Vietnamese start-up honored at the Paris AI Summit

Enfarm, a Vietnamese AI technology startup for agriculture, is one of four Asian representatives among 50 projects presented at the AI Action Summit in Paris, France, on February 10th and 11th.

Báo Tuổi Trẻ•17/02/2025

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

Tuổi Trẻ newspaper had a conversation with Enfarm's co-founder and CEO, Mr. Nguyen Do Dung, right after he returned from this leading global AI event .

Concerned about the risks faced by farmers.

* How did you feel when Enfarm was introduced at the Paris AI Summit?

- I am very proud that Enfarm - a young technology startup in Vietnam - has been selected to participate in the world's largest AI event. The event brings together leading scientists , experts, the biggest technology corporations, and heads of state, including the President of France and the Prime Minister of India.

Enfarm was chosen for bringing AI technology to farmers – a group often the slowest to adopt new technologies. The company applies the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI to create soil measurement technology with laboratory-level accuracy. This helps farmers better understand soil conditions and crop needs.

The product helps farmers make better crop decisions by saving on fertilizers, increasing yields, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It also addresses three key challenges: increasing income, reducing the use of 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 win this event?

- 50 projects, including 4 in Asia, were selected from 800 applications. It was a fierce competition, with a judging panel comprising dozens of international scientists from various fields.

Three key factors convinced the judges were: effective AI application, new scientific elements related to the environment and sustainable development, and high social impact. Based on calculations with coffee plantations in the Central Highlands, we helped farmers increase yields by 30% with 30% less fertilizer, and doubled their income.

Enfarm's technology is not only technically excellent but also delivers practical value to people and the environment. This was also a key theme emphasized at the conference – ethics in AI development linked to solving global problems, especially the environment, sustainable development, and poverty reduction.

Technology knows no boundaries. When looking at a product, people don't need to know where it comes from, its skin color, or its education. The surprise doesn't come from whether the product is from Vietnam, the US, France, or China, but from its breakthrough and novelty.

Mr. Nguyen Do Dung

Help the soil and plants "speak".

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

- While working on urban planning , I noticed that Vietnamese agriculture is facing many risks related to market conditions, climate change, and the constant disruption of the global market due to wars and trade conflicts. Small-scale farming households have low incomes and are easily wiped out by pests, diseases, or droughts.

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 surveyed farmers believe that inorganic fertilizers have a significant impact on soil and crops, but they lack the tools to measure this, applying fertilizers only out of habit.

The biggest challenge is the issue of trust, after previous experiences with counterfeit fertilizers and the long waiting time for results (6 months). Unlike other products, farmers have to wait the entire growing season to know the effectiveness of the technology. This is a new field of science both in Vietnam and globally. One farmer said: "Thanks to Enfarm, the soil and crops can now speak for themselves."

When working with agricultural scientists and major 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 stay ahead of the AI wave?

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

Secondly, startups expect government support in terms of resources, networks, capital, and taxes due to the high risks involved in this sector. Developed countries are providing rapid support to businesses, with governments willing to take risks and certify new products.