CADEX Consultant: Technical Advisor, MSME Value Addition, Export Development, and Climate-smart Agriculture

About Aga Khan Foundation Canada 

Aga Khan Foundation Canada (AKFC) is an international development organization and registered charity. AKFC partners with communities, businesses, and governments to find innovative, lasting solutions to promote inclusive development. Working in Africa and Asia, the Foundation invests in local institutions and systems that anchor progress over the long term. In Canada, AKFC mobilizes funding and expertise, and promotes awareness of global issues. In all of our work, advancing gender equality, inclusion and pluralism are key objectives and approaches.  AKFC is an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network, one of the world’s most comprehensive development organizations. Since 1980, AKFC has helped millions of women and men to unlock their own potential to build a better life. 

 

About Accelerate Prosperity 

A global initiative of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) in Central and South Asia and the Middle East, Accelerate Prosperity (AP) offers creative financial solutions as well as pre- and post-investment technical assistance to help grow early-stage businesses, startups, and innovative ideas. AP works in areas where economic opportunities remain insufficient. It currently operates in Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Syria, and Tajikistan. 

Established in Pakistan in 2017, AP works across the country with startups and small and growing businesses from all sectors. It has built a portfolio of businesses working across many industries including retail, agriculture, tourism, information technology, health, education, and business process outsourcing among others. In the last nine years, AP has financed businesses from multiple sectors across Pakistan worth US $4.013 million and has supported businesses to further unlock investments worth $19.28 million. Learn more at accelerateprosperity.org. 

 

Background and Rationale 

Agriculture/agribusiness (including aquaculture, apiculture, and floriculture) forms a significant component of the AP portfolio in Pakistan, with some 34 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) accessing AP’s financial, technical, mentoring, and other capacity-building support and services.  

With this diverse and expanding portfolio, AP seeks to strengthen the technical knowledge and skills of both its staff and the local entrepreneurs it serves in key aspects of the agribusiness supply and value chains, such as: post-harvest solutions, precision and digital tools; labour-saving mechanizations; land-saving technologies; resource efficient cultivation, including tech-enabled smart irrigation; food processing and packaging; quality assurance; export readiness; and climate-smart/climate-resilient agriculture—drawing upon and adapting Canadian expertise and international best practices. AP also intends to expand its professional networks and establish partnerships with Canadian institutions, agritech firms, and industry experts, creating opportunities for ongoing collaboration, knowledge exchange, and trade linkages.  

Ultimately, AP aims to enhance its capacity to support agricultural MSMEs in Pakistan to move toward climate-smart practices, higher-value production, increased competitiveness, sustainable growth, and improved access to domestic and international markets. 

 

Consultancy Summary 

The CADEX Technical Advisor for MSME Value Addition, Export Development, and Climate-smart Agriculture will provide strategic and technical leadership to strengthen MSME competitiveness, value-added production, and climate-smart agricultural development in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan.  

The role will support the adoption of Canadian best practices in post-harvest solutions, precision and digital tools, labour-saving mechanizations, land-saving technologies, tech-enabled smart irrigation, food processing, packaging, export readiness, and climate-smart agriculture, while building the capacity of AP staff and the local entrepreneurs and enterprises they serve. Through technical assessments, training, partnership development, and advisory services, the position aims to enhance productivity, promote sustainable agricultural practices, facilitate market linkages, and expand opportunities for value-added exports and long-term economic growth. 

Expected Outcomes 

1. AP has a clearer understanding of priority opportunities and constraints in selected agribusiness value chains and MSME support areas.  
2. Inventory and screening of Canadian solutions: A profiled long list of Canadian agritech and climate-tech solutions, screened for transferability to the target market and fit with AP’s network and venture studio model. 
3. Solution-to-gap mapping: Shortlisted solutions mapped to the supply and value chain stages and priority gaps identified in AP’s sector assessments, highlighting clusters, overlaps, and unmatched gaps. 
4. Fit analysis and prioritized portfolio. Each matched solution assessed for fit with local value chain actors and AP’s startup and business network, including adaptation needs, enabling conditions, and adoption risks. The results feed into an illustrative portfolio of Canadian solutions, ranked by impact, feasibility, and readiness, to guide AP’s partnership, piloting, and investment discussions. 
5. AP staff and participating entrepreneurs have increased knowledge of the supply chain, value addition, food processing, packaging, quality assurance, and market readiness approaches relevant to their businesses.  
6. Practical recommendations are available to AP to strengthen agritech MSMEs’ competitiveness and value-added production, including potential pathways for export development.  
7. AP has guidance on integrating climate-smart agriculture considerations into its support for agribusiness MSMEs. 
8. AP has identified potential Canadian technical and market-linkage opportunities for future collaboration and knowledge exchange. Possible routes for bringing each prioritized solution to regions are identified, such as venture studio pilots, technology licensing, joint ventures, partnerships with AP-supported startups, B2B linkages, or blended finance. 

