IFPRI is seeking an individual consultant to manage the Programming to improve the Irrigation Management Information System of Ethiopia [IMISET]. This consultancy is open to applicants in Ethiopia only.

Background:

The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) has established an Irrigation Management Information System for Ethiopia (IMISET) to improve information on this important resource. IMISET is a web-based information system that enables data entry by woredas online. Data components include irrigated area, actual water use for irrigation, crop production and productivity, costs and profits, and investment and operation costs. A module is integrated in IMISET to download WaPOR data and estimate actual water use, water productivity, and some irrigation performance indicators. Querying data is made at two levels: Summary data mainly in infographics and detail data in tabular format. Currently, data is accessed at spatial scale of country, region, river basin and agroecology for starting and ending years. Database users will include decision-makers and irrigation practitioners from federal to woreda levels, researchers, and development partners.

The CGIAR Initiative on NEXUS Gains is supporting MoA with increasing the functionality of the IMISET tool.

Status: IMISET is currently not fully functional. The major needs identified include:

• Algorithms: Algorithms of some irrigation indicators were incomplete while some others requirement refinement. New algorithms are also required for reporting additional indicators.

• Implementation of Algorithms: Some algorithms were neither completed nor correctly implemented both regarding the frontend interface and backend calculations. New modules are also required for querying additional indicators.

• IMISET Accessibility: Sluggishness of accessing IMISET and browsing information has been the major problem.

Consultancy: The objective of this consultancy is to make IMISET fully functional and use the information for public use by improving backend calculations and frontend reporting interfaces.

The major activities to be undertaken include:

Algorithm Refinement and Completion:

· Refine the algorithms for some irrigation indicators and complete the algorithms for others.

· Develop algorithms for reporting additional indicators or trends.

· Prepare a technical report detailing the implemented algorithms.

Algorithm Implementation:

· Complete and correctly implement the all the algorithms and improve frontend interface and backend calculations.

· Develop new modules to facilitate querying additional indicators.

IMISET Accessibility: Diagnose and resolve the issue related to sluggishness of accessing IMISET information.

• Expected improvements include:
• Improved Summary Reporting Interface with refined and additional information to be displayed,
• Improved Detail Reporting Interface with refined and additional information,
• River Basins (possibly sub-basins) with annual flows included in IMISET Database, and
• Relevant documents included under Knowledge Management Menu

 

Specific activities related to Implementation of Algorithms include:

• Diagnose problems causing slowness of IMISET and implement solutions,
• Refine modules for calculating displaying infographics of information,
• Refine the module for calculating and displaying detail information,
• Refine/develop modules for estimating actual water use from WaPOR and agricultural water withdrawal for those irrigation schemes with available measured water withdrawal,
• Refine/develop module for estimating water withdrawal from WaPOR-based actual water use,
• Develop module for developing a cropping pattern and monthly irrigation/cropping intensity,
• Refine/develop modules for calculating and displaying infographics of additional information,
• Refine/develop module for calculating average crop yields, and average water productivity from WaPOR and database to enable comparison of results,
• Develop the modules for analyzing and summarizing study, design and construction costs of different water abstraction structures and irrigation systems of irrigation schemes with the cost data in the database, and
• Develop module for exporting raw data as CSV or Excel file.

 

Duration period: 6 months starting March 20, 2024 [or receipt of signed contract]

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor of Computer Science or similar field
• At least 5 years of experience with software development
• Proven track record of successful project deliveries
• Fluency in Amharic and English
• Based in Ethiopia

Application: Please upload your CV, and one completed software development piece and include your daily rate in the online portal.

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*We are unable to respond to every applicant individually, only the selected applicant will be contacted*