INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE (IITA)

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL ADVERTISEMENT

Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) - Selection of a Consulting Firm for Youth Agribusiness Training, Mentorship and Business Development Support

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), a member of CGIAR, is a not-for-profit research organization dedicated to developing and promoting agricultural innovations that address Africa's most pressing challenges, including hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Through its collaboration with governments, development partners, research institutions, and the private sector, IITA works to improve livelihoods, strengthen food and nutrition security, create employment opportunities, and promote sustainable agricultural development across sub-Saharan Africa. Under the African Development Bank (AfDB)-funded Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Program, IITA is implementing interventions to accelerate the adoption of proven agricultural technologies, with a strong focus on strengthening seed systems to increase the availability and accessibility of certified seeds of improved, climate-resilient crop varieties.

As part of the TAAT Program, IITA is implementing the project "Building a Sustainable Private Sector-Led Seed Sector in Rwanda's Food Basket Sites," which seeks to strengthen Rwanda's seed sector through a market-driven and private sector-led approach. The project supports youth agripreneurs establish profitable enterprises engaged in certified maize seed production and basic seed potato multiplication by fostering partnerships with anchor seed companies, Farmer Service Centers (FSCs), financial institutions, and other stakeholders. While technical support for seed production will be provided by anchor seed companies, there is also a need to strengthen the entrepreneurial, financial management, and business development capacities of youth enterprises to ensure their long-term sustainability. To achieve this, IITA intends to engage a qualified service provider to deliver structured agribusiness training, entrepreneurship learning, mentorship, and business development support, enabling youth groups to develop bankable business plans, access financing, manage loans responsibly, and operate sustainable agribusiness enterprises.

Within the TAAT ecosystem, IITA Rwanda, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI)- Rwanda, intends to engage a consulting firm to deliver structured agribusiness training, entrepreneurship learning, mentorship, and business development support, enabling youth groups to develop bankable business plans, access financing, manage loans responsibly, and operate sustainable agribusiness enterprises.

SCOPE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The consulting firm will deliver agribusiness training and capacity-building services to youth groups through a combination of in-person workshops, learning, mentorship, and business development support. Key areas of focus will include entrepreneurship, agribusiness management, financial literacy, marketing, value chain development, governance, leadership, and risk management. The provider will also develop and deliver training modules, webinars, mentoring sessions, and digital learning resources to ensure continuous learning throughout the project period.

In addition, the consulting firm will support youth groups in developing bankable agribusiness business plans by conducting market and financial analyses, designing investment and financing strategies, and strengthening enterprise viability. Continuous mentorship and coaching will be provided through advisory services, performance monitoring, and support in addressing operational and management challenges. The provider will further assist youth groups in establishing sound financial management systems, improving record-keeping practices, promoting responsible loan utilization and repayment, and facilitating engagement with financial institutions when required.

Requirements

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITES

The consulting firm will be responsible for:

• Organizing and delivering agribusiness and entrepreneurship training programs for youth groups.
• Developing and implementing learning and entrepreneurship training initiatives.
• Building the capacity of youth groups in financial literacy, marketing, and enterprise manage-ment.
• Supporting the development and refinement of bankable agribusiness business plans.
• Providing continuous mentorship, coaching, and advisory services to youth enterprises.
• Monitoring the performance of youth businesses and recommending improvement measures.
• Supporting the establishment of sound financial management and record-keeping practices.
• Promoting responsible loan utilization and repayment among youth enterprises.
• Preparing and submitting periodic reports on training, mentorship, and enterprise development activities.
• Participating in coordination meetings with the project coordination team and relevant partners
• Collaborating with project stakeholders to ensure effective implementation and achievement of project objectives.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES AND KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

The selected consulting firm will be expected to deliver the following:

• A comprehensive agribusiness training curriculum
• Organization and facilitation of agribusiness workshops
• Entrepreneurship training modules accessible to youth participants
• Bankable business plans developed by youth groups
• Continuous mentorship and advisory support
• Financial literacy and loan management training
• Periodic progress and performance reports (on quarterly basis)
• Documentation of lessons learned and best practices

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIs)

The initiative focuses on designing the financial product and training 135 youths. The performance of the service provider will be assessed using the following indicators:

• Number of youths trained in agribusiness and entrepreneurship
• Number of agribusiness workshops conducted
• Number of youth enterprises supported to develop business plans
• Percentage of youth enterprises with viable business plans
• Number of mentorship sessions delivered
• Improvement in financial management practices among youth enterprises
• Loan repayment performance of supported youth groups
• Satisfaction of youth participants with training and mentorship services.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT & COORDINATION

The consulting firm will operate under the technical supervision of the Seed System Specialist.

The consulting firm will also work closely with:

• Anchor Seed Companies supporting youth seed production
• Farmer Service Centers (FSCs) providing extension services
• Financial institutions supporting youth enterprise financing
• Government agencies responsible for agricultural development
• Project implementation partners

Benefits

DURATION

The selected consulting firm will be contracted for a period aligned with the project implementation timeline, approximately one year and a half, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance and project requirements.

Eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure (Quality and Cost Based Selection) shall be in accordance with the African Development Bank’s Procurement policy framework, October 2015, which is available on the Bank’s website at https://www.afdb.org/en/projects-and-operations/procurement/new-procurement-policy

Interested consultants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours from 08:00-16:30

Expressions of interest should be delivered to the emails below on or before Monday 12th October 2026 at 16:30 pm. Any proposal received after the closing date shall be rejected.

Attn: Zozo Rachel

Interim TAAT Program Coordinator | Program Management Unit

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, www.iita.org

Headquarters & West Africa Hub

PMB 5320, Oyo Road, Ibadan 200001, Oyo State, Nigeria

International Mailing Address: IITA, Carolyn House, 26 Dingwall Road, Croydon, CR9 3EE, UK

Email: [email protected]                         

Copy: [email protected]