Terms of Reference

 1.                  Introduction

The Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the premier institution leading community-driven development in Pakistan. Established as a not-for-profit company in February 1997 under Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984 (now the Companies Act 2017), PPAF is dedicated to enhancing the lives of the impoverished and fostering a more equitable and prosperous nation. Operating across 150 districts in all four provinces and regions, PPAF supports communities by improving infrastructure, energy, health, education, livelihoods, and financial access, while also enhancing resilience to disasters. It focuses on the most vulnerable and marginalized rural households, offering a wide range of financial and non-financial services. PPAF is committed to embedding its core values of social inclusion, participation, accountability, transparency, and stewardship into all its processes and programs. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.ppaf.org.pk.

 2.                  About the programme

The programme aims to empower communities, particularly women, by organising them into livestock producer groups for collective production and the establishment of community-led livestock markets. It also seeks to support women and youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises in developing value chains for sheep, goats, and poultry. The programme will be implemented across 120 union councils in six (6) flood-affected districts of Balochistan including Loralai, Pishin, Zhob, Lasbela, Khuzdar and Jaffarabad.

The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to post 2022 floods climate-resilient socioeconomic recovery in the most affected and poorest districts of Balochistan province. The specific objective is improved value chains and market linkages in agriculture and livestock sectors of Balochistan.

Expected Result/Output 1: Strengthened capacities of target groups in improving value addition and compliance to food safety and sustainability standards.

Expected Result/Output 2: Increased livestock assets of target women and men farmers/ entrepreneurs.

Expected Result/Output 3: Enhanced access of women and men farmers to finances for value addition of livestock and livestock products.

 3.                  Rationale for the hiring of the consultant

PPAF has recently entered into a grant agreement with the European Union (EU) for the implementation of the project titled “Post-Floods Resilient Recovery and Strengthening of the Livestock Sector in Balochistan.” The livestock sector serves as a critical pillar of rural livelihoods in Balochistan, particularly in post-disaster contexts where communities rely heavily on small ruminants for income, nutrition, and resilience. Within this sector, sheep rearing plays a central role, especially among pastoralist and agro-pastoralist households. However, despite its socio-economic significance, the sheep value chain remains underdeveloped, fragmented, and largely informal, with limited integration into formal markets, weak access to support services, and minimal value addition at the producer level.

Under the EU-funded GRASP Programme, comprehensive value chain studies on goat and poultry have been conducted, identifying bottlenecks and laying the groundwork for targeted interventions in those sub-sectors. Building on these efforts, a dedicated study of the sheep value chain is now imperative to complete the picture and inform a holistic livestock development strategy for Balochistan. This study will generate critical insights into:

• The structure and dynamics of the sheep value chain across production, input supply, processing, and marketing.
• The roles and challenges faced by key actors, particularly women and youth, in participating and benefiting from value chain activities.
• Potential nodes for upgrading and enterprise development that can enhance incomes, employment, and resilience.

Furthermore, the findings will directly inform to the design of inclusive and market-driven interventions to be implemented under the GRASP Programme’s livestock component. These will include capacity-building, access to finance, infrastructure development, and market linkages. By adopting an evidence-based approach, PPAF aims to ensure that value chain interventions are context-specific, demand-responsive, and gender-inclusive.

In summary, the sheep value chain study is not only timely but essential for unlocking the untapped potential of the livestock sector in Balochistan and ensuring that rural households, especially women and youth, are at the center of resilient and sustainable recovery.

 4.                  Assignment Objectives

The primary objective is to conduct a detailed value chain study of the sheep sector in the targeted project districts. The study will:

• Map the existing sheep value chain, including actors, functions, input providers, production, processing, marketing, and support services.
• Identify systemic challenges, bottlenecks, and opportunities for value addition, upgrading, and enterprise development.
• Recommend targeted interventions to enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability of sheep-related micro-enterprises.
• Align findings with previous goat and poultry value chain studies to inform an integrated strategy for livestock development.

 5.                  Scope of Work

The firm/consultant will carry out the following tasks:

Literature and Context Review: The assignment will commence with a comprehensive desk review of existing literature and resources related to the sheep value chain in Balochistan and Pakistan at large. This will include previous assessments conducted under the EU-GRASP programme, particularly those on goat and poultry, relevant provincial and national livestock policies, market assessments, and strategic documents.

Field-Based Research and Stakeholder Engagement: Following the desk review, the consultant will conduct extensive field research across the six (06) targeted flood-affected districts of Balochistan. This will involve qualitative and quantitative data collection through key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and direct observations. Stakeholders will include sheep farmers (both male and female), local traders, processors, transporters, input suppliers, government departments (especially Livestock & Dairy Development), and private sector actors.

Gender and Youth Inclusion Analysis: A core focus of the study will be to assess the participation of women and youth in the sheep value chain. The consultant will explore the barriers they face in entering, participating in, and benefiting from the value chain, as well as the enabling factors and opportunities for their inclusion.

Market Linkages and Business Development Opportunities: The study will also explore opportunities for value addition and enterprise development. This will include an assessment of market trends, consumer preferences, pricing mechanisms, and potential for product differentiation (e.g., meat quality, wool, hides). The consultant will identify practical opportunities for strengthening market linkages, enhancing producers’ access to finance and services, and developing sustainable partnerships between producer groups and buyers, processors, or financial institutions.

Value Chain Upgrading and Recommendations: Based on the field findings and analysis, the consultant will propose a set of actionable and evidence-based recommendations for upgrading the sheep value chain. These recommendations will focus on addressing bottlenecks, leveraging opportunities, and introducing interventions that enhance productivity, profitability, and sustainability. The strategy will also be aligned with the broader objectives of the GRASP programme and harmonised with findings from the goat and poultry value chain studies to support an integrated livestock development approach in Balochistan.

 6.             Key document to be shared by PPAF

PPAF will share the approved version of the project proposal, logframe, workplan, and other key documents with the consultant.

 7.                  Qualifications and Competencies Required

Candidate or team leader of the firm interested in this assignment should have the following qualifications and competencies: 

-          Advanced degree in Agricultural Economics, Livestock Sciences, Rural Development, or related field.

-          At least 10 years of experience in livestock sector assessments or value chain studies.

-          Proven knowledge of Balochistan's livestock production systems and socio-economic context.

-          Demonstrated experience working with community-based and women-led enterprises.

-          Strong analytical and report writing skills in English; familiarity with Urdu and local languages preferred.

  8.              Duration of Consultancy

The assignment will last for 30 workdays, to be completed within two months.

 9.             Selection Method

The individual consultant will be selected in accordance with PPAF’s procurement rules and guidelines.

1. 13.  Ethical Considerations:

The consultant is required to provide minutes from the key consultation meetings along with the final version of the study report. PPAF will retain ownership of all consultation data and information collected for this assignment. The consultant is not permitted to use or quote any data or information from the assignment without obtaining prior written permission from PPAF’s senior management.