Tissue Culture Expert for Cashew Variety
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: Negotiable
- Open to Foreign National: Yes
Reports to: Trade, Investment and Agri-food Innovation Lead
Period of Assignment: August 2026 to July 2027
Duration: up to 90 days (virtual and including travel to Cambodia)
Employment type: International Consultant
Contractual arrangement: Eligible for individual international expert
To advance Cambodia's agri-food innovation ecosystem, CAPRED is seeking for a highly qualified Cashew Tissue Culture Expert. The expert will play a crucial role in improving the quality, uniformity, and availability of cashew planting materials. This consultancy aims to build local capacity and develop a viable protocol for the micropropagation of high-value Cambodian cashew varieties, particularly the M-23 cashew variety. The successful candidate will work closely with the CAPRED team, researchers from the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), and the lead plant breeder of the M-23 cashew variety to establish a foundation for a modern cashew propagation system in Cambodia.
- Phase 1: Information gathering and Recommendations
- Develop an inception report and workplan outlining the methodology, timeline, stakeholder engagement approach, and key assessment activities.
- Undertake a scoping assessment of tissue culture propagation for the M-23 cashew variety in Cambodia, drawing on Australian expertise to assess technical feasibility, commercial potential, and scalability.
- Engage with key industry stakeholders, including the M-23 plant breeder, nursery operators, farmers, processors, researchers, and other relevant actors to identify opportunities, constraints, and priority areas for investment and capacity development.
- Assess the institutional, technical, and commercial requirements necessary to establish a sustainable tissue culture system for Cambodian cashew varieties, particularly M-23.
- Identify practical entry points for CAPRED support and provide recommendations to strengthen commercialization, industry adoption, and long-term sustainability.
- Submit a final assessment report consolidating findings, recommendations for potential CAPRED interventions, implementation options, indicative budget estimates, and a proposed roadmap for scaling sustainable tissue culture propagation of Cambodian cashew varieties, particularly the M-23 variety.
- Phase 2: Potential Implementation Support
- Based on the study findings, the consultant may undertake the following scope of work:
- Develop and validate tissue culture propagation protocols for selected Cambodian cashew varieties, with a primary focus on the M-23 variety.
- Lead the technical implementation of tissue culture activities, including explant initiation, multiplication, rooting, acclimatisation, and quality assurance processes.
- Design and deliver practical training and capacity-building programs for selected partners, including researchers, plant breeders, and commercial nursery operators.
- Support the establishment and management of nursery and field trials for tissue-cultured planting materials, including the development of technical guidelines and monitoring frameworks.
- Collaborate with CAPRED and local partners to monitor plantlet performance, assess commercial viability, and identify pathways for scaling tissue culture propagation within Cambodia's cashew sector.
- English - Fluent is required
- Master's Degree in plant biotechnology, Horticulture, Plant Science, or a related field, preferably Australian expert
- Plant tissue culture and micropropagation like cashew variety for over 10 years as a minimum
- Direct experience with cashew (Anacardium occidentale) tissue culture is highly desirable and will be a significant advantage.
- Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering technical training and capacity-building programs to researchers and technicians.
- Familiarity with the Cambodian cashew context is a plus.
- Experience working on international development projects, preferably in Southeast Asia.
- Demonstrated knowledge and experience in implementing GEDSI principles and climate resilience into assessments and recommendations.
- Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory.
- Excellent communication and mentorship skills, with an ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural environment.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Demonstrated ability to work constructively with a diverse team, including the CAPRED team, other experts, and CAPRED's partners.
Cashew Skill Development Centre Consultant
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Reports to: Trade, Investment and Agri-food Innovation Lead
Period of Assignment: September 2026 to May 2027
Duration: up to 120 days
Employment type: National Consultant
Contractual arrangement: Eligible for individual national expert
CAPRED is seeking to recruit a proactive, highly qualified and experienced individual for the position of Cashew Skill Development Centre Consultant. The ideal candidate must have experience in working in a team environment and engaging with the RGC and the private sector. Key duties include facilitating with RGC, especially Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) and the Polytechnic Institute of Kampong Thom (PIKT), ADB to enhance skill development in the cashew sector. The role will also work closely with the private sector, especially cashew processors to identify skill gaps and suitable programs to upgrade and prepare target and demand-driven skill development.
The role will be based in Cambodia (Phnom Penh and possible travels to the provinces). This is a short-term position with a possible extension. The Cashew Skill Development Centre Consultant will report to the Trade, Investment and Agri-food Innovation Lead.
Scope of Work
The Consultant will provide technical advisory, coordination, facilitation, and capacity development support to PIKT, CAPRED and key stakeholders through four interrelated workstreams. The Consultant will work closely with CAPRED team alongside with key stakeholders, MLVT, PIKT, ADB, cashew processors, industry associations, and Australian TVET institutions, and other relevant stakeholders.
- Design and lead interventions to support the establishment of a demand-driven and sustainable cashew skills development centre.
- Support the development and pilot of industry-driven training programs aligned with cashew labour market demand and strengthen trainer capability and institutional quality assurance systems.
- Work closely with Polytechnic Institute of Kampong Thom, Training and Vocational Educational and Training (TVET) under the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT), Asia Development Bank (ADB), Australian institute and industry to design curriculum to support upgrading skill and preparing skills for new investors in cashew industry.
- Facilitate different stakeholder engagement to ensure synergies.
- Explore opportunities to integrate GEDSI and climate resilience into investment works of trade, investment, agri-food innovation projects.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Trade, Investment, and Agri-food Innovation lead.
- Khmer - Fluent
- English - Fluent
- Bachelor's Degree in TVET, Economics, Education, Human Resource Development, Agribusiness, Agriculture, Industrial Development, Business Administration, or a related field
- Master's Degree is preferred
- TVET, workforce development, skills systems strengthening, agribusiness, agro-processing, or related sectors for 8 years as a minimum
- Demonstrated experiences in supporting TVET institutional development, centre establishment, or workforce development initiatives.
- Experience in agro-processing, food processing, agricultural value chains, or manufacturing sectors is highly desirable. Knowledge and experience in the cashew sector are an advantage.
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing industry-responsive training models.
- Experience developing competency-based curricula, occupational standards, training packages, or skills development programs.
- Proven experience facilitating partnerships between government, industry, training institutions, and development partners.
- Demonstrate Excellent communication skill with both written and spoken Khmer and English.
- Demonstrated ability to integrate GEDSI and climate resilience considerations into program design and implementation.
