Terms of Reference for Individual Consultant Providing guidance in the cherry sector focused on accessing international markets for the Bouzour Project in Lebanon

BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION

Lebanon has been suffering from a severe financial and economic crisis with long-lasting effects on its economy and its people. With the drastic devaluation of the currency, prices of imported items have risen sharply, and households are now increasingly struggling to cover food needs. The combined effects of the crises have resulted in unprecedented levels of unemployment and pushed both the Lebanese population and the approximately 1.5 million Syrian refugees further into poverty. The Lebanese agriculture sector remains one of few sectors where both Syrian refugees and vulnerable Lebanese host communities can legally find employment as well as vulnerable Lebanese host communities but has been particularly hard-hit by the ongoing crises.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is implementing the BOUZOUR project - “Building Inclusive Markets and Decent Work for Syrian Refugees and Lebanese Host Communities”. The BOUZOUR project is funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida). The project aims to develop specific agricultural and agri-food value chains with the potential to create decent jobs benefiting both Syrians and Lebanese.

The project makes use of the ILO’s Approach to Inclusive Market Systems (AIMS) to safeguard jobs and livelihoods of vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian communities threatened by the crises and encourage decent job creation for both groups in sectors with potential. To that end, the project uses the market systems development approach to address key sectoral constraints to decent job creation sustainably, in combination with more direct interventions to strengthen capacities of vulnerable Lebanese and Syrian communities and safeguard decent work conditions.

Under Outcome 2, which focuses on upgrading farmers and agri-businesses and connecting them to new market opportunities, the ILO applies its ‘value chain development for decent work’ methodology to identify specific opportunities for farmers and agri-food producers in the local, regional and international market and develop tailor-made strategies to help local actors seize these opportunities for inclusive growth and decent job creation. The cherry value chain was selected based on its potential and relevance for both Lebanese and Syrian population groups. The value chain presents untapped potential, particularly in terms of the export of cherries and in the extension of the season. The project’s interventions are focusing on connecting farmers and agri-businesses within the cherry value chain to take advantage of these new opportunities, elevating the current value chain and unlocking its potential to increase revenues and incomes.

The ultimate vision of promoting exports of cherries to international markets is the creation of more and better employment opportunities for both Syrians and vulnerable Lebanese communities in the cherry sector. By facilitating exporters in accessing higher-value international markets, farmers will be encouraged to increase cherry production, and some may convert parts of their farms to cherry cultivation. This will lead to increased labour demand, particularly benefiting Syrian workers traditionally employed on cherry farms. The fact that export to international markets, and in particular to European markets, require certifications including social certifications such as SMETA, means that both exporters and farmers need to invest more in improving decent work conditions on farms in order to reap higher prices available at export markets. This will ultimately provide a strong incentive for farmers and exporters to ensure that minimum standards on farms are adhered to, both for permanent and for seasonal workers.

Under this outcome, the project is working on the following: 

1. Private sector actors’ support: Enable private sector actors to seize opportunities in the international market for positive trickle-down effects along the value chain including for farmers and workers.
2. Farmers’ support: Supporting farmers to take advantage of these new opportunities, ultimately leading to increased revenues and incomes for farms and small agri-businesses. This will secure jobs for farmers and workers.
3. Improvement of working conditions throughout the value chain: Supporting farmers and agri-businesses in implementing innovative approaches for improving working conditions on the farms.

PRIORITIZED CONSTRAINTS AND ULTIMATE VISION

A notable gap in the cherry value chain is a scarcity of private sector-oriented actors dedicated to preparing and aggregating farmers for entry into new and quality-focused markets. This absence of intermediaries' results in a distinct disconnect between farmers and potentially lucrative markets, impeding their ability to capitalize on opportunities that prioritize product quality.

Additionally, farmers often lack the essential knowledge and resources to independently navigate entry into new or export markets. While there are project-driven activities aimed at capacitating farmers in these areas, the farmers' primary focus is on production. Therefore, the role of intermediaries becomes crucial in bridging the gap and facilitating farmers' access to new markets.

In this context, the current value chain needs to be elevated both in terms of volume and quality to tap into this potential that allow farmers to make use of the specific competitive advantage of Lebanon on the international market. Initiatives to upgrade the whole value chain for benefits across the sector need to be driven by concrete market opportunities based on Lebanon’s competitive advantage, and leverage incentives of key actors to encourage change in the sector.

