Winners Announced for CIP AI-griculture Hackathon: Innovative AI Solutions to Strengthen Global Food Security
[Lima, Peru] – The International Potato Center (CIP) is pleased to announce the winners of the AI-griculture Challenge Hackathon. This competition brought together some of the brightest minds to develop artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for global food security challenges. More than 60 teams entered the competition in 2024, and seven teams reached the final round.
After a rigorous evaluation, the judges selected winners across four science goals: Crop Improvement, Urban Food Systems, Biodiversity, and Regenerative Agriculture. The winning teams demonstrated outstanding innovation, technical expertise, and potential for real-world impact in their respective fields.
Crop Improvement Science Goal: Buba – AI for Optimized Potato Breeding
Urban Food Systems Science Goal: GreenVidaFarms – Bridging Farmers and Urban Consumers
Biodiversity Science Goal: VitroPlantScan – AI for Plant Health Monitoring
Regenerative Agriculture Science Goal: AI-Powered Decision Support for Crop Rotation
Each winner received $4,000 in prize money. While all the winning solutions were found to be equally impactful, the judges decided not to award a Grand Prize, recognizing the merit of each project in driving agricultural innovation. In addition to these winners, three other teams competed as finalists, contributing valuable solutions, and we acknowledge their contributions. They are:
Urban Food Systems Challenge with their proof-of-concept on intelligent analysis of official food consumption data in Peru
Crop Improvement Challenge: Future-Proofing Agriculture: Predicting Optimal Trait Combinations and Cultivation Zones in a Changing Climate
Biodiversity for the future challenge: Develop an AI-based decision support system to improve viability status monitoring of in vitro collections
Harnessing AI for Global Food Security
“These groundbreaking solutions demonstrate the immense potential of AI to transform food systems,” said CIP Director General, Simon Heck. “From improving crop breeding to enhancing food access in urban areas, these innovations will play a crucial role in building resilient agricultural systems amid climate challenges.”
The CIP AI-griculture Hackathon was made possible through the support of expert mentors and judges, who guided participants throughout the competition. CIP appreciates the contributions of all who facilitated this successful event, including Avanade who contributed invaluable technical expertise.
Looking Ahead: Fostering More AI-driven Innovation
Moving forward, CIP will continue to support innovative AI-driven solutions that can be scaled to benefit farmers, researchers, and food systems worldwide. Future hackathons and collaboration opportunities will be announced soon.
Congratulations to all the winners and participants! Stay tuned for more ways to drive impact through technology and agriculture.
About CIP
The International Potato Center (CIP), a CGIAR research center, is dedicated to improving food security, nutrition, and livelihoods through innovative research on root and tuber crops, including potatoes and sweet potatoes. By integrating cutting-edge technology such as AI, CIP enhances agricultural resilience in the face of climate change.
