Reference number: 2612
Job status: In-progress
Job category: Consultancy
Duty station: Colombo, Sri Lanka
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CIFOR-ICRAF
The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) envision a more equitable world where trees in all landscapes, from drylands to the humid tropics, enhance the environment and well-being for all. CIFOR and ICRAF are non-profit science institutions that build and apply evidence to today’s most pressing challenges, including energy insecurity and the climate and biodiversity crises. Over a combined total of 65 years, we have built vast knowledge on forests and trees outside of forests in agricultural landscapes (agroforestry). Using a multidisciplinary approach, we seek to improve lives and to protect and restore ecosystems. Our work focuses on innovative research, partnering for impact, and engaging with stakeholders on policies and practices to benefit people and the planet. Founded in 1993 and 1978, CIFOR and ICRAF are members of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food secure future dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources.

Overview

The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation (MoALLI), is implementing the Green Climate Fund (GCF)–funded Knuckles Project titled: “Strengthening Climate Resilience for Subsistence Farmers and Agricultural Plantation Communities Residing in Vulnerable River Basins, Watershed Areas and Downstream of the Knuckles Mountain Range Catchment of Sri Lanka.”

The project aims to enhance climate resilience, ecosystem services, and livelihood security through integrated, climate-smart, and nature-based solutions. Under Component 3, the project focuses on promoting climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable land management (SLM), and agroforestry-based livelihood systems. While agroforestry is widely practiced in the Knuckles landscape, farmers often lack site-specific, evidence-based guidance tailored to their agroecological conditions and livelihood needs.

To address this gap, CIFOR-ICRAF has developed agroforestry guidelines through an extensive consultative process. Building on this, the project now seeks to develop a mobile-based digital decision-support tool that enables farmers and extension officers to design farm-specific agroforestry systems.

Duties and responsibilities

To design, develop, pilot, and institutionalise a mobile application that provides location-specific, user-friendly agroforestry system recommendations, supporting climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods.

Specific Objectives

• Translate agroforestry research, traditional knowledge, and project-generated data into a practical digital decision-support tool.
  
• Enable users to generate site-specific agroforestry recommendations based on farm-level parameters.
  
• Strengthen the effectiveness and outreach of extension and advisory services.
  
• Ensure institutional ownership, scalability, and long-term sustainability through structured handover to a designated government institution.
  
  

CIFOR-ICRAF invites qualified firms or consortia to undertake the end-to-end development of the application, including:

System Requirements Specification (SRS)

• Note: The SRS will be a core evaluation component, and applicants are expected to demonstrate strong capability in translating complex agroforestry knowledge into a structured digital system.
  

System Design and Content Framework

• Develop agroforestry recommendation logic and design system architecture (front-end, back-end, database, hosting)
  

Application Development

• Develop a cross-platform mobile application and integrate user inputs and recommendation engine
  
• Testing and Pilot Implementation
  
• Conduct testing and quality assurance
  
• Pilot with farmers and extension officers and refine based on user feedback
  

Capacity Building and Documentation

• Develop user manuals and training materials and conduct training sessions for stakeholders
  
• Provide technical documentation and video guides
  

Handover and Sustainability

• Transfer full ownership (source code, systems, documentation)
  
• Develop a sustainability and scaling roadmap
  
• Maintain the application for 1 year post-launch
  

Education, knowledge and experience

Applicants should demonstrate:
• Minimum 8 years of experience in mobile/web application development
• Proven experience in decision-support systems or digital advisory tools
• Experience in agriculture, agroforestry, or rural development
• Strong capacity in SRS development and system architecture design
• Experience working with government or donor-funded projects

Expected Deliverables
• Inception Report
• System Requirements Specification (SRS)
• System Architecture Design
• Functional Mobile Application
• Pilot Testing Report
• Training and Documentation Package
• Arrangements for institutionalisation
• Final Technical Report and Handover Package

Institutionalisation and Ownership
The developed application will be treated as a public digital good and will be formally handed over to a designated Government of Sri Lanka institution for long-term ownership and scaling.

Additional Note
CIFOR-ICRAF expects applicants to go beyond conventional app development and propose a comprehensive, scalable, and institutionally viable digital solution, anchored on a strong System Requirements Specification (SRS) and aligned with national systems.

Terms and conditions

Terms and conditions
• This is a consultancy position
• The assignment is expected to be completed within 6 months, followed by a 1-year maintenance period
• Work location: Sri Lanka

Application process
• The application deadline is 9 April 2026, 12.00 pm IST/1.30 pm WIB
• We will acknowledge all applications, but will only contact short-listed applicants.
• CIFOR-ICRAF reserves the right to modify the number of positions, location, or cancel the hiring as necessary

Applicants are required to submit:
Technical Proposal
• Draft SRS development
• Conceptual system design
• Innovation features (optional enhancements)
• Work plan and timeline
Financial Proposal
• Detailed cost breakdown
Experience
• Relevant past projects
• Team composition

To learn more about CIFOR-ICRAF, please visit our websites at: https://www.cifor-icraf.org
CIFOR-ICRAF promotes Gender Diversity – Applications from women professionals are encouraged.
CIFOR-ICRAF is an equal opportunity employer. It fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equality, teamwork, and respect for diversity.

Application process

The application deadline is 09 Apr 2026
We will acknowledge all applications, but will contact only short-listed candidates.

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