The ultimate goal of an intervention strategy aimed at promoting exports of cherries to international markets is the creation of more and better employment opportunities for both Syrians and vulnerable Lebanese communities in the cherry sector. The underlying logic is that if exporters in Lebanon are enabled to export more cherries to international markets where higher prices for cherries can be achieved, then this will enable farmers to produce more cherries and encourage more farmers to convert (part of) their farms to cherry production. Increased production of cherries on existing and new orchards will mean that farmers will need to recruit more workers for their farms to manage day-to-day activities, production and harvesting of cherries. Since workers on cherry farms are traditionally Syrians, it is highly likely that these newly create job opportunities on cherry will benefit Syrians looking for employment.

OVERALL OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF WORK

The objective of the assignment is to provide support is to support cherry exporters and the farmers they work with by providing tailored market research and insights for two key export destinations: the European Union (EU) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Two individual consultants will be engaged — one focusing on the EU market and one on the Gulf market — to identify export opportunities, buyer expectations, and market entry requirements for Lebanese cherries.

Scope of the work

Each consultant will have 12 working days to carry out the following tasks:

• Map demand trends, pricing, quality standards, and buyer requirements for cherries in their assigned region (EU or Gulf).
• Facilitate connections: Support initial contact and introductions between Lebanese exporters and identified buyers.
• Engage directly with exporters: Hold consultations with at least three Lebanese exporters to offer tailored guidance based on their specific export plans and capacities.
• Provide practical recommendations: Advise exporters on how to align their products and operations with market requirements and improve their export readiness.
• Ensure targeted matchmaking: Each of the engaged Lebanese exporters should be connected to at least 2–3 relevant buyers in the target market.

This consultancy will be conducted entirely remotely. No travel or field visits are required; all research, exporter engagement, and buyer connections should be carried out online through virtual meetings and communication tools.

DELIVERABLES

Based on the above-mentioned objective, the consultant is expected to deliver specific deliverables, as follows:

1. Deliverable 1: Work Plan: A work plan outlining timeline and target market focus, including planned exporters to engage and potential buyer networks to explore.
2. Deliverable 2: Final Summary Report: A concise report summarizing:
   • Overview of demand trends, buyer requirements, and pricing in the assigned market.
   • List of at least 6–9 relevant buyers (2–3 per exporter) in the target region.
   • Record of buyer connections initiated and communication facilitated.
   • Tailored advice provided to at least three Lebanese exporters, including recommendations to improve their market alignment and export readiness.

• All the produced documents will have to be submitted in English. The consultant will also submit to the ILO the following materials:
  1. Electronic copies of all data sets
  2. All quantitative and qualitative data (completed questionnaires, recorded interviews, focus groups, etc.)
  3. Any other documents that will be used or collected in the course of the assignment

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

This assignment is tentatively expected to start on May 2025 and shall be completed by 15 August 2025.

1. First payment covering 20% of the full payment, by 30 May 2025 upon satisfactory delivery and project approval on the following deliverable:

Deliverable 1: Detailed Work plan of the activity, to the satisfaction of the ILO.

2. Second payment covering 80% of the full payment, by 15 August 2025 upon satisfactory delivery and project approval of the following deliverable:

• Deliverable 2: A concise report summarizing:
  • Overview of demand trends, buyer requirements, and pricing in the assigned market.
  • List of at least 6–9 relevant buyers (2–3 per exporter) in the target region.
  • Record of buyer connections initiated and communication facilitated.
  • Tailored advice provided to at least three Lebanese exporters, including recommendations to improve their market alignment and export readiness.

All payments are in fresh USD via international bank transfer.

FOCAL POINT(s) AT ILO

The consultant will coordinate with the Project Coordinator, in ILO Beirut Office and with relevant technical departments involved in the ILO Beirut Office and ILO Headquarters.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATION AND APPLICATION
 

To apply for this assignment the consultant should possess the qualifications below.

• Proven international experience in export promotion, or trade facilitation, particularly in the agri-food sector.
• Strong knowledge of the European Union or Gulf markets, including access to buyer networks, import/export procedures, and agri-food product requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to connect producers or exporters with relevant buyers and stakeholders in international markets.
• Familiarity with cherry or fresh fruit value chains is a strong asset.
• Experience working with SMEs or development organizations in Lebanon or the MENA region is desirable.

The consultant should possess a USD bank account in the name of the company for bank transfer payments