1 - Background to the assignment

A – CCL and the project ADAEBIO2  

The CCL (Comité de Coopération avec le Laos) has been involved in implementing rural development programs in Laos for about 40 years. Currently, CCL works in different provinces in Laos, including Phongsaly, Oudomxai and Bolikhamsai. 

The project ADAEBio phase 2 “Project on Integrated rural development in Beng, La and Xay districts, Oudomxay province”, funded by Bread for the World and the French Development Agency, is implemented from 1^st of January 2025 to 31^st of December 2027. It targets 50 villages from ethnic minorities (Khmu 80%, Hmong 10%, Akha 9%, Lao/PouNoy 1%). The project follows an integrated and participatory approach and has 3 specific objectives:

1. The villagers and communities activate levers to reduce the economic and environmental vulnerability of their agroecosystems. 
2. The local governance on environment and economic development issues is strengthened. 
3. The local knowledge on development and environmental issues are acknowledged, strengthened and shared at the scale of the Oudomxay province and beyond.

B - Context on livestock

Livestock is a key pillar of Laos’ agricultural economy, providing essential income, food security, and livelihoods for a large portion of the rural population. However, production efficiency is often limited by traditional livestock farming methods, limited knowledge of modern techniques, and challenges in disease prevention and management.

The baseline conducted at the beginning of the project ADAEBio 2 underlines the critical role played by livestock in the intervention villages. Indeed, among the 50 villages of intervention, 19 have cows or/and buffaloes or/and chicken mentioned as one of the 3 first sources of income. While 55% of households of the intervention villages own cows, 91% own poultry. Moreover, animal disease is considered as the first limiting factor to livestock production by 92% of villages. The most common diseases include foot-and-mouth disease (cattle), pasteurellosis (cattle) and Newcastle disease (poultry). Farmers often mention a lack of knowledge about disease prevention and management as the first constraint. Feeding management is considered as the second most limiting factor to animal production. Indeed, many complain about the lack of feed during the dry season, especially for cattle. Practically all villages wish to learn about forage conservation techniques, such as hay and silage. Beneficiaries also display a high interest in growing forage crops (ruzi, napier, etc) and are keen to learn new techniques (ex: silage of cassava leaves).

C - Integration of livestock component in ADAEBIO2

CCL has been working with farmers engaged in a transition to agroecological livestock systems through model farmers, technical training, the supply of inputs and vaccination campaigns. In the frame of ADAEBio2, the following activities are planned: 

Following on from the actions carried out during Phase 1, the project will support farmers engaged in a transition to agroecological livestock systems. The project will organize technical training, with the intervention of model farmers where possible, provide inputs (fodder seeds, small equipment) to priority farmers, ensure technical monitoring of beneficiaries and organize technical exchanges between livestock farmers.  

Indicator: 500 farmers (40% of women) beneficiate from technical training on agroecological livestock husbandry. 400 farmers receive inputs to support their animal husbandry systems.

The prevention and treatment of livestock diseases is one of the main levers for reducing the vulnerability of agricultural production systems in northern Laos. In coordination with the teams from the department of agriculture, the project will organize technical training for village focal people on animal diseases and levers to reduce the spread of diseases, particularly in the event of outbreaks being identified. In a complementary manner and in order to initiate changes in farmers' behaviour, the project will organize three vaccination campaigns on the most common epizootic diseases in the intervention area. The activity will link to a One Health approach.

Indicator: 250 households beneficiate from animal vaccination. 4000 animals beneficiate from vaccination.

These ToR relate to the training of trainers (ToT) related to these 2 activities. The project will work with 21 priority villages for the livestock component. In each village, one focal person will be selected for the activities related to animal husbandry. The 21 selected focal farmers, together with 6 staff from the government (2 from each district) and 1 CCl staff, will be trained on the basics related to animal health and feed. These ToR also relate to the continuous capacity building and coaching of the CCl staff responsible for livestock husbandry.

2 – Objectives and outputs of the consultancy

A – Specific objectives of the consultancy

Specific objective 1

Provide knowledge, tools and methodology to the project team and village focal farmers 1) to conduct holistic health management of cattle and poultry (including prevention), 2) to conduct appropriate vaccination campaigns of cattle and poultry on the main diseases 3) to implement practical solutions to the lack of feed of cattle during the dry season 4) to be able to grow relevant fodder crops.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the knowledge, tools and methodology that should be provided:

• Common and most serious diseases of cattle and poultry: causes, symptoms, modes of transmission.
• Prophylaxis: practical ways and solutions to keep animals healthy and prevent the apparition of cattle and poultry diseases. This aspect is particularly important for farmers who have limited access to vaccination or treatment.  
• Vaccination: knowledge and tools to be able to vaccinate cattle and poultry against the main diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease (cattle), pasteurellosis (cattle) and Newcastle disease (poultry).
• Treatment: The focus should not be on treatment but rather on prophylaxis, holistic health management and vaccination. However, if some treatments are accessible technically, financially and geographically to the communities, they should be presented.
• A methodology for the village focal farmers to accompany communities on holistic livestock health management for cattle and poultry.
• Principles of cattle nutrition and feed formulation needs, in regards to the context of the dry season and the species available at community level.
• Technical itinerary for the main fodder species to provide to cattle (Ruzi for fibres + Stylosanthes for proteins?), with considerations of the constraints related to the dry season and the technical/social/economic context of rural communities.  
• Practical solutions for maintaining a proper feeding of cattle all through the dry season. These techniques include, between others, hay and silage. The proposed techniques should be presented considering the field constraints (technical, economic, social) farmers may deal to implement them.
• A methodology for the village focal farmers to accompany communities on practical feeding of cattle all through the year, including during the dry season.

