The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region IV-A, Philippines, has always focused on innovation to encourage sustainable farming. As part of the AMIA Program (Adaptation and Mitigation Initiative in Agriculture), the DA launched a major project to establish a network of real-time weather stations in key agricultural areas. They partnered with Maedan Enterprise Inc. and selected Oizom Weathercom to provide reliable, real-time weather information to farmers, researchers, and policy-makers.

Agricultural productivity in Region IV-A is greatly affected by microclimate changes, unpredictable rainfall, and extreme weather events. The Department of Agriculture faced several challenges: 

• Lack of Real-Time Microclimate Data: Farmers needed local insights to improve planting schedules and irrigation. 
• Inadequate Early Warning Systems: Traditional systems could not provide immediate alerts for weather changes affecting crop health.  
• Manual Recordkeeping: Data collection and reporting were slow, often inaccurate, and hard to integrate into central platforms.  
• Infrastructure Exposure: Outdoor installations need weatherproof, tamper-proof hardware for continuous monitoring in remote areas.

To address these issues, 11 Weathercom stations were set up across Lobo, Batangas, and nearby areas. Each system included:

• Real-time Sensor Suite: Monitoring temperature, humidity, rainfall, solar radiation, wind speed and direction, and barometric pressure.  
• Cloud-Based Platform: Easy data visualization through Oizom’s Envizom platform, accessible in real time on various devices.  
• Relay and API Integration: Smooth connectivity with DA’s internal platforms and alert systems.  
• Ruggedized Enclosures: Custom-built weatherproof enclosures and fences for long-term and low-maintenance outdoor use.  
• Independent Station Operation: Each Weathercom station operates autonomously and transmits data to the centralized Envizom dashboard, ensuring uninterrupted insights.
• Solar-Powered Connectivity: Each unit runs on solar energy with battery backup and communicates through 4G or LoRaWAN.
• This network of autonomous stations created a high-resolution environmental sensing framework to deliver localized insights for smarter agriculture and policy-making.

The installed systems triggered a significant change in how agriculture is managed:  

• Climate-Resilient Crop Planning: The department now receives real-time weather updates to make better planting, irrigation, and harvesting decisions.  
• Improved Risk Management: Timely alerts about extreme weather help reduce crop losses from storms, droughts, or heavy rain.  
• Policy-Backed Insights: DA incorporates the gathered data into its regional dashboards, leading to better subsidy planning and responses.
• Farmer Education and Trust: Field officers use Envizom dashboards to teach farmers about changing patterns and to encourage the use of scientific methods.

What started as a regional project is now a model for climate-smart agriculture across the Philippines. The initiative contributes to:

• The AMIA Program’s Long-Term Vision: Equipping agriculture with tools to deal with climate change.  
• UN SDG Goals: Promoting food security, sustainable practices, and climate action through digital changes.
• Community Trust: Farmers feel more assured in their seasonal decisions, knowing they rely on data, not guesswork.

With a strong partnership with Maedan Enterprise Inc. and Oizom’s reliable weather-monitoring technology, the Department of Agriculture, Philippines, has successfully transitioned to data-driven, resilient agriculture. With Weathercom’s continuous environmental insights, farming communities in the Philippines are now better prepared, more productive, and ready for the future.