Terms of Reference (ToR) International and Local Expert for the
Development of Agricultural Cooperative Law in the frame of the Empowering Rural Economies in Agriculture (EREA)programme funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC)
Caritas Switzerland (CACH) is implementing the Empowering Rural Economies in Agriculture (EREA) Programme in Kosovo, which aims to strengthen agricultural cooperatives and promote sustainable agricultural practices, economic development, and the social well-being of rural communities. The programme is designed to address the evolving role of agriculture in Kosovo's economy, where the sector contributes around 7% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs about a quarter of the workforce. A significant portion of this workforce resides in rural areas, which house nearly two-thirds of Kosovo's population.
Despite its crucial role in providing livelihoods, Kosovo's agricultural productivity remains below regional and international benchmarks. Factors such as limited adoption of modern inputs and technologies, insufficient expertise in good agricultural practices, challenges in market integration, and restricted access to finance have hampered growth in the sector. Agricultural cooperatives, which could play a critical role in overcoming these barriers, are under-regulated by outdated laws that no longer meet the economic, social, and environmental needs of modern agriculture.
To address these regulatory gaps and empower Kosovo’s farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development (MAFRD), with support from the EREA Programme, has initiated the process of developing a new legal framework for agricultural cooperatives. This law will aim to improve the organization, economic integration, and market access for farmers across the country, while promoting sustainable farming practices and gender inclusion.
The new legal framework will also be built upon the National Strategy for Rural Development 2023- 2028, in harmony with the EU laws and the Strategy for Advisory Services and Rural Development (SASRD) (2023-2027), developed during the previous project phase, which provides strategic recommendations for enhancing rural advisory services. The recommendations and suggestions derived from this government-approved strategy need to be implemented, and EREA activities are directly aligned with these strategic priorities. By working closely with MAFRD and other stakeholders, the EREA Programme is committed to driving forward these essential reforms, creating a stronger, more sustainable agricultural sector that empowers rural communities in Kosovo.
2. Objective
To develop a comprehensive Agricultural Cooperative Law that aligns with Kosovo’s agricultural and rural development policies, best international practices, and EU legislative frameworks. The law will
regulate the establishment, management, and governance of agricultural cooperatives and support the integration of smallholder farmers into the formal economy, promoting sustainable agricultural production, access to markets, and the ability to compete in the global market.
Key areas to be addressed by the law include:
3. Scope of Work
The international expert in coordination with the local expert will be responsible for:
4. Key Deliverables
The international expert will deliver the following:
5. Timeline
The consultancy is expected to take place over a period of four months, starting from 10.12.2024. The following is a tentative timeline for deliverables:
6. Expertise Required
The ideal candidates(International and local together) will possess the following qualifications:
7. Reporting and Coordination
The consultant will report to the EREA programme responsible and work closely with the EREA project team and other relevant stakeholders. Regular updates and drafts will be shared with MAFRD for review and input.
8. Submission of Applications
Interested applicants, private companies/service providers are requested to submit an electronic copy of their expression of interest/proposal (technical and financial offer, CVs) by 25.11.2024 with the subject REF: “Development of Agricultural Cooperative Law “ to: [email protected]
[email protected]; and [email protected] in the CC line
The offer will be evaluated by using the best value for money approach (combined scoring method). Technical proposal will be evaluated with 80% weight, whereas the financial one will be evaluated with 20%. Offers that do not include all submission requirements will not be evaluated and considered ineligible. For this activity, the consultancy amount shall not exceed 20`000.00€.
Bidding Cost: Caritas Switzerland in Kosovo will not cover bidding costs and reserves the right to accept or refuse bidders, or to annul or postpone the whole bidding process before signing of any agreements.