on farms, including recalculation of the ration on site.
• Common nutrition related animal diseases and control mechanism

Draft a report summarizing findings and recommendations from the training as well as recommendations for future assistance to improve the animal nutrition profession in Georgia.

Deliverables: Under this scope of work, the Consultant is expected to complete the following deliverables:

• Remote technical assistance and coaching to the three Georgian animal feed companies over a six-month period. 
• Final report that summarizes the findings and recommendations from the Consultancy, as well as recommendations for future assistance to improve the animal nutrition profession in Georgia.

Desired Qualifications: The Consultant will ideally possess the following qualifications and experience:

• Demonstrated prior experience working in animal nutrition for a private sector feed mill.
• Prior experience advising private sector feed companies, ideally in emerging markets.
• Prior experience delivering training to animal nutritionists.
• Proven knowledge of the topics requested above.

Evaluation Criteria: Candidates will be evaluated based on:

• Their demonstrated prior experience and knowledge to successfully complete the scope of work.
• Prior experience providing capacity building support to animal feed companies, farms, or animal nutritionists in an emerging country context.
• Reasonableness of proposed daily rate.

Application Instructions: Interested and qualified candidates should submit their CV at the link no later than October 18, 2024. Shortlisted candidate(s) will be contacted to discuss their compensation expectations.

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