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Dry Season Feeding Analyst, Cooperative Development Project- Technical Assistance to Business Partners, Uganda

Position Title:Dry Season Feeding Analyst,Uganda Jobs, 

Organization:Land O'Lakes International Development

Sectors:Agriculture, Livestock (incl. animal/bird production & health)

Minimum Experience : From less than 1 year to more than 20 years

Job Type : Full-time Employment
Dry Season Feeding Analyst,Cooperative Development Project- Technical Assistance to Business Partners, Uganda Land O’Lakes is currently implementing its Cooperative Development Project with several well-established dairy co-operatives in Kenya and Uganda. Funded by USAID, the 5-year project is designed to increase access to self-reliant cooperative enterprises that meet the needs of their members and contribute to improved quality of life for members, especially women. Achievement of this goal will be measured through two key high-level indicators: Revenues of participating integrated cooperatives increased by 20 percent and household net income of integrated cooperative members increased by 25 percent. The project works with 4 cooperative business partners, the Limuru Dairy Farmers cooperative society Ltd, Meru Central dairy Cooperative Union Ltd, Githunguri Dairy Farmers Cooperative in Kenya and the Uganda Cooperative Creameries Cooperative Union (UCCCU) in Uganda.Working with these partners, the 4 phase project design comprises knowledge generation, capture, and sharing with knowledge application and management. This scope of work relates to Phase 4, Application of Knowledge and Management, by providing tailored technical assistance to business partners. The focus of technical assistance results from the collection and analysis of co-op specific business and institutional assessment that resulted in determining gaps in technical assistance. The technical assistance described here is to meet a specific gap or gaps determined with the business partner.

Consultancy background and purpose:This technical assistance will target needs at the farmers of Uganda Crane Creameries Cooperative Union where data collection and analysis have identified the need for improving milk production and expansion on the provision of member services in order to increase patronage and improve UCCCU’s overall business performance.UCCCU (Uganda Crane Creameries Cooperative Union)UCCCU is located in Mbarara, Uganda, a federation of ten member unions that bring together 128 primary cooperative societies throughout Southwest Uganda. Presently there are 18,305 farmer members subscribing to UCCCU through their primary societies and District Cooperative Unions. Currently, milk is collected at primary society level, bulked at the constituent union level and most of it is then sold to Sameer. The total sales turnover in 2012 was Ushs 13 billion (USD 5.2 million). The potential milk production of the ten UCCCU constituent unions is as high as 300,000 liters per day. To create processing capacity, UCCCU members have been contributing capital towards investment to build a processing facility, and to date have generated 700,000 USD towards the construction of the facility. The facility is nearly complete, but still lacks processing equipment. The Board consists of nine members elected from among the ten constituent district dairy cooperative Unions. In addition, there are three advisory ex-officio Board members. Each of the nine Board members is elected directly by delegates representing member Cooperative Unions during an annual general meeting. Each serves for a maximum of 2 - three year terms, but no more than one Board member should come from the same constituent Union. The ex-officio members are appointed by the members to serve advisory roles. The management team is headed by a General Manager overseeing five senior staff.UCCCU’s project plan identifies that one of the biggest challenges the farmers are currently facing is to increase production during the dry season. During the dry season it’s estimated that production is reduced by 40%. The farmers are used to rain fed type of farming and most of them have not solutions during the dry season. Sometimes the drought is so severe that farmers lose quite a number animals particularly in Kiruhura district. A major challenge for dairy farmers is the fact that milk production goes down during the dry season due to reduced quantity and quality of feed supplies.  This gap can be overcome at the farm level by growing high-quality grasses and legumes and conserving them to be feed to animals throughout the year.  However, many dairy farmers do not view grasses and other forage as crops to be cultivated similar to food crops.  A variety of factors affect what dairy cattle eat. These include climate, soil characteristics, and the availability of land, water and labor.  There are three main dairy production systems based on how cows get their nutrients:  zero grazing, semi-zero grazing and free grazing.  When analyzing options for improving animal nutrition, it is important to understand both the current feeding practices and the range of resources available in the target community. UCCCU’s project action plans identify the need to help farmers understand that what and how they feed their cattle has a direct impact on their income from milk sales. This involves focusing on helping farmers produce their own high-quality cattle feed using a farming systems approach that integrates forage crops – grasses and legumes – into the farm’s day-to-day operations.  This type of intensive system – which uses less land than grazing – results in higher year-round milk production and long-term sustainability.  Development activities are designed to assist farmers to grow and conserve high-quality forages and utilize proper feeding techniques.    Feed conservation is vital to ensuring continued milk production throughout the year, including during dry seasons.  As with growing forages, conserving feed should be done using a step-by-step approach that starts with the basics.  Fodder flow planning – a schedule for how much of which forms of feed will be used when.  This technical assistance will assess the needs in each of these areas and identify specific resources, tools, mechanisms and develop a training program so that UCCCU’s current technical staff can implement the systems in the areas. The core staff should then be in a position to also train extension workers at the secondary and primary cooperatives.

