RTB toolbox for Working with Root, Tuber and Banana Seed Systems

Tools4seedsystems: Building a better seed future, together

Building sustained capacity for using the tools and applying new knowledge in designing seed systems.

March – September 2021

The CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas, (RTB) (led by CIP) is seeking collaboration with an institution with capacity and experience of designing and implementing short term training and mentoring modules for research for development interventions in the first place sub-Saharan Africa, with potential adaptation for use in Latin America and the Caribbean, and South East Asia.

Root, tuber and banana crops are the foundation of tropical food security. But their seed systems are complex and widely informal. The seed is bulky, expensive to transport, spoils easily, and can harbor health problems from viruses to weevils. These challenges must be overcome in order to improve agricultural productivity and feed the world in an uncertain future.

Our work as the Seed Systems community of practice of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) has been focusing on understanding critical bottlenecks in the seed systems for root, tuber and banana crops. Our community comprises more than 50 scientists and practitioners from different disciplines and six organizations. We use inter- and trans-disciplinary methods to diagnose, evaluate, and improve seed systems for banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam. **

Our RTB seed community has developed a toolbox comprising research, diagnostic and planning tools (Andrade-Piedra et al., 2020, https://tools4seedsystems.org/). The Toolbox offers 11 tools to diagnose evaluate and improve seed systems of banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam. The tools include methods, models, approaches, and information and communication technologies (ICTs), which can be used by researchers, policy makers, and practitioners working on seed systems of root, tuber and banana crops.

The Toolbox for Working with Root, Tuber and Banana Seed Systems (https://tools4seedsystems.org ) can help address four key knowledge gaps in seed systems: capturing variety and seed demand characteristics of different types of farmers; appropriate seed delivery pathways; seed health management; appropriate seed regulatory frameworks (see Outlook on Agriculture Perspective Paper here). The tools support users to diagnose, evaluate, and improve seed systems of banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam.

• Design a module based training and mentoring programme to build sustained capacity of NARIs, and national seed system stakeholders to use tools4seedsystems to improve design, implementation and monitoring of seed system interventions.


• Implement virtual or face to face training in two countries (to be selected in consultation with core group) Colleagues from RTB seed community of practice would be resource persons in the first cycle of implementation.


• Identify a viable business model and institutional home for continued provision of Tool4SeedSystems training from 2022.


• Establish a network of trainers of trainers and resource people (as individuals or institutions, reflecting diversity of contexts for implementation), with peer review process to ensure continued quality.


• Design of training and mentoring programme for adult professionals,[1] and a strategy for reaching out to potential users[2] to take up training opportunities


• Module introducing “The Toolbox” (entry points and sequencing of tools); individual tools (application and use of information); glossary, design and monitoring of equitable and sustainable seed system interventions

Individual training modules for each tool (11)

•  Modules should be designed so that they can be used for on-line training or face to face training


•  Design materials for the modules


• a. Videos, written materials, etc.


• c. Implement training and mentoring programme in 2 countries, with anticipated 15 participants in each country


• Advertise and select potential participants


• Implement training modules in collaboration with RTB seed community of practice resource persons


• Pre and post training knowledge/skill review of participants


• Participant evaluation of training and peer to peer mentoring


• After action review with RTB seed CoP


• Business plan for institutionalization of capacity for training; to include


• Network of trainers and resource people


• Integration into short courses


• Resource mobilization and cost recovery for running courses

Qualifications

• Tertiary education/training institution working in gender responsive agricultural research for development


• Capacity and experience in development and implementation of short-term courses for adult professionals working in agriculture, rural development, seed systems, (from Diploma through to PhD), from NARIs, government, and NGO programme managers, extension workers


• Familiar with participatory approaches


• At least 5 years’ experience with content development and production of multi-media training and resource materials


• At least 5 years’ experience of hybrid learning methods (real time virtual, on-line modules, face to face, practical field work, peer-to-peer mentoring)

Responsible to:

Jorge Andrade/Margaret McEwan. A small steering committee from the RTB seed CoP will guide the process, and ensure technical backstopping for reviewing materials and resource persons for implementation of the course are available

Further information available

a. Website https://tools4seedsystems.orgTools: description sheet, user guides, publications

Application

· 1 page (500 words) interpretation of assignment and outline of proposed approach

· Cover letter

· Experience and examples of similar assignment

· Financial cost (quotation) to deliver the assignment

The financial proposal should contain:

• Itemized consultancy fees/costs;


• Acceptance to payment schedule (no advance payment)


• The financial quotations should be all inclusive.

8 Duration, timescale

Task

No of days

Time-scale

a. Design of training and mentoring programme for male and female adult professionals

5 days

End of March 2021

a. Development of training materials

15 days

April 2021

b. Implement training and mentoring programme in 2 countries in SSA, with anticipated 15 (50% male) participants each

Equivalent of 5 days per country= 10 days

2 days preparation,

1 days per country follow up/mentoring = 2

Total: 14

May-August 2021

c. Business plan for institutionalization of capacity for Tools4SeedSystems training

5 days

September 2021

Total

39 days

March -September 2021

[1] Recognising different needs of male and female participants.