Note: The Technical Advisor will be able to draw upon an illustrative set of potential Canadian agritech solutions that AP has developed to address the defined priority gaps. 

 

Responsibilities and Scope  

Primary Responsibilities  

• Review and consult with stakeholders to refine the gaps and opportunities identified through AP’s recent market assessment of smart farming and agriculture in Gilgit-Baltistan so that these may be matched with potential solutions. 
• Map Canadian agritech and climate-tech solutions, screened for transferability to the target market and fit with AP’s network and venture studio model. 
• Develop a practical roadmap for selected MSMEs to transition from raw commodity sales to value-added products with export potential. 
• Design and deliver targeted training workshops and toolkits for AP staff and entrepreneurs on food processing, packaging, quality assurance, and market readiness, incorporating relevant Canadian best practices where appropriate. 
• Recommend feasible trade, investment, and technical collaboration opportunities between Pakistan and Canadian partners.  
• Identify an illustrative set of potential Canadian agritech solutions to address the defined priority gaps. 

Secondary Responsibilities 

• Assess climate-smart/climate-resilient agriculture practices relevant to targeted value chains and recommend priority interventions. 
• Build AP staff capacity through training, knowledge transfer, and guidance on integrating resilience and value-addition approaches into future programming and monitoring frameworks.  

 

Expected Deliverables  

1. Diagnostic assessment and recommendations report. Assessment of selected agribusiness value chains and MSMEs, including key constraints, opportunities, and priority recommendations for AP.  
2. MSME value addition and market development guidance note. Practical guidance outlining opportunities for product value addition, quality improvement, packaging, and market readiness for selected MSMEs.  
3. Training and capacity-building package. Training materials, tools, and delivery of virtual capacity-building sessions for AP staff and entrepreneurs, including a summary of participants reached and key topics covered.  
4. Final advisory report and management briefing. Summary of activities, key findings, climate-smart considerations, potential Canadian partnership opportunities, an illustrative set of potential Canadian agritech solutions to address defined priority gaps, lessons learned, and recommended next steps for AP. The final report should include the gap baseline challenge statements, mapping, and portfolio; a solution matrix or database that can be updated; one-page profiles of each shortlisted solution; venture concept notes for the venture studio shortlist; potential routes for market entry; and a summary presentation for decision-makers.  

 

Reporting 

The consultant will report to the Technical Assistance Manager, AP Pakistan. 

 

Required Qualifications & Experience  

Education  

• Graduate degree in Agribusiness, Food Science, Agricultural Engineering, International Trade, Business Development, Rural Development, or a related field.  

Experience  

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in MSME development, agribusiness, food processing, value addition, or export market development. 
• Experience conducting value chain assessments, sector diagnostics, and developing practical growth strategies for MSMEs. 
• Proven ability to design and deliver training, coaching, and capacity-building programs for entrepreneurs, business support organizations, and project staff. 
• Experience facilitating partnerships, trade linkages, or technical collaboration between Canadian and international organizations. 
• Experience working in developing-country contexts. 

Preferred  

• Knowledge of climate-smart/climate-resilient agriculture is an asset. 
• Knowledge of both Pakistani and Canadian agriculture markets.  
• Prior experience with AKDN or similar multi-sector development organizations.  

 

Language 

English proficiency required.  

AKFC is committed to advancing gender equality and inclusion through our programming and operations in Canada and overseas. AKFC requires all employees to review and abide by the AKFC Gender Equality Policy.

AKFC recognizes the importance of safeguarding and is committed to ensuring it manages a wide range of risks such that beneficiaries, staff, other associates, and the organization as a whole are kept safe from harm.

AKFC welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

AKFC does not use artificial intelligence tools to assess or select applicants during the recruitment process. All application reviews and hiring decisions are conducted by selection committee. AI tools may be used in drafting communication, editing or interview question sourcing from time to time.