Specific Technical assistance tasks:

1) Use existing secondary data and resources to perform a preliminary review of the feeding systems, quality and sources within UCCCU’s milkshed.  Information obtained through desk research and interviews.

2) Conduct economic analysis to demonstrate real returns on investment from using fodder by dairy farmers in UCCCU milkshed. The analysis will demonstrate real life situations where investment in fodder production yields negative, neutral and/or positive economic returns for the farmer. The analysis will help demonstrate the types of situations where utilizing fodder will yield a net benefit and return for the farmer.  The analysis will be performed for different types of dairy farmer scenarios (e.g. size of farm , location) and will include but not be limited to:o Scenario analysis of milk production increases that have resulted from using different types and quantities of feed and fodder o Scenario analysis of farmer costs of production based on current usage of different  types and quantities of feed/fodder.  o Overall economic scenario analysis of farmer net returns based on historical prices, current prices and future prices.

3) Hold stakeholder workshop with constituent secondary Unions at UCCCU to obtain input for ways that Union can engage with service providers and extension agents to help increase access to technologies and inputs for farmers to produce and utilize fodder in ways that will also generate positive economic returns.  The workshop will include discussion on options for technologies that can be promoted  for growing and conserving crops.

4) From outcome of stakeholder meetings with Unions work directly with UCCCU staff to facilitate connections and educational opportunities between UCCCU staff, farmers and business service providers who are working with farmers to increase fodder production and application. 

1. Two to three page written summary of the feeding systems and sources within UCCCU’s milk shed. Include supporting data and references that the reader can use to obtain additional background information and detail.

2. Written summary of economic scenario analysis showcasing levels of economic returns from using fodder.  Provide supporting data and calculations in appendix.

3. Conduct a one day workshop with UCCCU stakeholders and provide written report outlining key take-aways and recommended actions for UCCCU unions to promote fodder production and usage.  The report will also provide  realistic business plan recommendations for ways UCCCU can develop organizational capabilities to increase member access to quality fodder.

4. Perform weeklong field assignment working closely with UCCCU staff to facilitate connections to BDS service providers within a minimum of five of UCCCU secondary unions. Provide written summary of visits detailing the names and contacts of business development services providers and the role that UCCCU and secondary unions can have in working with BDS providers to increase farmers realize increased economic returns from fodder usage and application of fodder technologies.

Terms for deliverables and level of effort

Each written summary will be submitted in electronic copy. Please note that a report that does not meet the management’s expectations in terms of quality will not be accepted. Time frame and proposed Level of effortThis assignment will not take more than 30 calendar days starting in the month of February 2014. The consultant or firm is expected to propose a staffing scenario/budget consistent with the requirements of the terms of reference.The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience working in dairy and/or agriculture.  The individual will also be familiar with feed/fodder systems and have extensive experience working with cooperatives. ·             Excellent written English·             Excellent analytical skills ·             Strong communication skills and ability to manage input from different stakeholders·             Experience working with cooperatives in SW Uganda and ability to travel to SW UgandaIn your application please specify that you found out about this opportunity on DevelopmentAid.org.Applications and updated CV should be submitted to   sjaramillol@andolakes.com