INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE (IITA)

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL ADVERTISEMENT

Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) - TAAT Technical Advisor-Seed Systems

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to generating agricultural innovations to address Africa's most pressing challenges, including hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Collaborating with partners across sub-Saharan Africa, IITA aims to improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resources. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership working towards a food-secure future. For more information, visit www.iita.org.

The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), is a major continent-wide program designed to boost agricultural productivity across the continent by rapidly delivering proven technologies to millions of farmers. The overall goal of TAAT is to double crop, livestock, and fish productivity by expanding access to productivity-increasing technologies to more than 40 million smallholder farmers across Africa. TAAT aims to generate an additional 120 million metric tons (MT) of food while lifting 130 million people out of poverty. Getting certified seeds of the most modern varieties into the hands of tens of millions of farmers is the primary objective of TAAT. 

The program supports the Feed Africa Initiative of the AfDB by providing the needed, proven agricultural and food processing technologies and implementation strategies for inclusion within the Bank’s loans to Regional Member Countries (RMCs). It is implemented by the Regional Technology Delivery Infrastructure (RTDI) made up of the Commodity Technology Delivery Compacts (Compacts); the TAAT Clearinghouse (CH); the Program Management Unit (PMU), and a Program Steering Committee (PSC).  The Compacts are currently composed of 11 CGIAR centers, 3 Advanced regional R&D African centers, National Agricultural Research and Extension System (NARES) institutions, private sector partners and development partners. IITA is the executing agency of TAAT.

The Program Management Unit (PMU) is responsible for overall coordination and implementation of the TAAT program providing oversight and direction of the program.  This is achieved through the provision of technical assistance from technical experts supporting the project. Specifically, the PMU team consists of experts from M&E, Procurement, Financial Management, Environment and Social Safeguards, and Gender, all working together to ensure delivery of TAAT activities in close collaboration with partners to get proven technologies into the programs of the government’s agricultural infrastructure.

As the Executing Agency (EA) for TAAT, IITA will continue to oversee program implementation in partnership with other CGIAR Centers and specialized agencies acting as Implementing Agencies for specific components.

OBJECTIVES OF CONSULTANCY SERVICES

The objective of this consultancy is to engage an Individual Consultant for the position of Technical Advisor - Seed Systems, seconded to Rwanda's Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), to provide technical leadership and coordinate implementation of the project "Building a Sustainable Private Sector-Led Seed Sector in Rwanda's Food Basket Sites," in support of a more efficient, inclusive, and sustainable seed system in Rwanda.

Specifically, the consultancy aims to strengthen Rwanda's seed sector through a market-driven, private sector-led approach, by supporting youth Agripreneurs in building profitable enterprises in certified maize seed production and basic seed potato multiplication, in partnership with anchor seed companies, Farmer Service Centers, and financial institutions. Beyond the technical production support provided by anchor seed companies, the consultancy will also strengthen youth enterprises' entrepreneurial, financial management, and business development capacities to ensure long-term sustainability, while ensuring implementation aligns with national priorities through liaison with the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA) on harmonizing seed certification protocols.

Requirements

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Among others, the consultant is expected to liaise with the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA) to harmonize seed certification protocols. The position will be seconded to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) in Rwanda to support implementation and ensure alignment with national priorities.

The Technical Advisor - Seed Systems will:

• Provide technical leadership in the development of sustainable, market-driven seed systems in Rwanda, working closely with MINAGRI and national stakeholders.
• Coordinate project planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting across target Food Basket Sites.
• Strengthening partnerships with government institutions, financial institutions, private seed companies, Farmer Service Centers (FSCs), and youth Agripreneurs.
• Ensure the production and delivery of high-quality certified seed of priority crops, particularly maize, rice and potato.
• Facilitate seed demand forecasting and seed balance sheets for maize, rice and potato at the district level.
• Coordinate and provide technical business support to partner youth enterprises to support their business development.
• Facilitate and monitor linkages between Youth enterprises and Anchor Farmers/companies.
• Ensure youth enterprises ‘access to adequate extension services and knowledge needed to run the seed business.
• Support MINAGRI in other matters related to seed business and technologies transfer to FOBASIs.

Deliverables

The Advisor will be expected to produce, as applicable:

• Approved annual and quarterly implementation plans for seed-system and youth Agripreneurs activities.
• Functional coordination mechanism involving MINAGRI, implementing partners, FSCs, anchor seed companies, financial institutions and other stakeholders.
• Technical seed production and quality-assurance protocols developed and operationalized.
• FSCs and anchor seed companies strengthened and functioning as incubation and service-delivery hubs for youth seed Agripreneurs.
• Youth Agripreneurs trained, mentored and supported to establish or strengthen commercially viable seed enterprises.
• Youth enterprise/business plans developed, and financing linkages established, including catalytic grants and contract-based lending arrangements.
• Functional results-based M&E system and project performance database/dashboard established and regularly updated.
• Four quarterly technical reports and one consolidated annual technical report produced each year.
• Stakeholder partnerships and market linkages strengthened across government, finance, seed companies, input suppliers and buyers.
• Knowledge products and documented lessons produced to support learning, replication and scaling of successful youth-led seed business models.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

• Master’s degree in Agronomy, Seed Science, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in seed systems, agribusiness, or agricultural value chain development.
• Proven experience in project coordination and implementation.
• Strong understanding of seed production, certification, and extension systems.
• Experience working with government, private sector, and farmer organizations.
• At least 3 years of experience in East Africa with knowledge of local seed market dynamics, residence in Rwanda is an added advantage.
• Fluency in English (working language); knowledge of Kinyarwanda is an added advantage.
• Demonstrated working experience with international financial institutions (e.g., AfDB, World Bank,) is an added advantage.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strong technical knowledge of seed systems, certification processes, and agronomy.
• Demonstrated experience in multi-stakeholder coordination and partnership building.
• Strong analytical, organizational, seed business and reporting skills.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.
• Good understanding of private sector-led agricultural development approaches.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Benefits

DURATION

The duration of the assignment will be for an initial period of one year, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and fund availability from the donors. The assignment will commence in November 2026.

Eligibility criteria, establishment of the short-list and the selection procedure 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 sent to the address below on or before Monday 12th October 2026.

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

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