Consultancy for the Engagement of a Poultry Module Writer under the Farmer Communication Programme at Biovision Africa Trust At Biovision Africa Trust

INTRODUCTION

Biovision Africa Trust’s (BvAT) wishes to recruit a module writer to support in the production of content on poultry for the The Organic Farmer Magazine under Farmer Communication Programme.

Biovision Africa Trust’s (BvAT) goal is to alleviate poverty and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers through information dissemination. BvAT has various programs aimed at empowering smallholder farmers with relevant information to effectively undertake activities in the farm. One of its programs is the Farmer Communication Program with four projects under it: The Organic Farmer (TOF) Magazine, TOF radio, Outreach and Infonet projects.

TOF Magazine project is a monthly publication that promotes ecologically sustainable agriculture. As part of its mandate to develop content on common and priority value chains for dissemination in focus regions, the project is developing a module on poultry keeping that is aimed at providing clear and practical information to poultry keepers on poultry breeds, feeding, housing and disease management.

Purpose of the assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to develop content on poultry breeds, housing, feeding and disease management for The Organic Magazine (TOF) to be published as a module.

The consultant/expert will:

• Produce written content of not less than 30pages long, typed in font size 12, and 1.5 spacing. The write-up should be submitted alongside photos and diagrams to be used and will comprise of the following subtopics:
  • Chicken breeds and their commercial sources in Kenya
  • Poultry housing for various breeds
  • Feeding for each chicken breed including how to make chicken feed at home
  • Poultry disease management and vaccination (All interventions must be aligned to IFOAM standards and animal welfare principles).
• Produce content that is comprehensive and in line with organic farming standards and principles.
• Use language that is easily understandable by the small holder farmer.
• Edit the work before submission and ensure it has fully covered the required areas, is coherent and error-free.

Duration of the assignment

The work is to begin 6th of November 2021 and deadline for submitting the first draft is 20th November 2021. The final module is to be submitted and approved by 10th December 2021.

Required skills and experience

1. A diploma or bachelor’s degree in agricultural studies, journalism, or related field.
2. At least three years’ experience in writing especially on agricultural matters.
3. Proficiency in crafting messages with clarity and simplicity without using complex structures.
4. Experience working with poultry farmers or in a poultry farm is an added advantage.
5. Thoroughness in writing and editing, to ensure accuracy of information, consistency of sentence structure, text coherence and error-free text.
6. Knowledge of organic agriculture is preferred.
7. The writer must demonstrate ability to meet deadlines.
8. Experience contributing quality articles to the TOF magazine that have been published will be an added advantage.

Expected Deliverables

A poultry module of not less than 30pages long, typed in font size 12, and 1.5 spacing, submitted alongside photos and diagrams to be used and will comprise of the following subtopics:

• Chicken breeds and their commercial sources in Kenya
• Poultry housing for various breeds
• Feeding for each chicken breed including how to make chicken feed at home
• Poultry disease management and vaccination (All interventions must be aligned to IFOAM standards and animal welfare principles).

Reporting and coordination: The consultant will report to the project officer.