Baguio city: The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has called on the agriculture sector to embrace smart technologies to rejuvenate the industry, boost productivity, and achieve the government's food security objectives. Nancy Bantog, Regional Director of DOST-Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), highlighted the ongoing implementation of SARAI (Smart Approaches to Reinvigorate Agriculture as an Industry in the Philippines), a four-year initiative focused on science-based tools and technologies.
According to Philippines News Agency, SARAI each year prioritizes three commodities and three local government units (LGUs) for technology adoption. In the Cordillera region, the program will concentrate on rice, corn, coffee, and cacao. Bantog explained that SARAI aims to tackle agricultural challenges through smart, data-driven approaches to improve yields and resilience against climate and environmental factors.
The initiative includes cutting-edge technologies like SPIDTECH (Smarter Pest Identification Technology) for early pest detection and management, CAPCHE (Coffee Application Harvest Estimator) for crop-specific advisories, BanaTech for estimating banana harvest data, and CL-SEAMS (Community-Level SARAI Enhanced Agricultural Monitoring System) for real-time crop monitoring using GIS and remote sensing.
Bantog noted that even before SARAI's official launch, DOST-CAR had already introduced smart agriculture technologies, including automated irrigation systems and aquaponics. She emphasized the importance of localized innovations to support the region's role as a leading producer of highland vegetables.
During a press conference at the "Handa Pilipinas sa Bagong Pilipinas" Luzon leg, DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. stressed the integration of smart agriculture into local governance. He highlighted the significance of resilience not just in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management but also in economic development, urging LGUs to adopt smart agriculture technologies, including SARAI's various apps.
Solidum pointed to the potential of drone technology, mapping systems, and logistics tracking to bolster agriculture, enhance market access, and safeguard farmers from climate-related risks, pests, and price volatility. He emphasized the need for interested LGUs and farmers' cooperatives to participate in promoting these innovations nationwide.
