By A young entrepreneur in the Philippines is harnessing artificial intelligence to help farmers prevent devastating crop losses before they happen.
AGRICONNECT PH, a mobile app currently in development, was created by 22-year-old Aldrin “Soj” Gamayon, a senior at Ateneo de Manila University. Drawing from both his family’s farming background and insights gained through an overseas internship, Gamayon set out to solve a problem he witnessed firsthand—how smallholder farmers often discover crop issues only after visible damage has already occurred.
The app is designed to monitor key risk indicators on farms, using smart sensors placed in the soil to track data points like moisture levels, water content, and pest activity. This data is then analyzed by an AI engine, which evaluates the conditions and alerts users to potential problems—ideally before any visual symptoms emerge.
Traditional farming methods often rely on experience and visible signs to assess crop health, which can delay interventions. Gamayon noted that once physical symptoms like yellowing appear, only a fraction—around 30%—of a crop’s value can typically be salvaged. AGRICONNECT, on the other hand, aims to protect up to 90% of yields by enabling earlier action.
To make the technology accessible, the app uses a simple traffic light system: red for urgent action within 12 to 24 hours, yellow for caution, and green for optimal conditions. This design ensures that farmers don’t need deep technical knowledge to use the system—they simply follow clear signals to guide their decisions.
In a country like the Philippines, where extreme weather, pests, and diseases frequently impact agriculture, the economic toll is significant. In 2024 alone, damages were estimated at nearly ₱58 billion (US$1.01 billion). Gamayon hopes AGRICONNECT can be part of the solution, helping farmers respond more quickly and efficiently to threats.
AGRICONNECT is targeting a full launch in 2026, with an ambitious goal of reaching one million farmers by 2030. Though still in its development phase, the project is already attracting attention. It has won the Red Bull Basement competition and earned support from global backers including Microsoft, Plug and Play, and Ateneo Blue Nest.
Gamayon emphasizes that the tool is not meant to replace traditional agricultural knowledge but to support and enhance it. “We see ourselves as a partner to farmers, not a replacement,” he said, underlining the app’s mission to blend modern technology with generations of farming expertise.
As climate challenges and resource constraints intensify across the globe, innovations like AGRICONNECT could represent a vital bridge between tradition and technology in sustainable farming.