National Expert on Gender and Minority Rights
Project: Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)
Duty Station: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Section/Unit: MAFF Component
Contract/Level: National Consultant for mainstreaming gender and indigenous minority inclusion in the training curriculum and other tools
Supervisor: Project Director and Project Coordinator of PEARL
Mode of Contract: 150 working days for 12 months
Reporting lines
The National Expert will report to the Project Director and the Project Coordinator with direct technical guidance from the PEARL Technical Specialist (Gender and Social Inclusion).
Project Management
The project steering committee, co-chaired by MAFF and FAO, is responsible for strategic guidance of the project. The Project Director is responsible for overall direction and guidance and operational leadership for all activities. The Project Coordinator manages day-to-day project operations; coordinates with all stakeholders involved in the project implementation; oversees all planning activities, and ensures timely mobilization of all necessary resources.
Objectives of the Assignment
The objective of the assignment is to ensure that the Training of Trainers (TOT) curricula and related tools developed for the project are inclusive, accessible, and effective for women farmers, indigenous peoples, and youth. This involves integrating gender-sensitive, culturally appropriate content and promoting equitable participation to empower these groups to access and apply agrometeorological and market-related advisory services. By doing so, the project aims to help them better manage risks and make informed, climate-sensitive decisions, thereby strengthening their resilience and contribution to local agricultural value chains.
- Scope of work
- Review existing project documents to assess the previously identified barriers faced by women farmers, indigenous peoples, and youth. Update this assessment as necessary to ensure the TOT curricula to be developed are relevant and inclusive, incorporating any new insights or changes in the local context.
- Propose effective approaches and channels for efficiently reaching diverse groups, particularly women, youth, and indigenous people.
- Actively participate in the creation of training tools that are understandable for all literacy levels and educational backgrounds, using visual aids, local languages, and relatable examples to engage women farmers, indigenous peoples, and youth effectively.
- Develop training materials on gender equality, social inclusion, and gender considerations, as well as training methodologies for integrating these concepts into all Training of Trainers (ToT) materials on climate advisory, in collaboration with other relevant consultants.
- Ensure that training content is inclusive and addresses specific challenges faced by women farmers, indigenous communities, and youth, while adapting curricula to reflect local knowledge, culturally appropriate practices, and gender-sensitive language.
- Encourage the involvement of women, indigenous people, and youth as both trainers and participants in farmer field schools (FFS) activities, fostering leadership opportunities and ensuring their voices are represented and valued within these platforms.
- Train facilitators on inclusive facilitation techniques that respect gender and cultural contexts, equipping them with the skills to engage diverse groups effectively and handle sensitive topics with care.
- Deliver training in gender equality, social inclusion, and climate advisory services during the ToT sessions, focusing on Standard Operating Procedures for four crops - cashew nut, organic rice, mango, and vegetables - and conduct monitoring of training implementation at the provincial and district levels.
- Collaborate with the project M&E to develop and implement a system for collecting feedback from women farmers, indigenous peoples, and youth about their experiences with the training. Analyze feedback regularly to refine and improve the TOT curricula and related tools.
- Track participation rates of women, indigenous people, and youth, while assessing the effectiveness of the TOT curricula in addressing their needs. Prepare periodic reports with insights and recommendations for improvement.
- Engage with key stakeholders to support the development of policies that facilitate access to agrometeorological advisory services for women farmers, indigenous peoples, and youth, ensuring their needs are recognized in local and national agricultural strategies.
- Prepare comprehensive reports that highlight successes, challenges, and lessons learned in making the TOT curricula and advisory services accessible, and provide recommendations for scaling up successful practices to other regions or target groups.
- Support raising awareness of sexual exploitation and abuse and the project’s zero-tolerance policy.
- Deliverables
- Training materials and training methodology on topics of gender equality, social inclusion and gender considerations in agrometeorology, and standard operating procedures on four crops are developed and implemented.
- Guidelines and approaches for the efficient and effective dissemination of climate advisory information to women and minority farmers, as well as for their involvement in consultations, workshops, and trainings, are developed and approved.
