by Elvy T. Estacio, RPCOCAR InfoACE

Delegates from the World Bank and YieldsApp, an Israeli agricultural technology company, visited farms in Benguet province on April 28-29 for the initial pilot test of the YieldsApp platform.

The visit was part of a Technical Mission aimed at facilitating the possible integration to local systems on multiple levels including national, regional, and farm level. It was attended by technical staff from various Department of Agriculture (DA) bureaus, banner programs, and operations units, along with representatives from the DA-Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up. The Taloy Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (TAFARMCO) facilitated the farm tours, as the selected farmers group for the pilot run.

Before the visits, YieldsApp had already calibrated the platform using baseline data, including farm locations, crop types, soil and water conditions, and input products used.

Following a courtesy call at the DA-CAR and a brief orientation at TAFARMCO, the group toured six farms in various barangays of Tuba, Benguet to validate real conditions, observe common farming practices, and engage directly with farmers.

During the visits, YieldsApp CEO Guy Sela and Vice President Joshua Ellis demonstrated how the platform generates crop recommendations by analyzing uploaded photos and farm data. They tested the platform’s ability to provide actual recommendations for crop production challenges. In addition, they gathered feedback from the farmers—the primary users of the platform—on its usability and effectiveness.

Marilyn Lozada, a farmer-member of TAFARMCO, expressed her interest in the platform, citing its potential to improve crop management.

“I-try man nga agpayso ta nu maminsan ket daytoy weather ti mang apekto ti mula, tapnu ammo ti timing na, jay application ti abono, ken spray kakasjay, tapno bareng maiwasan dagijay nagadu nga insekto ti mula ken tapno haan tayo nga ag gastos ti nanginngina ken narigat ti ag spray ti napipigsa ta kankanen tayo met” (I’m willing to try the app because with the weather these days, it would help us figure out the best time to plant, which would be really helpful. It could also guide us on what fertilizers to use and what to spray, since there are a lot of insects ruining our crops. It would be great if we could avoid buying expensive and strong insecticides that might even be bad for our health), Lozada said.

George Lagto, another TAFARMCO member, shared his optimism that the platform could help lower input costs and improve overall production. He noted that the subscription fee is minimal compared to the high cost of fertilizers.

“Napintas ta naglaka nga i-click mo laeng, makita nu anya usarem nga ag spray, time nga pangusaram, i suggest na nu anya usarem. Nalaklaka nga usaren, at least hamu pay kailangan agdamag kakadwam, ada en amin idjay agrugi nu agmula ka inggana ag harvest. Ket ada basis mon tun nu next nga cropping. Ket nu ada kayat mo dmagen, i click ko lang ket tulungan daka. Makitam nu kasanu pangsolbar mo ti problema ti mula. Maisuggest na nu anya ti usarem, mano ti usarem, kasjay” (It’s very helpful because it’s so easy to use, just a few clicks and you’ll get recommendations on what spray to use, when to apply it, and how much to use. You don’t even need to keep asking others for advice because everything is already there, from planting to harvest. It also serves as a guide for the next cropping season. If you have a concern, just click and it will help you solve crop problems), Lagto added.

Like Lozada and Lagto, other farmers interviewed during the visits also responded positively to the platform demonstrations. Many expressed a keen interest in subscribing to the platform, recognizing its potential to streamline farm management and boost productivity.

Following the farm visits, a hands-on workshop was held to further familiarize participants from the DA bureaus and offices with using the YieldsApp management system. The participants then voiced their comments, particularly on the localization of the platform tailor fitted to the needs of the farmers, and the accuracy of the recommendations based on inputted data among others.

During the visit’s wrap up meeting, Ellis stated that the visits helped assess farmers’ interest in the platform and their ability to adopt the technology in daily farm management. “The combination of data and filed insights allowed us to refine our recommendations to better match local practices and capacities,” he added.

The YieldsApp uses AI-based data analytics to offer agronomic recommendations, such as crop monitoring and tailored input protocols—to help farmers improve productivity and resilience. It is part of World Bank’s Technical Assistance to the DA-PRDP Scale-Up, supported by Israel through the FoodSystems 2030 Trust Fund, aiming to share Israeli agricultural expertise to strengthen agri-food value chains.