Digital Agriculture Officer At African Agricultural Technology Foundation

AATF is an international not-for-profit organisation that facilitates and promotes public/private partnerships to promote food security and enhance livelihoods of smallholder farmers in SSA. AATF works with African governments, private and public technology owners and developers, NGOs, seed companies and African smallholder farmers to identify and access technologies that address farmers’ key problems and empower them through availability of a choice of agricultural innovations that generate wealth and health for their families and communities. AATF is a registered charity under the laws of England and Wales and has host country status with the Government of Kenya. The Foundation depends on the ongoing support and collaboration of different partners and investors to meet its objectives.

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager – Rice, the officer shall provide support in agricultural digital tools to drive the adoption of agricultural technologies within AATF towards enhancing productivity, efficiency and innovation.

Functions / Key Results Expected

• Develop and implement a comprehensive digital lab and strategy aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives.
• Collaborate with data management team to identify, evaluate, and implement digital tools, platforms, and technologies to optimize agricultural processes, data collection, analysis, and decision-making.
• Responsible for digital transformation projects, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and stakeholder engagement.
• Collaborate with internal teams (IT, projects, operations, etc.) and external partners (Public and Private) to integrate digital solutions seamlessly.
• Monitor trends in agriculture, emerging technologies, and best practices to recommend continuous improvements and innovative solutions.
• Provide training and support to staff and partners on digital tools, ensuring effective adoption and utilization.
• Ensuring data and information security by integrating and upholding digital security systems.
• In-depth understanding of modern digital and information technologies.
• Ensure effective functioning of the digital lab and digitization initiative at AATF

Competencies

• Strong understanding of agricultural processes, data management, IoT, AI, and other relevant technologies.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Effective communication skills to collaborate with diverse teams and stakeholders.
• Excellent high-level networking skills and ability to build and sustain relationships with key partners, especially project partners in digitization of information.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritize work activities to meet set goals and objectives.
• Demonstrable effective communication skills
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.

Qualifications

Education:

• Master’s degree in computer science, information technology, agriculture informatics, or related field; advanced degree preferred.

Experience:

• Proven experience (5 years) in digital transformation, IT project management, or related roles, ideally within the agriculture or agribusiness sector.
• Be proficient in the use of ; SQL, NoSQL databases (e.g., MySQL, MongoDB), Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI), GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, QGIS), Remote sensing tools (e.g., Google Earth Engine, ENVI), Precision agriculture tools (e.g., Climate Field View, Ag Leader), Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud), Cloud-based IoT platforms (e.g., AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub), Machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and AI platforms (e.g., IBM Watson, Google AI), R script , Python and Javascript.
• Hands-on experience in implementing and integrating digital tools and technologies, including IoT, AI, and data analytics, in an operational environment.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity best practices and tools to protect sensitive data.
• Familiarity with web and mobile application development environments (e.g., Visual Studio, IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, Xcode).
• Experience in collaborating with cross-functional teams, including IT, operations, marketing, and external partners, to achieve digital goals.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English. A working knowledge of a 2nd language – French/Portuguese would be an added advantage.