- Completion of a series of training workshops for trainers at provincial and district levels, along with detailed reports documenting participant engagement, training outcomes, and recommendations for further improvements.
- A set of practical recommendations and guidelines for effective outreach strategies, identifying suitable channels and approaches to disseminate climate advisory services to women, youth, and indigenous farmers in target communes and districts.
- A report on the development and implementation of feedback and monitoring mechanisms that assess the effectiveness of the trainings, with specific emphasis on the participation of women and minority farmers. This report should also outline adjustments made based on feedback.
- Final report on the implementation of trainings, including evidence that 50 percent of women and minority farmers were invited to consultations, workshops, and trainings on Standard Operating Procedures for the four crops.
- Advanced degree in Gender Studies, Social Development, Social Sciences, Rural Development, Agriculture, or a related field, with a strong focus on gender equality, social inclusion, or community development.
- Proven experience in mainstreaming gender and social inclusion in agriculture, agrometeorology, disaster and risk management, and crop production systems, with a minimum of 5 years working on projects related to gender equality, minority rights, and inclusive development.
- Previous experience in designing and implementing training and capacity building materials on gender equality, social inclusion, and minority rights.
- Previous experience in writing guidelines for ensuring involvement of women and minority farmers in the agrometeorology and farmer field schools.
- Strong Knowledge of Agrometeorological Advisory Services and Agricultural Value Chains, especially related to crops like cashew nut, organic rice, mango, and vegetables, with an understanding of how these services impact smallholder farmers.
- Demonstrated Skills in Stakeholder Engagement and Facilitation, with a proven track record of working collaboratively with local communities, farmers, NGOs, and government institutions to ensure inclusive participation.
- Excellent Communication and Interpersonal Skills, with the ability to develop accessible training materials and communicate complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences, including those with varying literacy levels.
- Proficiency in English and Khmer, along with Cultural Sensitivity, with a deep understanding of local contexts and the ability to work effectively with diverse communities in the target areas.
National Consultant to Support MAFF/PDAFF to Produce Tailored Agrometeorological
Project: Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)
Duty Station: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Section/Unit: MAFF Component
Contract/Level: National Consultant for the production of tailored agrometeorological advisory information (Mango, Cashew, Organic Rice and Leafy Vegetable) and to carry out training of extension providers and TOT programs
Supervisor: Project Director and Project Coordinator of PEARL
Mode of Contract: 200 working days
Reporting lines
The National Expert will report to the Project Director and the Project Coordinator with direct technical guidance from the PEARL Technical Adviser (Agrometeorology).
Project Management
The project steering committee, co-chaired by MAFF and FAO, is responsible for strategic guidance of the project. The Project Director is responsible for overall direction and guidance and operational leadership for all activities. The Project Coordinator manages day-to-day project operations, coordinate with all stakeholders involved in the project implementation, oversees all planning activities, and ensures timely mobilization of all necessary resources.
Objectives of the Assignment
The objective of the assignment is to support the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and the Provincial Departments of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (PDAFF) in developing tailored agrometeorological advisory information and service packages that meet the specific needs of smallholder farmers, including women, indigenous peoples, and youth. The assignment also aims to deliver training for extension providers and implement Training of Trainers (TOT) programs in line with Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for four crops (Mango, Cashew, Organic Rice and Leafy Vegetable).
- Scope of work
- Review and Assess Existing Agrometeorological Advisory Needs to ensure alignment with local farming practices and the specific requirements of smallholder farmers, especially women, indigenous peoples, and youth, incorporating any new insights or changes in the local context.
- Develop Tailored Agrometeorological Advisory Information and Service Packages that address the unique climate risks and agricultural challenges faced by the target groups.
- Produce and Validate Training Materials for extension providers, ensuring that content follows scientific international best practices, accessible, relevant, and culturally appropriate for diverse audiences.
- Review and assess available training materials from other countries on agrometeorological advisory and extension support for farmers and other groups involved in agricultural value chains.
