THE Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-Davao), in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), has begun field testing preparations for artificial intelligence-powered drone technology in Davao del Norte banana farms to measure its accuracy in mapping plantations and detecting crop disease.
The pilot initiative, led with technology partner E-Support Link, covers three farms in Panabo City, Braulio E. Dujali, and Mabini, where drone AI mapped five hectares of banana plantations as part of a yearlong validation program.
Marie Ann M. Constantino, DA-Davao regional technical director for operations, said the project aims to strengthen the region’s banana industry by introducing precision agriculture tools that can improve productivity and combat disease threats.
“This initiative forms part of DA-11’s goal to help boost banana production by addressing challenges posed by crop diseases, including Fusarium wilt, which remains highly prevalent in many banana farms across the region,” Constantino said.
She said the yearlong testing phase will expand research efforts and generate data for more science-based interventions to support banana growers.
The drone AI system targets 95 percent mapping accuracy and will undergo pilot testing in May, when drone-assisted banana plant counts will be compared with manual counts to verify precision. Disease detection trials are also scheduled in the coming months.
Farm owners welcomed the initiative, saying the technology could help ease industry challenges through more accurate farm monitoring, improved disease management, and higher productivity.
E-Support Link said drone AI can also help reduce disease transmission by limiting human contact during farm inspections, counting, and monitoring—activities that may unintentionally spread contamination between plantations.
DA-Davao, through its Regional Crop Protection Center and Information and Communications Technology Section, is implementing the initiative alongside DOST and local government agriculture offices to strengthen agricultural research and innovation in the region.
The expanded testing follows DA-Davao’s memorandum of understanding with Japanese partners for an AI-powered drone pilot project focused on banana plant counting and early disease detection.
The agency conducted its first pilot test on March 30 at Laserna Farm in Ula, Tugbok District, Davao City, using AI-assisted multispectral drone imagery to identify infected banana plants and detect diseases even before visible symptoms emerge.
Davao Region remains the country’s banana capital, producing 3.19 million metric tons in 2024, or 94.8 percent of the region’s total fruit output. Bananas, particularly Cavendish varieties, continue to rank among the Philippines’ top agricultural exports, with export volume projected to rebound by 25.6 percent to 2.93 million metric tons in 2025. RGP
