Pest diagnostics startup hoping to expand beyond mango farms

AN AGRICULTURE startup helping diagnose pest problems in mango farms said it is hoping to help farmers of other high-value crops.

Founded in 2022, AGRI-Tips, Inc. provides mango farmers personalized scientific-backed farm input recommendations based on the farm’s pests, growing stage, weather, and previous farming practices.

It does so via a mobile app generating personalized options to manage insecticide resistance.

Founder Karl Medina said agri-technology startups like AGRI-TIPS play a role in modernizing every part of the value chain — from propagation, crop management, pest management, to post harvest and processing.

“Multiply that by the type of crop that they would like to focus on. Add the globalization factor, the opportunities are limitless,” he said in an e-mail.

The mango industry employs about 2.5 million farmers, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

It’s the third most important fruit crop based on export volume, after banana and pineapple, according to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development.

It said pests and diseases and low rates of adoption of improved technologies are among the major challenges preventing the mango industry from maximizing its potential.

The main challenge for startups like AGRI-Tips is reaching out to as many farmers as possible, Mr. Medina said, citing the need to sustain farmer training and adoption.

The startup addresses the problem by partnering with industry partners including local agriculturist offices and farmer cooperatives.

“Agribusiness players can maximize available resources by partnering with academia and research and training institutions,” Mr. Medina said.

“This can help in updating the knowledge of agribusiness players into new methods and technology that can be beneficial to their farms,” he added.

“Since Agri-TIPS started with a specific crop, Mango, the prospects would be expanding to other high value crops with the goal of making all farmers an expert in decision making in farming,” Mr. Medina said. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza