National Consultant BACK TO LIST

J ob ID: Location Closin g Date

HQ01657 India 15-Apr-2024

About IRRI
The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science;
improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and protecting the rice-growing environment for
future generations. IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford
and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government.

The institute, headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia and Africa, and
over 1,000 staff. Working with in-country partners, IRRI develops advanced rice varieties that yield more grain and
better withstand pests and disease as well as flooding, drought, and other harmful effects of climate change.

Job Purpose
IRRI India is implementing a GIZ funded project, ‘dynAg: An AI based Digital Extension Platform to Promote Peer-to-
Peer Exchange and Deliver Dynamic Advisory to Smallholders’ with an estimated budget of EUR 3,67,000 approx. for
one year. The project aims to address the problems of agricultural extension faced by Bihar farmers and thus develop
‘dynAg’-for dynamic Agricultural Advisory in Bihar, India that will be personalized, suited for different weather
forecast scenarios, use rice-wheat as an example, work in local languages, integrate data and technology assets from
content and solution providers, encourage peer to peer communication in shared languages, and utilize feedback to
improve personalized advisories. The target groups will be the low-literacy and low-digital skill groups as well as more
literate users. IRRI along with International Wheat and Maize Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) will together be
implementing the project through partners DISYS (Digital Intelligence Systems-now integrated with Dexian), H3i, IKSL
(IFFCO Kisan Suvidha Limited) and Sumarth with an extended collaboration with JEEViKA, ICAR-KVK and Bihar
Agricultural University.

The platform will be accessed through smartphone based handheld devices and will be complemented through
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and messaging. It will be an open, easily accessible API. The position will provide
support and coordination for agricultural research, data collection and analysis that will help in the development of the
API and its piloting.

This position is required for field visits in Bihar and must only be filled by the permanent residents of India.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Coordinate with the dynAg cohort team to collect language data in Magadhi, Mythili and Bhojpuri.
• Support the information exchange among users to share in their local language and culture.
• Help in maintaining and dissemination of the agri-based content repository and data models having information that
needs to be exchanged with the target group of farmers.
• Help in the personalization of the user experience, providing user relevant advisory based on user preference and
interactions.
• Support in testing and validating the dynAg advisories, integrating the stakeholders’ feedback into information logic.
• Coordinating and review of field level activities and support in user engagement and piloting dynAg
• Support in testing and validating the advisory Coordinating the field activities.
• Ensure the accuracy of the agricultural language data.
• Monitor the progress and outcomes of user engagement and piloting of dynAg.

Qualifications
Master’s Degree in journalism or computer science or related field with knowledge of language data

Skills Required
Mandatory:-
Good analytical and research skills
Good networking and advocacy skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Good technical report writing skills

Preferred:-
Experience of engagements with farmers, SHGs
Experience in monitoring data
Familiar with the culture of Bihar
Has published papers in peer reviewed journals

Join our team and be part of our story! Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

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IRRI is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.