YOUNG INNOVATOR. Aldrin Sojourner Gamayon receives a commendation from the San Nicolas town council in Ilocos Norte province in this undated photo. He is the first Filipino to win the Red Bull Basement World Finals held in Tokyo, Japan last December 2024 for his innovative technology app that can help farmers reduce productivity loss. (Photo courtesy of Soj Gamayon FB page)
LAOAG CITY – Twenty-two year old Aldrin Sojourner Gamayon from San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province is taking a leap of faith when he pitched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solution to help farmers manage potential risks such as diseases, pests, and climate change.
Wanting to give back to farmers who are regarded as heroes that everyone needs for a sustainable future, Gamayo’s groundbreaking innovation, AgriConnect app, won in the recent Red Bull Basement World Finals in Tokyo, Japan.
He stood among the top 10 young innovators and the only Asian who competed against 110,000 others from 39 countries.
He is also the first Filipino to win in the said event.
After winning in the global innovation competition, the fourth year Bachelor of Science in Communications Technology Management student of the Ateneo De Manila University told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday that he is now gearing up for a three-week immersion program in Silicon Valley, California this year to realize a bigger dream to make farmers more resilient through modern technology.
"I am currently working with Ateneo Blue Nest to prepare for Silicon Valley,” said Gamayon, adding the details are still being ironed out while he is in the process of registering his company.
He is backed by Ateneo's start-up incubation program, which caters to the needs of startups both within and outside of the university by facilitating access to the university’s resources as well as drawing intellectual talents from the university’s extensive roster of faculty, scientists, researchers, alumni and students. Gamayon said he is determined to scale up his project and broaden its impact to benefit farmers.
Seeing the challenges of farming in his home province, he said he was inspired to "create solutions that empower our farmers and enhance the agricultural sector for the long term.”
His app uses a simple traffic light-like warning system to translate complex data into clear actions for farmers.
Green means you are good to go. Yellow means keep an eye out for pests or the weather might cause problems soon. Red means act now.
Through AgriConnect, the young innovator hopes to provide farmers with greater access to technology to protect their livelihood.
Specifically, the goal is to reduce at least 30 percent production loss annually due to lack of real-time data to manage crop risks.
"I’ve seen firsthand how farming can feel like a constant gamble. My family would talk about the anxiety of planting a crop, never knowing if pests, weather, or bad luck would ruin everything,” he said.
Gamayon said he has “spoken to farmers who mix seven pesticides hoping that one of these works, not realizing it's hurting their crops in the long run.”
“For them, it’s not just about growing rice — it’s about whether there’s enough to eat or if their kids can stay in school. That weight, that uncertainty, it’s what made me want to create something that could help,” he said in an earlier media interview.
For now, Gamayon looks forward to partnering with public and private institutions to make his dream into a reality for the next generation of farmers who could use the technology for the better. (PNA)
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