- Deliver Training of Trainers (TOT) Programs based on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of Agrometeorological dissemination, equipping local extension providers with the knowledge and skills to disseminate agrometeorological information effectively.
- Facilitate Training Sessions for Local Extension Providers, focusing on the practical application of agrometeorological advisories in the field.
- Support the MAFF Focal Point for the Production of Regular Bulletins, including decadal, monthly, seasonal, annual, and ad-hoc agrometeorological advisories.
- Identify types of data and information that MAFF could provide or develop to better tailor agrometeorological bulletins to the needs of farmers and value chain actors in the project target areas.
- Propose and develop data-sharing agreements to strengthen agrometeorology service provision.
- Lead the Data Collection from MAFF and the Government Counterparts to ensure that advisories are data-driven and evidence-based.
- Translate Bulletins from English to Khmer, ensuring that advisory information is accessible to local communities and stakeholders.
- Assess and make recommendations on the optimum delivery channels for agrometeorological advisories and bulletins to reach different beneficiary groups being targeted by the project including smallholder farmers, women, indigenous peoples, and youth.
- Propose a Feedback Mechanism for extension providers and farmers to assess the effectiveness of the advisory information and training materials, and adjust content based on feedback.
- Work with MAFF and MoWRAM to establish the feedback mechanism to ensure that advisories and bulletins can be improved with information from the field.
- Monitor and support the dissemination and use of Agrometeorological Services at the local level, providing guidance and technical support as needed.
- Prepare Regular Progress Reports that document activities, challenges, successes, and lessons learned throughout the implementation of training and advisory services.
- Deliverables
- Tailored Agrometeorological Advisory Information and Service Packages developed and validated, specifically addressing the needs of smallholder farmers, women, indigenous peoples, and youth.
- Training Materials for Extension Providers finalized, including culturally appropriate and accessible content that aligns with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for climate advisory.
- Successful Delivery of Training of Trainers (TOT) Programs, with documented training sessions and participant feedback to ensure the effective transfer of knowledge.
- Contribution to regular bulletins Production and Dissemination, covering decadal, monthly, seasonal, annual, and ad-hoc agrometeorological advisories.
- Data Collection and Data Sharing Agreements Established, with evidence of collaboration between MAFF, government counterparts, and other stakeholders to ensure data-driven and evidence-based advisory services.
- Comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Report, detailing the impact of the training sessions and advisory services on target groups, including recommendations for future improvements.
- Periodic Progress Reports, highlighting activities, successes, challenges, and lessons learned throughout the project implementation phase.
- Feedback Mechanism Report, summarizing the effectiveness of the advisory information and training materials based on feedback from extension providers and farmers, with adjustments documented accordingly.
- Advanced degree in Agriculture Science, Agrometeorology, Environmental Science, Rural Development, with specialized knowledge in agrometeorology or climate resilience.
- Proven Experience in Agrometeorological Services, with at least 5 years of experience in developing, implementing, or managing agrometeorological advisory services, particularly in rural agricultural contexts.
- Strong Understanding of Agricultural Value Chains, specifically with crops such as rice, cashew, mango, and leafy vegetables, and how climate information can be applied to support sustainable agricultural practices.
- Expertise in Training and Capacity Building, including the ability to develop training materials and conduct Training of Trainers (TOT) programs, with a focus on empowering local extension providers.
- Demonstrated Skills in Data Collection and Management, including coordinating with government institutions, handling climate and agricultural data, and ensuring that advisories are evidence-based and data-driven.
- Excellent Communication and Facilitation Skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, including government counterparts, local communities, and farmers, while adapting communication to varying literacy levels and cultural contexts.
- Experience in Stakeholder Coordination and Institutional Collaboration, with a proven track record of facilitating agreements, particularly data-sharing arrangements, between multiple agencies and partners.
- Proven Ability to Produce Clear and Accessible Reports, including regular bulletins, advisory service documents, and monitoring and evaluation reports, with attention to detail and clarity.