[2] Potential users include agricultural researchers, extension workers, designers of agriculture/seed interventions

RTB toolbox for Working with Root, Tuber and Banana Seed Systems

Tools4seedsystems: Building a better seed future, together

Building sustained capacity for using the tools and applying new knowledge in designing seed systems.

March – September 2021

The CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas, (RTB) (led by CIP) is seeking collaboration with an institution with capacity and experience of designing and implementing short term training and mentoring modules for research for development interventions in the first place sub-Saharan Africa, with potential adaptation for use in Latin America and the Caribbean, and South East Asia.

Root, tuber and banana crops are the foundation of tropical food security. But their seed systems are complex and widely informal. The seed is bulky, expensive to transport, spoils easily, and can harbor health problems from viruses to weevils. These challenges must be overcome in order to improve agricultural productivity and feed the world in an uncertain future.

Our work as the Seed Systems community of practice of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) has been focusing on understanding critical bottlenecks in the seed systems for root, tuber and banana crops. Our community comprises more than 50 scientists and practitioners from different disciplines and six organizations. We use inter- and trans-disciplinary methods to diagnose, evaluate, and improve seed systems for banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam. **

Our RTB seed community has developed a toolbox comprising research, diagnostic and planning tools (Andrade-Piedra et al., 2020, https://tools4seedsystems.org/). The Toolbox offers 11 tools to diagnose evaluate and improve seed systems of banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam. The tools include methods, models, approaches, and information and communication technologies (ICTs), which can be used by researchers, policy makers, and practitioners working on seed systems of root, tuber and banana crops.

The Toolbox for Working with Root, Tuber and Banana Seed Systems (https://tools4seedsystems.org ) can help address four key knowledge gaps in seed systems: capturing variety and seed demand characteristics of different types of farmers; appropriate seed delivery pathways; seed health management; appropriate seed regulatory frameworks (see Outlook on Agriculture Perspective Paper here). The tools support users to diagnose, evaluate, and improve seed systems of banana, cassava, potato, sweetpotato, and yam.

a. Design a module based training and mentoring programme to build sustained capacity of NARIs, and national seed system stakeholders to use tools4seedsystems to improve design, implementation and monitoring of seed system interventions.

b. Implement virtual or face to face training in two countries (to be selected in consultation with core group) Colleagues from RTB seed community of practice would be resource persons in the first cycle of implementation.

c. Identify a viable business model and institutional home for continued provision of Tool4SeedSystems training from 2022.

d. Establish a network of trainers of trainers and resource people (as individuals or institutions, reflecting diversity of contexts for implementation), with peer review process to ensure continued quality.

a. Design of training and mentoring programme for adult professionals,[1] and a strategy for reaching out to potential users[2] to take up training opportunities

a. Module introducing “The Toolbox” (entry points and sequencing of tools); individual tools (application and use of information); glossary, design and monitoring of equitable and sustainable seed system interventions

b. Individual training modules for each tool (11)

i. Modules should be designed so that they can be used for on-line training or face to face training

b. Design materials for the modules

a. Videos, written materials, etc.

c. Implement training and mentoring programme in 2 countries, with anticipated 15 participants in each country

a. Advertise and select potential participants

b. Implement training modules in collaboration with RTB seed community of practice resource persons

c. Pre and post training knowledge/skill review of participants

d. Participant evaluation of training and peer to peer mentoring

e. After action review with RTB seed CoP

d. Business plan for institutionalization of capacity for training; to include

a. Network of trainers and resource people

b. Integration into short courses

c. Resource mobilization and cost recovery for running courses

Qualifications

a. Tertiary education/training institution working in gender responsive agricultural research for development

b. Capacity and experience in development and implementation of short-term courses for adult professionals working in agriculture, rural development, seed systems, (from Diploma through to PhD), from NARIs, government, and NGO programme managers, extension workers

c. Familiar with participatory approaches

d. At least 5 years’ experience with content development and production of multi-media training and resource materials

e. At least 5 years’ experience of hybrid learning methods (real time virtual, on-line modules, face to face, practical field work, peer-to-peer mentoring)

Responsible to:

Jorge Andrade/Margaret McEwan. A small steering committee from the RTB seed CoP will guide the process, and ensure technical backstopping for reviewing materials and resource persons for implementation of the course are available

6 Further information available

a. Website https://tools4seedsystems.orgTools: description sheet, user guides, publications

7 Application

· 1 page (500 words) interpretation of assignment and outline of proposed approach

· Cover letter

· Experience and examples of similar assignment

· Financial cost (quotation) to deliver the assignment

The financial proposal should contain:

• Itemized consultancy fees/costs;


• Acceptance to payment schedule (no advance payment)


• The financial quotations should be all inclusive.

8 Duration, timescale

Task

No of days

Time-scale

a. Design of training and mentoring programme for male and female adult professionals

5 days

End of March 2021

a. Development of training materials

15 days

April 2021

b. Implement training and mentoring programme in 2 countries in SSA, with anticipated 15 (50% male) participants each

Equivalent of 5 days per country= 10 days

2 days preparation,

1 days per country follow up/mentoring = 2

Total: 14

May-August 2021

c. Business plan for institutionalization of capacity for Tools4SeedSystems training

5 days

September 2021

Total

39 days

March -September 2021

[1] Recognising different needs of male and female participants.

[2] Potential users include agricultural researchers, extension workers, designers of agriculture/seed interventions