Women farmers in Northern Luzon are leading a technology-driven transformation. In a region where agriculture fuels local economies, women are leveraging tech to modernize their farms, boost productivity, and secure better incomes.

“Naranasan ko pong hindi kumain noon bata ako.” This was what 49-year-old Ilocana farmer and community leader Arlene Lopez said when she recalled her challenging childhood, growing up and losing their farm in a land dispute.

In Tuguegarao, where farming is one of the main sources of livelihood among residents, 36-year-old Maureen Ann Blancad has transformed her life as a farmer and her community through the power of technology.

Davao’s cacao industry is getting a digital boost, thanks to PLDT and Smart’s partnership with the Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Training Institute and Mennonite Economic Development Associates.

The FarmTech initiative of PLDT and Smart in partnership with the Agricultural Training Institute has empowered 43 farmer associations across the nation with a tech-based package designed to enhance their training programs, promoting technological adoption among the agricultural sector.

PLDT and Smart have once again been recognized for helping empower Filipino farmers, fishermen and MSMEs with digital technologies.

Farmers from Sto. Niño Organic Rice Farmers Association in Simaya, Malaybalay City, are now better equipped to empower their members with digital farming tools through a FarmTech training kit from PLDT, Smart, and the Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Training Institute.

PLDT and its wireless unit Smart have reaffirmed commitment to using technology to contribute to food security, particularly in Mindanao, by distributing PlantSmart Kits to schools across the region.

PLDT and Smart supported the Global Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship Exposition 2024 organized by the College of Economics and Management of UP Los Baños in partnership with the Philippines Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PPSA).

PLDT and its wireless unit Smart Communications Inc. create more opportunities for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and farmers with the help of technological innovation. The group has extended support to Gawad Kalinga's 2024 BayanAnihan Summit, a nationwide event that gathered young agricultural stakeholders to share knowledge, form connections, and empower them in their own efforts in their communities.