- Strong Project Management Skills, including the ability to manage multiple activities, meet deadlines, and provide technical support throughout the project implementation phase.
- Proficiency in English and Khmer, with a deep understanding of the local context and the ability to work effectively with rural communities, government agencies, and extension service providers.
Agricultural Certification Standards National Experts
Project: Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)
Duty Station: PEARL Office, General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA)/Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF),), Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Section/Unit: Sub-activity 2.1.2.1: B52 and Sub-activity 3.1.1.1: C2 under MAFF/GDA
Contract/Level: Local consultants [Three (3) National Experts on Agricultural Certification Standards, duration: 235 Days for Sub-activity 2.1.2.1 and 210 Days for Sub-activity 3.1.1.1]
Supervisor: Project manager and national project director.
Reporting Lines
The National Experts on Agricultural Certification Standards will report to the Project Manager and National Project Director (NPD) under GDA/MAFF and collaborate closely with the PEARL Project team.
Objective of the Assignment
The primary objective of this assignment is to review baseline conditions and develop supplementary voluntary guidelines, training materials, and tools that incorporate climate-resilient practices into existing certification programs like CamGap, GI, organic Certification, ISO 22000, HACCP, SRP and others. These certification programs aim to enhance gender-responsiveness, climate resilience, and sustainability for agriculture producers for premium markets. The National Experts will contribute to upgrading regulatory frameworks, establishing a technical working group (TWG), and preparing training programs for various stakeholders to ensure the effective implementation of climate-resilient certification standards
- Scope of Work
- Assess the existing conditions of the certification schemes (CamGap, GI, organic Certification, ISO 22000, HACCP, SRP and other relevant) and identify opportunities for integrating gender-responsive and climate-resilient practices, along with high-value crops, to enhance access to premium markets.
- Conduct consultations with stakeholders to gather input on challenges and potential improvements.
- Create voluntary add-on guidelines, tools, and training materials that integrate specific climate resilience practices into the certification programs identified under Activity 2.1.1: Develop and operationalize inter-value-chain-actors roadmaps at the provincial level and action/business plans for climate-resilient, inclusive and gender-responsive premium value chain development.
- Ensure that these tools cover the unique conditions of the target crops and regions.
- Work closely with regulatory bodies to establish an enabling framework for the climate-resilient certification programs (Activity 2.1.2: Develop voluntary add-on supplementary guidelines, tools, and training materials to consider specific climate risks and strategies for the certification programs).
- Ensure the guidelines are aligned with national standards and policies.
- Form a TWG composed of members from regulatory bodies, independent verifiers, cooperatives, producer groups, consumer groups, and expert organizations.
- Facilitate the TWG in reviewing and finalizing the supplementary guidelines and tools to ensure that gender-responsive, climate-resilience and high-value markets are fully considered.
- Design and implement training programs for regulatory bodies and independent verification bodies to ensure the effective application of the climate-resilient certification guidelines.
- Develop and deliver TOT programs for public and private extension providers, NGOs, and representatives from ACs, FAs, PGs, CPAs, CFs, and agricultural unions to operationalize the new guidelines and tools.
- Conduct meetings/trainings/workshops with multi-stakeholders to ensure that all relevant parties are informed and involved in the development and implementation process.
- Mobilize the TWG, established under Sub-activity 2.1.2.1, to identify areas of improvement and recommend actions for ensuring an enabling regulatory and institutional environment (e.g., online certification/traceability tools) for promoting climate-resilient, inclusive, and gender-responsive agricultural certification programs.
- Organize a stakeholder validation meeting(s) for the recommendations and submit stakeholder-validated recommendations for amendments in the regulatory and institutional framework to the policymakers for their consideration.
- Deliverables
- Inception Report detailing the work plan and methodology for the assignment.
- Baseline Assessment Report assessing the existing conditions of the certification schemes, identifying key challenges and opportunities for climate-resilience certification schemes.
- A technical working group (TWG) for the certification programs is established.
- Technical Working Group Meetings organized with meeting reports for each meeting.
