1.  Introduction

1.1.  Background

The Somali Agricultural Regulatory and Inspection Service (SARIS) is a national agency responsible for official controls of plant pests and disease, seed quality and agricultural inputs, including pesticides and fertilizers, in Somalia. It has been established under Law (No. 32/2024) as the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) for Somalia with mandate to enforce Plant Protection and Quarantine Law (No. 34/2024), Seed and Variety Release Law (No. 35/2024) and Agrochemicals Control Law (No. 33/2024). It has the legal mandate to regulate seed certification, plant variety release, and breeders’ rights in accordance with national legislation and international obligations. A critical requirement in fulfilling this mandate is the establishment of robust systems for National Performance Trials (NPT) and Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) testing. Currently, nearly 95% of farmers in Somalia rely on uncertified seed sources, with about 46% purchasing seed from informal local markets, 38% using saved seed, and the remaining 13% depending on aid distributions. This widespread use of uncertified or informal seeds leads to unpredictable crop performance, undermines yield reliability, and exposes farmers and the national seed system to quality risks and limited access to regulated seed markets.

1.2. The Ugbaad Project (GCF-Funded)

The Climate Resilient Agriculture in Somalia (Ugbaad) Project is a seven-year program (2024–2031), financed by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with a grant of USD 79.7 million and implemented by FAO in partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia. Ugbaad is Somalia’s first GCF-funded, single-country investment dedicated to strengthening agricultural resilience.

The project’s development objective is to enhance climate-resilient livelihoods and food security through:

• Restoration of 40,000 hectares of productive landscapes.
• Rehabilitation of irrigation canals and rural access roads.
• Improved access to water for over 900,000 people.
• Climate information services reaching nearly 1 million farmers and pastoralists.
• Strengthened institutional capacity to deliver climate-smart agriculture and seed system reforms.

The seed supply initiative under this ToR falls within Ugbaad’s component on sustainable input access and seed system strengthening, designed to ensure Somali farmers benefit directly from certified, climate-resilient seed varieties while building long-term demand for improved seed.

1.3. Rationale of DUS and NPT

Somalia currently lacks an operational framework for National Performance Trials (NPT) and Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) testing. The absence of NPT and DUS exposes Somalia’s seed sector to significant risks, including the inability to safeguard farmers from poor-quality seeds, weak assurance of seed standards, and exclusion from regional and international markets.

NPT ensures that new plant varieties are rigorously evaluated for agronomic performance, adaptability, and market-preferred traits across Somalia’s agro-ecological zones. This guarantees that only high-yielding, resilient, and farmer-accepted varieties are released for commercial use. Complementing this, DUS testing provides scientific assurance that varieties are truly distinct, uniform in their traits, and stable across successive generations, thereby protecting farmers, consumers, and breeders’ rights. Neighboring countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda already run structured NPT/DUS systems through multi-location trials, farmer participation, and harmonized protocols, providing models Somalia can adapt.

Together, NPT and DUS provide a transparent, science-based framework for variety release and registration. They also enable Somalia to meet international obligations under UPOV, ISTA, COMESA and EAC harmonized seed regulations. Their establishment will enhance food security, support innovation and investment in plant breeding, and strengthen Somalia’s competitiveness in regional and global seed trade.

1.4.  Purpose of this Terms of Reference (TOR)

The purpose of this TOR is to engage a consultant to support SARIS, a newly established institution, in developing and operationalizing a comprehensive framework for National Performance Trials (NPT) and Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) testing in Somalia. As these systems have not yet been implemented in the country, SARIS requires specialized technical expertise that is currently unavailable internally. By drawing on the experience of experts from neighboring countries such as Kenya (KEPHIS), where well-established NPT and DUS systems are in place, the consultancy will ensure the development of credible, science-based procedures aligned with national laws, regional harmonization, and international standards for the registration and release of superior plant varieties.

1   Objective of the Assignment

1.2   Overall Objective

To design, operationalize, and institutionalize the NPT and DUS testing framework for Somalia in line with international standards and regional best practices.

1.3   Specific Objectives

• Develop clear operational guidelines, SOPs, and regulatory instruments for NPT and DUS testing.
• Propose an institutional and governance structure for conducting trials across Somalia’s agro-ecological zones based on the international best practices
• Provide a framework for concurrent NPT and DUS testing to expedite release without compromising quality.
• Build technical and institutional capacity within SARIS and partner institutions for long-term sustainability.
• Ensure alignment with UPOV principles, ISTA protocols, COMESA, IGAD and EAC harmonization frameworks.

2    Scope of Work

The selected consultant in collaboration with SARIS will undertake the following tasks:

a) Policy and Institutional Review

• Review national seed legislation and SARIS establishment law to ensure alignment of NPT/DUS guidelines with legal mandates.
• Benchmark against IGAD, COMESA and EAC harmonized seed regulations, UPOV technical guidelines, and ISTA standards.
• Map existing institutional and human resource capacity gaps for trial implementation.

b) National Performance Trials (NPT) Framework

• Develop SOPs for submission of varieties, trial setup, and data collection.
• Define minimum trial requirements: multi-location, multi-season testing, with check/control varieties in line with international best practices
• Establish evaluation protocols covering yield, agronomy, adaptability, and market-preferred quality traits.
• Design mechanisms for farmer participatory evaluation (NPT tours, surveys).
• Draft TORs for the National Performance Trials Committee (NPTC) and National Variety Release Committee (NVRC) with clear decision-making criteria.

c) Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) Framework

• Develop SOPs for DUS testing based on UPOV guidelines.
• Establish data collection protocols for morphological, reproductive, and growth traits.
• Define species-specific thresholds for uniformity and off-types.
• Propose collaboration arrangements with regional testing authorities (e.g., KEPHIS) during Somalia’s capacity transition.

d) Integration of NPT and DUS Processes

• Develop procedures for concurrent or sequential NPT and DUS testing.
• Propose standard templates for breeder applications, evaluation reports, and release certificates.
• Recommend integration of NPT/DUS data into the SC&PVP automated seed certification system.

e) Capacity Building

• Prepare practical field manuals and training modules on NPT and DUS implementation.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates/consulting firms are invited to submit:

• A cover letter expressing interest and suitability for the assignment.
• Technical proposal outlining methodology and work plan.
• Financial proposal indicating consultancy fees and related costs.
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) of the lead consultant and team members (if applicable).
• Evidence of relevant assignments previously undertaken.

Applications should be submitted electronically to [email protected] and CC: [email protected] no later than September 16, 2025. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

NB: MoAI/SARIS may withhold or delay payments for late, incomplete, or substandard deliverables, while timely and satisfactory submissions may allow faster processing.