Vietnamese Start-up Honored at AI Summit Paris

Mr. Nguyen Do Dung brought Enfarm to the Artificial Intelligence Action Summit in Paris, France - Photo: FBNV

Tuoi Tre had a conversation with Enfarm's co-founder and CEO, Mr. Nguyen Do Dung, right after he returned from this world-leading AI event .

Farmers' concerns about risks

* How do you feel about Enfarm being introduced at the Paris AI Summit?

- I am very proud that Enfarm - a young technology startup in Vietnam - was selected to participate in the world's largest AI event. The event brings together leading scientists, experts, the largest technology corporations, and heads of state including the French president and the Indian prime minister.

Enfarm was chosen because it brings AI technology to farmers, who are often the slowest to adopt technology. The company uses the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI to create soil measurement technology with laboratory-level accuracy. This gives farmers a better understanding of soil health and crop needs.

The product helps farmers make better decisions about their crops by saving on fertilizer, increasing yields and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It simultaneously solves three problems: increasing income, reducing chemicals in agriculture and ensuring food security.

Through this platform, Enfarm expects to have the opportunity to enter new markets outside of Vietnam and Southeast Asia, aiming to become a world leader in agricultural technology and AI.

* What helped Enfarm conquer this event?

- 50 projects, including 4 projects in Asia, were selected from 800 registered projects. This was a fierce competition, with a jury of dozens of international scientists from many different fields.

The three key factors that convinced the judges were: effective AI application, new science on environment and sustainable development, and high social impact. According to calculations with coffee gardens in the Central Highlands, we help farmers increase 30% of output with 30% less fertilizer, increasing income by 1.5 times.

Enfarm's technology is not only technically excellent but also brings practical value to people and the environment. This is also the theme emphasized at the conference - ethics in AI development associated with solving global problems, especially the environment, sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Technology has no borders. When looking at a product, people don’t care where you come from, what color your skin is, or what education you have. The surprise doesn’t come from whether the product is from Vietnam, America, France, or China, but from the innovation and novelty of the product.

Mr. Nguyen Do Dung

Help soil and plants "speak"

* Where did the inspiration for Enfarm come from? What are the obstacles in bringing IoT and AI technology to farmers?

- When working on urban planning , I realized that Vietnamese agriculture is facing many risks in terms of market, climate and the continuous disruption of the world market due to war and trade war. Small-scale farmers with low incomes are vulnerable to losses when faced with pests or drought.

I also had the opportunity to work with Dr. Ho Phi Long - an outstanding Vietnamese scientist who helped build the scientific foundation for Enfarm. Our technology has been well received by farmers. 80% of farmers surveyed said that inorganic fertilizers have a great impact on soil and crops, but they lack measurement tools and just fertilize out of habit.

The biggest challenge is trust, after encountering fake fertilizers and long waiting times (6 months). Unlike other products, farmers have to wait the entire crop season to know the effectiveness of the technology. This is a new science both in Vietnam and the world. One farmer said: "Thanks to Enfarm, the soil and plants can now speak."

When working with agricultural scientists and large corporations around the world, they all expressed surprise at our approach. To convince them, we had to go through 5-7 rounds of interviews.

* In your opinion, what should Vietnam do to catch the AI wave?

- Firstly, Vietnamese people should use Vietnamese products because Vietnamese businesses have good capacity and to ensure sovereignty over data and AI. This is especially important in the context of technology playing an increasingly key role in socio-economic development.

Second, startups expect government support in terms of resources, networks, capital and taxes because of the high risks of this sector. Developed countries are supporting businesses very quickly, with governments willing to take risks and certify new products.