- TOR for developing the supplementary guidelines, tools, and training materials
- Supplementary Guidelines, Tools and training materials for gender-responsive, climate-resilient certification developed.
- 500 public extension officers, 400 private extension providers, including NGOs, 1,000 AC, FA, PG, CPA CF, and union representatives (40-60% women) trained. Training Programs and TOT Materials developed and implemented:
- Biennial national-level 2-day awareness/training workshops for regulatory (23 pax) and independent verification (15 pax) bodies. Training materials, training completion reports, 150 individuals trained – regulators (60%) and verifiers (40%)
- Four 2-day provincial-level extension service providers' training on supplementary guidelines in Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Siem Reap provinces.
- Four 3-day TOT events through FFS programs for representatives from cooperative/association/producer group/CPA/CF in Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, Oddar Meanchey, and Siem Reap provinces.
- TWG meeting on improvement and recommended actions for improving the regulatory and institutional arrangements
- Six meetings to improve the regulatory and institutional arrangements
- Stakeholder validation report, validated recommendations, and an official request for amendments.
- Two national validation workshops to improve the regulatory and institutional arrangements
- Final Report summarizing the outcomes of the assignment and recommendations for future improvements.
Operations and Administrative Officer
PROJECT TITLE : Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL)
EMPLOYMENT TERM : Full time
DUTY STATION : GDA, MAFF, Phnom Penh
FIELD : Kampong Thom province, Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear province
DURATION : One-year contract with possible extension until April 2029
OBJECTIVE OF ASSIGNMENT
The objective of this assignment is to support the executing entity for the operational activities under Outcome 1, 2 and 3, and ensure all activities, including reporting, comply with PMU/FAO/GCF standards, processes, and procedures.
REPORTING LINES
The Operations and Administrative Officer will report directly to the project coordinator, who will serve as the project liaison with stakeholders throughout the assignment.
DELIVERABLES
- Operational and administrative officer are provided to the project.
- Mission report, work plan, relevant reports, financial report and revise budget are provided.
- The Operations and Administrative Officer will perform the following tasks/responsibilities:
- Provide day-to-day administrative, financial, and operational support to the project implementation.
- Assist in preparing the request for funds in line with the approved AWP/Bs and the Project Results Framework and financial reports for submission to FAO.
- Review cash advance requests, cash advance clearances, and process payment requests for the project.
- Arrange travel for project staff and meeting participants and monitor submission of mission travel claims along with the mission report.
- Arrange hotel accommodations and flight bookings for visitors and consultants.
- Check invoices, payment records and proof of expenses.
- Maintain electronic (include uploading into cloud-base storage) and physical filing system and ensure filing of documents and correspondence,
- Ensure effective management of financial and administrative aspects to meet the requirement of the annual audit.
- Maintain records of supporting documents for each financial transaction to be made available to Resource Partners’ verifications missions.
- Maintain project accounts and reconcile the bank account monthly.
- Assist in the procurement and participate in the identification of suppliers and maintain list of suppliers for the project.
- Keep an updated record of inventory of supplies, materials, and assets under the project.
- Ensure that equipment is properly labelled and documented according to status and ownership.
- Assist in implementing agreed risk mitigation, assurance plan, and follow actions.
- Assist in the recruitment, and ensure the recruited staff provide up-to-date information and documents of the assignment.
- Coordinate the preparation of progress and final reports and other reports.
- Assist in preparing of documents in the context of operational management, reporting and learning material.
- Perform other tasks as assigned by project management and consultant team.
- MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
- Advanced university degree (at least a bachelor’s degree) in public financial management, accounting, economic, and/or relevant subject.
- At least 5 years of relevant experience in project management/operations, administration/finance, and logistic arrangement.
- Ability and willingness to travel to and work in remote areas.
- Working knowledge of English and Khmer
- A National of Cambodia.
- GDA CORE COMPETENCIES
- Results Focus.
- Teamwork.
- Communication.
- Building Effective Relationships.
- Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement.
