Provision of Digital Solutions to Veterinary and Artificial Insemination Services at Heifer International

ABOUT KEMDAP

KEMDAP is a 4-year project funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) that was jointly designed by Heifer International, New KCC, Tetra Laval, Food for Development Office (FfDO) and Tetra Pak Kenya (Tetra Pak) and targeted 20,000 in the North Rift (Nandi, Trans-Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet counties) and 10,000 in Upper Eastern Embu, Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties.

The project seeks to tap into the potential of small-scale dairy farmers in Kenya by building stronger and sustainable dairy cooperative societies. To achieve this, KEMDAP focuses on addressing the underlying challenges that hinder small-scale farmers from increasing their dairy production, improving livelihoods and moving beyond subsistence dairy farming.

Various interventions are being undertaken, these include; training of cooperatives, the board of directors on leadership, governance and business development; training of farmers on social capital, village-level group savings, gender equality among other relevant skills.

This approach is meant to nurture resilience and sustainability beyond the project life. To build sustainable farmer-owned agribusinesses, the project seeks to support the establishment of functional extension structures. This entails supporting the 24 dairy cooperatives to recruit Community Facilitators (CFs), Dairy Farm Assistants (DFAs) and Extension Officers(EOs).

Background of extension digitalization

HPI has been seeking to collaborate with innovation firms to digitize and improve access and monitoring of its extension services. This strategy aligns with the extension policy (NASEP 2008) that promised innovative approaches, including a pluralistic approach in extension service provision involving various actors from the government as well as the private sector, use of information and communication technology (“ICT”) services and provision of a favourable environment to facilitate the use of the ICT services.

Problem statement and proposed solution

The outbreak of COVID-19 has impacted the way extension services are delivered to farmers such as limiting face to face interactions and farm visits, there is, therefore, a need for stakeholders to devise innovative approaches to extension and Heifer continue to explore alternative means to continue supporting farmers to ensure that extension services are not interrupted and ICT remain to innovation in extension service delivery.

Heifer International considers investment in digital extension systems as a key alternative to deliver training modules and packages. This should provide farmers with 24-hour access to verified farming information, access to a farmer to farmer networking platform, data-driven decision making and access for farmers to interact with experts.

Purpose of this consultancy

Heifer is looking for a service provider for an innovative digital solution to animal health and artificial insemination services for the project beneficiary farmers across the country starting with the North Rift region.

The proposed solution should provide voice-based training and Short Message Service (SMS) (i.e. digital training room, farmer chatroom, expert chatroom). These should be in local dialect tailored for 8,000 – 12,000 framers including those with featured phones.

The platform will also help producer organizations to mobilize more farmers and improve farmer’s access to veterinary and Artificial Insemination services through their voluntary subscription to these services after sensitization.

Heifer will have access to online generated reports through a web portal dashboard.

The reports will provide information on the following:

1. Training: Number of farmers who have accessed the training

2. Health report: number of Cows treated, number of farmers with Farm Specific plans done by the referred service providers and diseases treated to enable Heifer to understand the needs of the farmers and align their training accordingly.

3. Artificial Insemination: Number of Artificial Insemination done by the referred service provider, prediction of cows expected to repeat Artificial Insemination, and prediction of cows expected
dried, steamed, repeat A.I that will help Heifer understand training needs for the farmers

General Objectives

The general objective of the partnership is to ensure continued farmer access to extension services through a digital platform and monitor uptake.

Through a subscription to a commercial package, Heifer beneficiaries will be able to access training modules, a platform to engage with fellow farmers or experts and access to Heifer website.

The producer organizations will have access to up to five training modules.

Specific objectives

a) Increase reach and uptake of extension services and animal health services

b) Encourage farmer-led learning that augments face to face training making it more

c) Improve monitoring and evaluation of training and animal health services thus informing Heifer’s capacity building programs

d) Promote cost efficiency in program interventions

e) Promote sustainability of extension services

f) Improve linkages and transparency along and among the dairy value chain actors.

Scope of Work

1. Heifers to outline the target farmer training needs based on analysis of the project midterm review to guide in developing training modules

2. Heifer to compile a list of target farmers and submit to the contractor to initiate enrolment process (starting with beneficiaries in the pilot counties of Nandi & Uasin Gishu).

3. The contractor to host the training on the digital platform and make it accessible to farmers

4. Heifer in partnership with producer organizations to sensitize farmers on the engagement to make digital training accessible via mobile and other online platforms. This will include online
engagement of extension staff and Dairy Farm Assistants (DFAs) to mobilize and train farmers on the use of identified platforms.

5. Contractor and Heifer to conduct training reviews regularly and update on farmer training needs based on their interaction on the platform.

Expected Deliverables

1. Training needs assessment report compiled for the project producer organizations and guidance provided for the five priority modules/training packages

2. Reports on the number of farmers invited vis-à-vis responsive and level of interaction on the digital platform & services access through the veterinary services and artificial insemination platforms

3. Training packages developed, uploaded and accessed on the identified digital platform. The Digital training package to consists of; Digital training room for self-learning, Farmer chatroom
for interaction with other farmers, expert chatroom for interaction with an expert, and scrolling banner/link that directs the learner to Heifer website.

4. Documentation of key lessons learned in the application of the digital extension services.

Supervision and Coordination

The successful applicant will work under the direct supervision of the KEMDAP Project Manager.

The Director of Programmes will provide overall assignment oversight.

The consultant, under the duration of the contract, will also work closely with the technical project teams.

Confidentiality

It should be noted that all the information and reports collected in the process of undertaking this exercise shall be the property of Heifer International.