Duty Station: Lahore (with field travel across project districts)

Reporting To: Project Manager/Team Lead

Employment Type: Project-based / Contractual

Project Background

The PRIAT Project aims to strengthen agricultural value chains, improve market access, promote crop diversification, and increase farmer incomes and resilience across selected districts of Punjab. A key project intervention is supporting Farmer Enterprise Groups (FEGs) to establish and operate small and medium value addition enterprises (such as fruit and vegetable dehydration, processing, and packaging units), enabling farmers to access higher-value domestic and export markets.

Role Purpose

The Trainer (Value Addition) will design and deliver hands-on training to FEG members and producers on value addition techniques for fruits and vegetables, including processing, dehydration, packaging, and food safety practices. The role also involves supporting FEGs during the initial operation of their value addition units to ensure quality, consistency, and market readiness of the final product.

Given the project's focus on encouraging women's participation in FEGs and value addition enterprises, female candidates are preferred for this position to support effective engagement with women producers and group members.

Key Responsibilities

Training Design and Delivery

• Design practical, easy-to-follow training content and materials on value addition techniques for fruits and vegetables (e.g., dehydration, processing, and packaging).

• Conduct hands-on training sessions and demonstrations for FEG members and producers at field locations and/or at value addition units.

• Train participants on food safety, hygiene, and basic quality control practices during processing and packaging.

• Adapt training content and delivery style to the education level and experience of FEG members and producers.

On-the-Job Support and Handholding

• Provide on-the-job coaching and handholding support to FEGs during the initial operation of their value addition units.

• Guide FEG members on maintaining product quality, consistency, and standardization during processing.

• Support FEGs in addressing common operational issues and troubleshooting during production.

Coordination and Reporting

• Coordinate with the Marketing Specialist, technical team, and field staff to plan training schedules and target groups.

• Maintain training records, attendance sheets, and participant feedback.

• Prepare brief training and field visit reports, highlighting key outcomes and areas needing further support.

• Provide feedback to the project team on capacity gaps and training needs of FEGs.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science/Technology, Home Economics, Agriculture, management or a related discipline (Master's degree will be an added advantage).

• Minimum 3-5 years of experience in training or hands-on work related to food processing, value addition, or fruit and vegetable preservation.

• Prior experience conducting training for farmers, producer groups, or rural communities is essential.

• Experience in Punjab, particularly working with FEGs or farmer groups, will be preferred.

• Female candidates are preferred for this position.

• Fluency in Urdu and the local dialect is essential; working knowledge of English is desirable.

Skills & Attributes

• Strong facilitation and hands-on training/demonstration skills.

• Practical knowledge of fruit and vegetable processing, dehydration, and packaging techniques.

• Good communication and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with farmers and producer groups, particularly women participants.

• Patient, approachable, and able to simplify technical concepts for non-technical audiences.

• Well organized, with good reporting and documentation skills.

• Willingness to undertake frequent field travel across project districts.

Key Performance Indicators

• Number of training sessions conducted and FEG members/producers trained.

• Improvement in product quality and consistency at supported value addition units.

• Participant feedback and satisfaction with training sessions.

• Timeliness and quality of training and field reports.

• Level of ongoing support provided to FEGs during initial unit operations.