Support a startup making sustainable agritech for Sub-Saharan Africa 🌽

Munakyalo AgroFresh is a climate-smart agritech startup providing solar-powered IoT cold storage and plant-based preservation solutions to reduce post-harvest losses and increase incomes for smallholder farmers.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 50% of perishable agricultural produce spoils before reaching the market due to the lack of adequate cold storage and transportation infrastructure. This leads to severe post-harvest losses, reduced income for smallholder farmers, food insecurity, and increased greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing organic matter. Smallholder farmers, who make up the majority of the agricultural workforce, are disproportionately affected, often losing a significant portion of their harvest due to the inability to preserve freshness during storage and transport.

Munakyalo Agrofresh addresses this challenge through an integrated, sustainable approach that combines solar-powered IoT cold storage hubs with MunaFresh®, a plant-based edible coating that extends the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. By doing so, we tackle multiple environmental and social challenges simultaneously: reducing food waste, mitigating climate impacts through lower emissions, and increasing the economic resilience of farming communities. Our pay-as-you-store model ensures affordability and inclusivity, especially for marginalized rural populations. Through our work, we aim to transform post-harvest handling, promote climate-smart agriculture, and contribute to global food system sustainability.

Role (Volunteer): Backend Software Developer.

Role Description: As a Backend Software Developer, you will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining the server-side logic, databases, and APIs that power our mobile and web applications. You will work closely with frontend developers, product managers, and system architects to ensure seamless integration and high performance of our platform

Key Responsibilities:

• API Development & Integration: Design and build RESTful or GraphQL APIs to support mobile and web applications. Ensure secure, efficient, and scalable endpoints.
• Database Design & Management: Develop and maintain relational or NoSQL databases. Optimize queries, ensure data integrity, and implement effective backup and recovery strategies.
• Authentication & Authorization: Implement secure user authentication and access control mechanisms (e.g., OAuth2, JWT, API keys).
• Payment Gateway Integration (if applicable): Integrate third-party payment APIs like MTN MoMo, Stripe, or Paystack as needed for financial transactions.
• DevOps & Deployment: Automate deployment pipelines using CI/CD tools. Monitor and manage production servers and cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.).
• Performance Optimization: Optimize backend performance, ensure low latency and high availability under load.
• Security Compliance: Follow best practices for securing data and applications (e.g., input validation, rate limiting, encryption).
• Collaboration: Participate in Agile development processes, including sprint planning, code reviews, and daily stand-ups.

Required Skills:

• Strong proficiency in backend languages (e.g., Node.js, Python, Java, Go, or PHP).
• Experience with frameworks like Express.js, Django, Laravel, or Spring Boot.
• Proficiency in database systems like PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, or Firebase.
• Familiarity with API documentation tools (Swagger, Postman).
• Knowledge of version control systems (Git).
• Understanding of cloud services and containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with mobile-backend interaction and supporting Android/iOS apps.
• Previous experience integrating mobile money APIs (e.g., MTN MoMo).
• Familiarity with message queues and real-time data systems (e.g., Redis, RabbitMQ, WebSockets).

Time Commitment: Volunteer 7-9 hours per week for 6+ months remotely 💻

If you want to make change, apply to volunteer with Munakyalo AgroFresh!