Internship Objective
The objective of this internship is to create a mobile application that runs on Android devices, allowing NAEB to seamlessly evaluate and track coffee cooperative health, in order to make informed decisions in supporting them.
TechnoServe Rwanda INC, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Export Board (NAEB) and BK Techouse, has been pioneering technological advancements in agricultural extension services. Building on the success of the Digital Farm Extension Monitoring System (DFEMS) within the larger Smart Kungahara System (SKS), we want to implement a Coffee Cooperative Tracking System (CCTS). This system will extend its scope beyond tracking coffee cooperative wet mills to encompass broader cooperative activities, including tracking individual farmers and their adoption of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP). By integrating this system with the DFEMS, we aim to enhance cooperative governance, monitor GAP adoption, and track coffee cherry sales, thereby providing comprehensive support to cooperatives and their members.
Since 2021, the DFEMS module has been integral to managing coffee farming activities in Rwanda’s Western and Southern regions. This platform has enabled the effective tracking of farmer information, farm details, training activities, and GAP adoption. The Coffee Cooperative Tracking System will leverage the existing DFEMS infrastructure to provide an additional layer of data and insights specifically focused on cooperatives and their members.

This internship is intended to:

• Develop a standalone mobile application that runs on Android devices
• Integration with the Digital Farms Extension Monitoring System
• Test and deploy the application on google play store

Implementation Focus
● Region: Kigali/Rwanda
● Program: Rwanda INC
● Technology: Kotlin, Android Studio, Relational and Non-Relational DB, and other mobile application development technologies

Key Activities and Deliverables
The project will involve working with the TechnoServe Labs and Rwanda INC team.

Tasks will include:

• Develop an offline-capable Android mobile application using Kotlin
• Implement a built-in questionnaire for assessing cooperative health
• Create features for recording and managing key operational dat
• Design and implement data synchronization capabilities with the SKS/DFEMS backend
• Ensure the app works efficiently in low-connectivity environments
• Collaborate with the team to integrate the app with existing DFEMS functionalities
• Assist in testing and debugging the application
• Document the development process and create user guides

Key deliverables include:

• A CCTS mobile application deployed to Google Play Store
• Source codes pushed to the TechnoServe’s repository
• Documentation of the solution and user guides
• Training the end users

Outputs will be immediately put to use by field teams. Interns will have significant exposure to cross-sectional teams for collaboration and management.

Qualifications
A senior year or a completed student of an undergraduate degree or Master’s degree program in computer science, software engineering,information technology or related field of study

Skills Required

• Strong proficiency in Android app development using Kotlin
• Experience with offline-first app architecture and data synchronization
• Familiarity with RESTful APIs and JSON
• Knowledge of SQL databases (preferably SQLite for local storage)
• Understanding of material design principles and UI/UX best practices
• Ability to write clean, maintainable, and efficient code
• Good problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills in English
• Passion for using technology to solve real-world problems in agriculture

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with agile development methodologies
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git)
• Knowledge of cloud services and backend technologies
• Interest in or experience with agricultural or rural development projects

Dates
Sept 1, 2024- Dec 31, 2024 (4 months) with possibility of extension.

We encourage all qualified individuals who share TechnoServe's vision of improving the lives of others through proven business solutions to apply.

With our commitment to diversity, we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and affirmative action employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, HIV/AIDS status, protected veteran status, disability and all other protected classes.

We are also proud of our commitment to protecting staff, partners, and beneficiaries from abuse and exploitation and thoroughly vet all final candidates through rigorous background and reference checks.

If you have a disability that affects your ability to use our online system to apply for a position at TechnoServe please contact the Human Resources at recruitment@tns.org or call +1 202 785 4515.