Individual Consultant (AI) at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Description

• The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is seeking to engage the services of an Individual Consultant to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) capacity and readiness within the organization.
• This consultancy will identify priority areas for AI applications to improve data analytics, forecasting, and precision in research and scaling processes across programs such as crop improvement, plant health, agronomy, seed systems, climate resilience, value chain development, and impact delivery.
• The purpose of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive AI Capacity Assessment, needs identification across programs, and provide actionable recommendations, along with a roadmap, to strengthen AI integration in alignment with the project’s overall goals and donor requirements.

Scope of Work / Key Responsibilities
The consultant will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

• Conduct a desk review of relevant IITA strategies, reports, digital platform inventories, and related CGIAR initiatives. 
• Engage with key IITA programs and support services (Research Programs, ICT, Data Management, Communications and Knowledge Management, People and Culture, Project Development Administration, etc.) through virtual consultations, questionnaire surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. 
• Assess existing digital and data infrastructure, software systems, databases, and AI-related tools used within IITA and its projects. 
• Map human and institutional capacities relevant to data science, machine learning, and AI. 
• Identify organizational bottlenecks, including skills, resources, infrastructure, and governance gaps hindering the mainstreaming of data, digital, and AI.  
• Benchmark IITA’s AI readiness against similar CGIAR centers or peer institutions. 
• Develop recommendations and an implementation roadmap for strengthening AI use in research and delivery. 
• Identify high-potential AI use cases for research and operational efficiency. 
• Present findings in an internal validation workshop, institutional webinar, and solicit feedback from internal stakeholders.  
• Finalize the report incorporating stakeholder feedback. 

Requirements
Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Advanced degree in relevant field – e.g., Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Natural Resource Management, Statistics/ Data Science or related discipline.
• Minimum of Seven (7) years of relevant professional experience in agricultural or Environmental project implementation, Monitoring and evaluation in Agricultural Research.
• Demonstrated expertise in Methane Reduction & Climate-Smart Agriculture, Data Collection and Tool Design, and Data Analysis. 
• Excellent analytical, Data analysis, quantitative and qualitative analysis.
• Previous experience working with international organizations, donor-funded projects, or research institutions will be an added advantage.