Jean Claude Rubyogo

Jean Claude Rubyogo is the Director of the Pan-Africa Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) and the Global Bean Program Leader at the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, part of the CGIAR group.

As a Seed Systems Specialist, Jean Claude spearheads multi-country public-private partnerships and interdisciplinary teams dedicated to developing and implementing innovative demand-led food systems research and development based on bean corridor approach (Bean commodity corridors scaling up production and market expansion for smallholders in Sub-Saharan Africa). His efforts focus on developing and deploying impactful demand -led bean seed systems (DLSS) and management practices, positively impacting over 42.5 million smallholder farmers—58% of whom are women and more 300 agri-food entrepreneurs across 31 PABRA member countries. The DLSS approach has also been expanded to include other crops, such as cowpea, groundnut, and sorghum. Notable cross crop seed systems initiatives include improving trader-led seed delivery models for sorghum and groundnuts in Tanzania and transforming Nepal's lentil value chain through PABRA’s multi-stakeholder platform model.

Jean Claude is an accomplished researcher specializing in Crop Improvement Science, with an extensive portfolio of publications, including peer-reviewed articles, books, and book chapters on bean seed systems and technology delivery models. His contributions have been instrumental in advancing agricultural practices and improving food security across Africa.

Under his leadership, PABRA has built transformative research and development partnerships, including a significant collaboration with multiple donors, governments and private and social entrepreneurs to enhance bean productivity, marketing, and consumption in Africa. The organization’s groundbreaking work has earned several prestigious accolades among them:

1. Africa Food Prize 2023: Recognized for PABRA's remarkable contributions to food security and sustainable agricultural development across Africa. (PABRA Wins Africa Food Prize 2023)
2. Al-Sumait Prize for African Development: Awarded for PABRA's exceptional impact on food security through research and innovation in the bean value chain. (PABRA Receives Al-Sumait Prize for African Development)

Jean Claude stands out as a great science and proactive leader, mobilizer, forward thinker and strategic fundraiser with more than 15 successfully funded and aptly led/managed projects valued at $100 million. Jean Claude’s visionary leadership continues to drive sustainable agricultural innovation and transformative change, benefiting millions of smallholder farmers and agri-food entrepreneurs across the globe.