Organizational Setting
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. The main aim of the FAO Representation in Cambodia is to assist the government to develop policies, programmes, and projects to achieve food security and to reduce hunger and malnutrition, to help develop the agricultural, fisheries, and forestry sectors, and to use their environmental and natural resources in a sustainable manner.
The Public-Social-Private Partnerships for Ecologically-Sound Agriculture and Resilient Livelihood in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin (PEARL) is a six-year project (2023 โ 2029), funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF). This adaptation project aims to enhance the climate resilience of farmers and local communities in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin (Kampong Thom, Siem Reap, Preah Vihear, and Oddar Meanchey) through public-social-private partnerships and improved access to growing segments of the premium agricultural product market while ensuring climate-resilient practices.ย
A Business Planning Consultant will be recruited to design and deliver a practical, targeted training program that builds the capacity of Commune Agriculture Officers (CAOs) and public extension providers to support farmer organizations in preparing business plans aligned with climate-resilient and high-value agricultural production. The consultant will focus exclusively on business planning and entrepreneurial skill development, enabling CAOs to guide farmer organizations (FOs) in developing crop-specific business plans that align with provincial value chain roadmaps and certification schemes (e.g., Organic, CamGAP, GI, SRP).
The consultant will work closely with the PEARL Component 2 Lead and other project team members to ensure the training content reflects PEARLโs broader market incentive objectives. The consultant will coordinate with PDAFFs, local NGOs, and private sector partners to ensure that business planning tools and training approaches are relevant, inclusive, and practically applicable for CAOs and farmer groups they support. The business planning training will be delivered through a Training of Trainers (ToT) model, with the consultant directly training CAOs across the four target provinces. Following the ToT sessions, CAOs will cascade the training to farmer organizations in their respective communes. The consultant will also support the monitoring of this cascade process and provide feedback and guidance to ensure quality implementation.
Reporting Lines
The consultant will report to the Senior Project Officer under the direct technical guidance of the PEARL Component 2 Lead, receiving strategic oversight from the Lead Technical Officer (LTO) in the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (RAP) and relevant technical divisions at FAO headquarters.ย
Technical Focusย
The consultant will design and implement a targeted training program for CAOs and public extension providers. This role focuses on equipping CAOs to assist farmer organizations in crafting detailed business plans aligned with climate-resilient practices and high-value markets. The consultant ensures training materials are tailored to agricultural contexts, incorporating relevant certification schemes. Ongoing mentoring and support will enhance economic resilience and productivity in the Northern Tonle Sap Basin.
Tasks and responsibilities
Under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative (FAOR) in Cambodia, and in close collaboration with FAO Representation teams, governmental counterparts, and other technical specialists, the incumbent will carry out the following tasks:
Preparation and assessment (10 days)
โข ย ย Prior to the design of the assessment, conduct meetings with the GDAโs Department of Agriculture Cooperative Promotion (DACP) to present the assignmentโs objectives and explore potential cooperation opportunities.ย
โข ย ย Conduct consultations with CAOs, PDAFFs, farmer organizations and other stakeholders to validate business planning support needs at commune levels.
โข ย ย Identify skill gaps among CAOs related to business planning, financial literacy, market access strategies, and climate-resilient value chain development.ย
Curriculum and training material development (30 days)
โข ย ย Design a practical, gender-responsive Training of Trainers (ToT) curriculum focused on business planning for climate-resilient and high-value agriculture.
โข ย ย Consult and validate the training materials with relevant government line department, e.g. Department of Agricultural Cooperative Promotion (DACP) of the General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) and other stakeholdersย
โข ย ย Develop tailored training materials, including facilitator guides, participant manuals, tools, templates, and case studies for use by CAOs and extension agents.
โข ย ย Ensure all training materials are bilingual (Khmer and English), user-friendly, and adapted to local cultural and farming contexts.
โข ย ย Integrate certification requirements (e.g., Organic, CamGAP, GI, SRP) and premium market considerations into the business planning content.
โข ย ย Incorporate participatory training methodologies, including group exercises, role play, and real-world business planning scenarios.ย
Training delivery and mentoring (25 days)
โข ย ย Deliver four provincial-level ToT workshops, one in each target province (Siem Reap, Kampong Thom, Oddar Meanchey, and Preah Vihear), targeting approximately 250 CAOs and public extension providers.
โข ย ย Facilitate pre- and post-training assessments to measure knowledge gains and capture feedback from CAO participants.
โข ย ย Support trained CAOs in preparing action plans to roll out business planning support to farmer organizations in their communes.
โข ย ย Provide technical mentoring and backstopping to CAOs as they conduct step-down training and assist farmer groups with business plan development.
โข ย ย Develop simple business planning templates and financial tools suitable for use by ACs, FAs, and PGs with varying literacy levels.ย
Monitoring, reporting, and documentation (15 days)
โข ย ย Monitor the quality and progress of CAOsโ roll-out training and the development of farmer-level business plans.
โข ย ย Conduct follow-up visits to observe field implementation, gather feedback, and provide coaching as needed.
โข ย ย Organize regular coordination meetings with the Component 2 team and stakeholders to report progress and align with PEARLโs market incentives strategy.
โข ย ย Document lessons learned and success stories from the ToT and CAO roll-out process, including gender-responsive and climate-resilient business planning cases.
โข ย ย Prepare detailed training completion reports for each province, including participant statistics, training outcomes, and recommendations.
โข ย ย Submit a final consultancy report, summarizing achievements, challenges, CAO performance, recommendations for sustaining business planning capacity, and contributions to PEARLโs knowledge management.
โข ย ย Perform any other relevant tasks as assigned.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
โข ย ย Advanced university degree in agricultural economics, agribusiness, rural development, business administration, or a related field.
โข ย ย At least 5 years of relevant professional experience in designing and delivering business planning and financial literacy training for agricultural extension providers, farmer organizations, or rural enterprises in developing countries.
โข ย ย Full proficiency/Working knowledge of English.
FAO Core Competencies
โข ย ย Results Focus
โข ย ย Teamwork
โข ย ย Communication
โข ย ย Building Effective Relationships
โข ย ย Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skillsย
โข ย ย Khmer language skills are an asset but not mandatory.
โข ย ย Proven track record in developing practical training curricula, tools, and templates on business planning, enterprise development, and financial access tailored for smallholder farmers or cooperatives.
โข ย ย Demonstrated knowledge of high-value crop value chains, particularly cashew, mango, organic rice, and vegetables, including market opportunities in Southeast Asia.
โข ย ย Familiarity with agricultural certification schemes (e.g., Organic, CamGAP, GI, SRP) and their implications for business planning, quality assurance, and market differentiation.
โข ย ย Experience mainstreaming gender, youth, and social inclusion considerations into capacity development initiatives in the agriculture sector.
โข ย ย Excellent facilitation and communication skills, including experience applying participatory and adult-learning methodologies in Training of Trainers (ToT) models.
โข ย ย Proven ability to coordinate with government counterparts, PDAFFs, NGOs, private sector actors, and producer groups, preferably in Cambodia or similar rural settings in the Mekong region.
โข ย ย Demonstrated capacity to develop user-friendly tools suitable for farmer organizations with limited literacy or business management experience.