Specific objective 2

Provide regular follow-up, training and coaching to the technical advisor of CCL dedicated to the livestock aspects.

The CCL technician responsible for that activity is quite new to the field of livestock husbandry and requires continuous capacity building beyond the primary training of trainers. The content of this continuous coaching will be developed based on the questions, requirements and needs expressed by the technician over the first year after the signature of this consultancy. 

B – Outputs of the consultancy

Output 1

A Training of Trainers of 6 days is given to 28 people about health management of cattle and poultry and feed solutions for cattle. 

This training should be given in order to:

• Be participatory, with pedagogic and interactive tools to make participants involve and remember the content. The knowledge, tools and methodology should not be given in a top-down way but co-built with the participants. 
• Include field work. These sessions in the field will include 1) exercises for the participants to diagnose practical levers of action for improvement of health (cattle/poultry) and feed management (cattle) of selected livestock systems 2) demonstrations of vaccination of cattle and poultry against the main diseases 3) demonstrations of adapted techniques for providing fodder during the dry season 4) field visit and demonstration of technical itinerary for the main fodder crops for cattle (on-field demonstration of planting, management, harvest, stocking – if possible) 
• Identify 2 technical skills/capacities to strengthen the CCL technician in livestock husbandry in accordance with the project’s need sand the current capacities of the technician (cf. output 3).

Output 2

Three manuals are provided to participants of the training of trainers, for a practical use in the field: 

• Holistic health management of cattle: it explains the most impacting cattle diseases, prophylaxis practices, vaccination guidelines, treatment (if any accessible and affordable by communities). Particularly, it provides a practical methodology to accompany farmers on holistic health management of cattle.
• Holistic health management of poultry: it explains the most impacting poultry diseases, prophylaxis practices, vaccination guidelines, treatment (if any accessible and affordable by communities). Particularly, it provides a practical methodology to accompany farmers on holistic health management of poultry.
• Practical solutions for cattle feeding: it explains the basic principles of cattle nutrition, gives technical itineraries of the main fodder species, proposes practical solutions for feeding cattle all through the dry season and provides a practical methodology to accompany farmers on feeding cattle during the dry season.

Output 3

The CCL technician responsible for livestock husbandry masters the 2 technical aspects identified during the  Training of Trainers.

 The format of this coaching/capacity building will be designed depending on the needs expressed by the CCL technician. It could be done through online sessions, as well as through field missions. A total of 4 days of training is provided.

3 – Deliverables and timeline

4 - Methodology

The methodology is detailed in the table below:

5 - Conditions

This number of working days (16) is indicative and based on the project budget prevision and will be discussed with the selected consultant.

The training of trainers is expected to be held in Oudomxai province. Trips between Vientiane and Oudomxai, as well as transportation within Oudomxai province, will be covered by CCL. DSA and accommodation costs should appear in the daily rate proposed by the consultant. 

6 - Selection process 

The CCL is looking for one national (Lao PDR) consultant. 

The application file should include: 

• A Curriculum Vitae of the consultants involved.
• A technical proposal which includes the description of the method followed to complete each step of the consultancy, with a list of 1) the animal diseases, 2) prophylaxis practices, 3) fodder species, 4) techniques for cattle nutrition during the dry season – which the Training of Trainers will include.
• A financial proposal which details the consultancy fees (related to the number of working days required and every expense expected to be made to reach the objectives of the consultancy). The financial proposal should detail the expected costs for each of the outputs of the consultancy.
• Any other documents developed by the applicant and that could be relevant to the topic of the consultancy (ex: previous manuals, participatory tools, training videos, etc.).

The following skills will be assets:

• Background and experience in facilitation of such training of trainers
• Experience in developing this kind of manual and training material related to health and nutrition of livestock.
• The ability to 1) develop a practical approach for health management, focused on appropriate prophylaxis practices 2) select the relevant fodder species for cattle feeding 3) select adapted techniques for cattle nutrition during dry season.

For any question about this call for proposal, please contact, before October 7, 2025: Mr Dorian DEJACE, dorian.dejace@ccl-laos.org.

Candidates should send their application file per email by October 7, 2025 to:

• CCL Director, Ms. Manivone Vorachak, manivone@ccl-laos.org
• CCL program officer: Ms. Violaine Fourile, violaine.fourile@ccl-laos.org 
• CCL Project advisor for ADAEBIO2: Mr Dorian DEJACE, dorian.dejace@ccl-laos.org 

The consultant selected will be offered a consultancy contract signed with CCL.