BUNAWAN, AGUSAN DEL SUR — In celebration of the Agriculture and Fisheries Extension (AFE) Month, the Agricultural Training Institute–Regional Training Center XIII (ATI-RTC 13), in collaboration with the Agusan del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology (ASSCAT), conducted the Agri-Innovation Generating New Ideas and Technologies for Excellence (Agri-IGNITE) 2025 Final Pitching and Presentation on October 1, 2025, at the ASSCAT Conference Room, Bunawan, Agusan del Sur.
The Agri-IGNITE initiative engages Information Technology (IT) students in developing technology-based solutions to address agricultural challenges, promote sustainability, and encourage youth participation in agri-innovation. The program serves as a platform for students to showcase creativity and build practical tools that can help transform the agriculture and fisheries sectors in the Caraga Region.
Earlier, on August 27, 2025, the Agri-IGNITE Pitching and DevOps Challenge was held at the RIDE Conference Room, ASSCAT Bunawan Campus, where four promising projects from the College of Computing and Information Systems (CCIS) were selected as finalists:
- DatoAI – a smart assistant connecting farmers and buyers through real-time market intelligence and demand forecasting (by Chavy Butaslac, Shyla Mae Doneza, and Dether Olaquir);
- Smart Agriculture Knowledge Access Platform (SAKAP) – a unified digital platform integrating an e-Library and AI chatbot for agricultural queries (by Michael Paloa, Yrald Latigo, and Hewer Magadan);
- AgriNova – a Smart Library and AI Assistant (by John Plaza, Mark Gemetiza, and Daniela Rocero); and
- ARPoultry-WebAR – an Augmented Reality Virtual Tour for poultry farms (by Luisito Sedillo and Mark Dichos).
The projects were assessed based on innovation and creativity (20%), relevance and impact (25%), technical feasibility (30%), user experience and design (15%), and presentation and communication (10%). The Top 4 teams advanced to the Grand Finals held on October 1, where they presented their working prototypes. The winning team will receive a cash prize, mentorship, and internship opportunities with ATI Caraga, and their system will be implemented as part of their academic training.
In his inspirational message on behalf of ASSCAT College President Joy C. Capistrano, Engr. Jack O. Bertulfo, ITSO/TBI Director, commended the students’ innovative efforts. “Your participation in Agri-IGNITE shows your strong commitment to sustainable agriculture and innovation. The technologies you develop today could one day empower farmers and strengthen our communities. Innovation isn’t limited to smart cities or manufacturing—it’s equally vital in agriculture,” he said.
Through Agri-IGNITE 2025, ATI-RTC 13 and ASSCAT reaffirmed their dedication to empowering young innovators and bridging the gap between technology and agriculture. By nurturing creative solutions from the youth, the program supports the goal of building a modern, inclusive, and innovation-driven agricultural industry for Caraga.
