The Philippine National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has partnered with US weather intelligence firm Tomorrow.io, a technology provider of U.S. agencies NOAA, NASA, and Department of Defense, to bring artificial intelligence (AI)-powered weather forecasting to Filipino farmers.

Tomorrow.io said in a statement on Wednesday that the tie-up aims to help farmers adapt to volatile and challenging climate conditions and boost productivity using AI in the Philippines.

In collaboration with the Department of Agriculture (DA), the partnership aims to transform how weather forecasting supports farming by leveraging Tomorrow.io’s AI-driven models and proprietary network of low-orbit satellites.

These satellites enable micro-weather forecasting at the plot level, allowing them to deliver precise and timely agronomy advice, such as when to apply pesticides or delay irrigation based on incoming rainfall.

“The Philippines, with its geographically complex archipelago and remote farming communities, faces unique weather forecasting challenges that traditional ground-based systems alone cannot address,

“Our proprietary space-based satellite constellation was purpose-built to fill those coverage gaps and provide high-resolution, real-time weather intelligence across the country, even in the most hard-to-reach and underserved areas,” said Shimon Elkabetz, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Tomorrow.io.

According to the statement, this joint effort comes at a critical time, with the southwest monsoon (habagat) already starting to affect various parts of the country, signaling the arrival of the rainy season.

It is noted that in 2024 alone, the agriculture sector suffered PHP 57.78 billion ($1.04 billion) in damages due to weather disturbances, affecting over 1.4 million farmers and fishers.

It resulted in the loss of 2.19 million metric tons of production across nearly 1 million hectares, based on data from the DA’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center.

These figures underscore the urgent need for climate-resilient practices and more effective forecasting tools.

“As the only global provider of this type of space-based weather technology, Tomorrow.io ensures truly national coverage,

“This allows for faster, more accurate early warnings, empowering farmers and local industries to make informed decisions during severe weather events” Elkabetz added.

By providing accurate, location-specific weather data, the initiative enables farmers to make informed decisions, manage inputs more efficiently, mitigate weather-related losses, and enhance yields even under increasingly unpredictable conditions.

Tomorrow.io collects global, high-resolution atmospheric data through its proprietary satellite constellation, which physics-based and AI-powered models then process to deliver highly accurate forecasts.

This intelligence is then translated into predictive insights via a scalable software platform, enabling proactive risk management across multiple industries.

According to the statement, the weather forecasting firm’s technology has already been tapped in various global development efforts, including with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation programs in Africa.

In the Philippines, the licensing agreement allows Tomorrow.io to extend its services beyond agriculture to other critical sectors, such as shipping and aviation, where real-time weather data is vital for safety and efficiency.

Tomorrow.io is a global Resilience Platform combining next-generation space technology, advanced generative AI, and proprietary weather modeling.

The firm delivers forecasting and decision-making capabilities, empowers organizations to proactively manage weather-related risks, opportunities, and enhance operational efficiency.

With cutting-edge weather intelligence and real-time early warning systems, the firm enables predictive, impact-based action for a safer, more resilient future.

Enstack and Dyna.Ai partner to offer AI solutions across Philippines, Southeast Asia