INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURE (IITA)

INTERNAL & EXTERNAL ADVERTISEMENT

Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) - ToT+cascade Templates & Process for TAAT

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution developing agricultural innovations to address Africa’s most pressing challenges, including hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, create jobs, and preserve natural resources. IITA is a member of One CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. For more information about IITA, please visit http://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 Africa 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-enhancing technologies for more than 40 million smallholder farmers across Africa.

The TAAT Clearinghouse was originally created to support the TAAT project, initiated by the African Development Bank to improve the quality of technologies integrated into the large-scale development projects it funds through African governments. Based in Cotonou, he is responsible for selecting and validating technologies and for helping to disseminate them by providing specialized advice to decision-makers in governments and private companies, as well as to development partners such as IFIs.

The technologies promoted the programme need to be accompanied by coherent learning resources that can be consistently delivered through Training of Trainers (ToT) and cascading capacity development programmes towards scaling within IFI-funded large-scale development projects. While validated technologies are known, there is a need for a standardized methodology that transforms scientific and technical knowledge into high-quality learning products while preserving technical accuracy and supporting adaptation to different learner groups.

The proposed consultancy will develop a Technology Translation Toolkit that establishes a repeatable process for converting validated technologies into structured learning pathways and a family of learning materials. The Toolkit will support a multi-level learning architecture in which a single Technology Translation Package can be used by master trainers, national trainers, extension officers, innovation platform facilitators, lead farmers and farmers through appropriate combinations of learning materials and facilitation approaches.

POSITION RESPOSNIBILITIES

A.    Review of existing materials around TAAT

Review existing training material on which the templates for ToT and cascade can be based.

B.    Design the Technology Translation Framework

Develop the overall framework describing the principles, governance, quality assurance arrangements, roles and responsibilities, and the multi-stage training material development (“technology translation”) methodology.

C.    Recommendations for Technology Package

Describe how to document validated technologies in an authoritative technical reference for subsequent development of training material.

D.    Process for Technology Translation Package

Develop the instructional design process that converts technical content into learning outcomes, learning modules, activities, assessments and facilitation guidance, which can be applied to develop learning materials for a proven technology.

E.    Suite of Templates for Learning Materials

For both the ToT and subsequent cascade of training, develop standard templates for facilitator guides, participant workbooks, presentation slides, fact sheets, posters, handouts, quizzes, video storyboards and other reusable learning products. The consultancy is expected to produce templates, not complete learning materials.

F.    Training of Trainers and Cascading Delivery Guide

Develop guidance describing how Technology Translation Packages and learning materials should be used across different levels of the learning architecture, including Master Trainers, National Trainers, Extension Officers, Innovation Platform Facilitators, Lead Farmers and Farmers. Include procedures for pilot testing, learner and facilitator feedback, version control, updating Technology Packages and Learning Materials, and maintaining technical consistency, based on adult learning principles, facilitation techniques, formative assessment and pilot implementation guidance.

Requirements

REQUIRED EXPERTISE

• The consultant should demonstrate expertise in instructional design, adult learning, agricultural extension and capacity development, development of Training of Trainers programmes, knowledge management, and the translation of scientific or technical information into practical learning resources.
• Experience with CGIAR, and familiarity with the TAAT program will be a great advantage given the short timeframe of the consultancy.
• Experience with extension systems or comparable international agricultural programmes will be an advantage.
• Operational level in English

Benefits

Duty Station: The consultancy will be entirely undertaken from home, with regular teleconference communications with the TAAT Clearinghouse.

General Information: The consultancy will be completed over a period not exceeding 1.5 months, from the date of signing the contract.

METHOD OF APPLICATION:

Interested applicants should complete the online application on the IITA website: https://apply.workable.com/iita/#jobs and attach a detailed cover letter and curriculum vitae, both saved with their names in Microsoft Word format, within one week of the publication date. The application must include the names and e-mail addresses of three professional referees.

IITA is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse workforce and particularly welcomes applications from women. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.