Consultant - Nourishing Prosperity Alliance (NPA-FORAGE) Project

Position Title

Consultant - Nourishing Prosperity Alliance (NPA-FORAGE) Project

Company / Organisation

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Nourishing Prosperity Alliance (NPA)

Location

Addis Ababa with possible travel within Ethiopia: Hawassa, Adama, and Kombolcha for MSMEs data collection.

Objective

The primary objective of this consultancy is to design, develop, test, and deploy a robust, web-based Forage Market Digital Platform alongside a highly user-friendly web/mobile application that enhances access to forage market information and strengthens market linkages across the forage value chain.

Responsibilities

The digital platform will be expected to encompass two core functions:

• Host and regularly updated forage input, service, and market information, together with a monitoring tool for use by forage producers, input suppliers, mechanization service providers, MSMEs, and other key value chain actors.
• Provide an interactive dashboard for real-time analysis and visualization of forage input/service market update information, trends, and performance indicators.
• Strengthen linkage of forage market information across different forage market actors so that they can easily access it.

Core Platform Features & Architecture

Web-Based Marketplace Dashboard: A central portal for registered enterprise users (processors, large-scale producers, suppliers) to list products, post purchase requests, and manage transactions.

User-Friendly App Interface: A responsive web application (progressive web app - PWA) optimized for mobile devices, accessible to smallholder farmers and MSMEs.

Real-Time Price & Input Information System: A dynamic module tracking current market prices across key regional hubs and monitoring inventory levels of forage inputs.

Knowledge Exchange Hub: An easy-to-navigate repository for agronomic advice, climate-smart forage production practices, and a simple Q&A feature for peer-to-peer or expert-to-farmer learning.

Localization: Support for multiple languages (e.g., Amharic, Oromiffa) with intuitive, visual icons to ensure high accessibility for users with varying literacy levels.

Security, Data, and Maintenance

User Authentication & Roles: Secure registration and SMS/OTP-based verification linked to user profiles (categorized by producer, supplier, processor, extension worker, or farmer).

Offline Capability: Essential app features (like cached price of forage and forage seed information and downloaded agronomic guides) must remain accessible offline.

Admin Panel & Analytics: A backend dashboard for NPA Forage’s MEL and project teams to monitor platform usage, active listings, user growth, and transaction trends.

Qualifications

Education

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a closely related field.
• Strong proficiency in modern backend and frontend frameworks and relational/non-relational database management.
• Familiarity with building light, offline-first digital tools tailored for rural areas with low network bandwidth.
• Excellent analytical, system architecture, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and documentation skills, with the ability to explain technical functionalities to non-technical project teams.

Experience

• Minimum of 5–7 years of proven experience in designing and developing full-stack web applications and responsive mobile solutions.
• Demonstrated experience building agricultural marketplaces, SMS-integrated information systems, or supply chain digital platforms within developing country contexts.

Language Requirement

• Fluency in English and [local working language, e.g., Amharic is required.]
• Knowledge of Afan Oromo is an advantage.

Duty Station

Addis Ababa with possible travel within Ethiopia: Hawassa, Adama, and Kombolcha for MSMEs data collection.

Terms of Appointment

The consultant appointment is for 60 days from the day of agreement signed.

Business License Requirement

The consultant is required to hold a valid business license and able to issue VAT/TOT receipts when processing consultancy fees.

How to Apply

Applicants should provide a cover letter and curriculum vitae; names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to be included in the curriculum vitae.

All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com/ before 31 October 2026.

Deadline

31 October 2026

Reference Number

C/NPAP/021/26