Terms of Reference (ToR)

Short-Term Consultancy: Trainer for Cooperative Management Training for Women Farmers – Baltistan Region

Project: GROW-Pak – Creating Resilient Opportunities for Women and Young People in Agriculture in Pakistan
Implementing Agency: Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF)
Location: Baltistan Region

Duration: Short-term assignment (November 2025)
Total Participants: 165 women farmers

1. Background

The GROW-Pak project aims to empower women and youth in Gilgit-Baltistan through inclusive, climate-resilient agricultural livelihoods. Under this framework, ASF has formed women-led agricultural cooperatives in Baltistan. To strengthen the leadership and governance capacity of these organizations, ASF plans to conduct Cooperative Management Training for the Boards of Directors (BoD) of Female Farmer Cooperative Societies in the Baltistan region.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The purpose of this consultancy is to design and deliver participatory training sessions on cooperative management to enhance the leadership, governance, and organizational capacity of the female cooperative societies’ Boards of Directors.

The specific objectives are to:

• Promote good governance, transparency, and accountability within cooperatives.
• Strengthen organizational management and decision-making skills.
• Clarify legal and regulatory frameworks applicable to cooperatives (Cooperative Department and SECP).
• Build practical management tools for planning, record-keeping, and compliance.
• Develop strategic growth plans for long-term sustainability and partnerships.

3. Scope of Work

The consultant/trainer will be responsible for:

1. Reviewing project documents and designing training material aligned with ASF and GROW-Pak objectives.
2. Delivering training sessions (covering all 165 participants divided into groups).
3. Preparing participatory training modules, exercises, and case studies tailored to the Baltistan context.
4. Facilitate group discussions, simulations, and exercises on organizational management, decision-making, and audit compliance.
5. Coordinating with ASF’s field team for logistics, participant mobilization, and reporting.
6. Submitting a concise training completion report, including participant feedback, photos, and recommendations.

4. Expected Deliverables

• Training agenda and materials (PowerPoint, handouts, case studies, exercises).
• Conduct of training sessions in the Baltistan region.
• Pre- and post-training evaluation summaries.
• Final report with key findings, recommendations, and any success stories.

5. Duration and Timeline

• Assignment period: November 2025
• Total Level of Effort: Approximately 14 working days.

6. Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Cooperative Management, Business Administration, Development Studies, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in training and capacity building for community-based organizations, farmer cooperatives, or rural enterprises.
• In-depth knowledge of Pakistan’s cooperative laws, SECP regulations, and institutional frameworks.
• Proven ability to design and deliver interactive, gender-sensitive training.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and reporting skills.
• Fluency in Urdu; knowledge of Balti will be an advantage.

7. Reporting

The consultant will report directly to the Project Lead (GROW-Pak) at Agribusiness Support Fund and work closely with the regional office in Skardu.

8. Payment Terms

Payment will be made upon successful completion of deliverables, submission, and approval of the final report.

9. Application Procedure

Interested consultants meeting the above criteria should submit:

• A detailed CV/profile highlighting relevant experience by October 30, 2025.