Call for Applications to Participate in a Short Course on Technical Consulting to the Commercial Livestock Feed Manufacturing Sector

Background

The Ethiopian Animal Feed Industry Association (EAFIA) was established in 2008 to represent the interests of animal feed manufacturers and other feed sector stakeholders. It supports members and others through capacity building activities such as trainings and technical support on GMP and HACCP as well as public sector engagement on policy issues important to growth and profitability. It is registered with the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

ACDI/VOCA is a U.S. based international NGO dedicated to achieving better lives for people and communities by increasing economic prosperity and social inclusion. It is registered with the Agency for Civil Society Organizations and has been implementing rural economic growth projects in Ethiopia since 1994.

The Feed Enhancement for Ethiopian Development Project (FEED), currently in its third phase, is supported by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and being implemented by ACDI/VOCA in Amhara, Oromia, SNNP and Tigray regional states. The overall goal of FEED is to increase the incomes of Ethiopian smallholder livestock producers by improving access to, and use of, consistently safe, affordable, high quality animal feed that can support greater livestock and poultry productivity, efficiency and profitability.

The challenge and opportunity

Among its various activities, FEED has been supporting development of the commercial animal feed manufacturing sector. Targets of this support include establishment of commercial feed manufacturing enterprises and capacity building of related input and service providers as well as government regulatory bodies and trade associations.   

One of the gaps identified in the sector is local capacity to provide high level technical support to feed manufacturers. Areas of need include feed product formulation, quality control, good manufacturing practices (GMP), hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) management approach and regulatory compliance.

With this announcement, EAFIA and FEED III are soliciting applications from individuals who are interested in developing the skills necessary to provide such high level technical support to feed manufacturers on a consulting basis. It is expected that after receiving training participants will actively market their services to feed manufacturers. The intended outcome is to have consultants providing technical support, either full or part time, to feed enterprises on a fee-for-service or retainer basis, to improve customer satisfaction, profitability and regulatory compliance.

Training will include 4 days of classroom presentation, discussion and exercises in Addis Ababa and one day of site visits to feed processors. This will be followed by at least 4 months of field work with cooperating feed manufacturing enterprises, involving one to two days per month per client on site with occasional further consultation by email and phone as needed. Trainers will monitor and support participants throughout their field work by email and phone. A two day follow up session will be held after approximately one month to share and discuss activities, challenges and solutions. A two day workshop will be held at the end of the program.

Training will be implemented by the EAFIA with contributions by staff from the FEED III project, Hawassa University, the Ethiopian Veterinary Drug and Animal Feed Administration and Control Authority (VDFACA) and the Ethiopian Standards Agency (ESA). Target time frame for the classroom training session is April 13 through 17. Monthly site visits will continue through at least August 2020.

This program is made possible by a grant from the USDA FEED III project to the EAFIA.

Applicant Qualifications

• MSc. in animal science or closely related field required, preferably animal feeds and nutrition (PhD preferred);
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in activities involving animal nutrition, feeds and feeding, feed processing and ration formulation required;
• Strong computer skills required (at a minimum, applications such as Excel and Word) and must have own laptop computer;
• Knowledge of business management and marketing as it relates to livestock and feed enterprises desirable;