Nile

Inspiration

We are students from the Philippines, a country where agriculture plays a significant role in the economy. With about 40 percent of Filipino workers involved in agriculture, the sector contributes an average of 20 percent to the nation's Gross Domestic Product. However, the Philippines is regularly hit by typhoons, including the recent Super Typhoon Carina in July 2024. This devastating storm caused extensive damage to rice and corn fields, affecting over 51,000 hectares of rice farms, with rice losses valued at Php 816.53 million, and corn losses totaling Php 153.53 million.

What it does

Nile is an AI-powered app designed to address the unique challenges faced by Filipino farmers, especially in the wake of frequent typhoons and climate variability. By providing personalized irrigation schedules, real-time data on local weather patterns, and climate risk updates, Nile helps farmers like those affected by Super Typhoon Carina to better manage their water resources, reduce crop losses, and increase resilience to extreme weather. Through advanced machine learning and user-generated reports, Nile continuously refines its recommendations, ensuring that even farms recovering from disasters receive tailored, data-driven support for optimal recovery and productivity. This makes Nile a vital tool in safeguarding both water and crops in a climate-vulnerable country like the Philippines.

How we built it

We designed Nile using Figma to create a fully interactive prototype that mirrors the actual app experience. This allowed us to showcase the user interface and simulate the journey from opening the app to navigating its features.

Challenges we ran into

After identifying the solution, we faced the challenge of designing an app that was both functional and easy to use for Filipino farmers, many of whom already struggle with technology. We spent a lot of time planning a simple and intuitive layout that would be accessible even for those unfamiliar with complex digital tools. This led us to integrate a chatbot AI, allowing farmers to ask questions and receive real-time support. The chatbot helps guide users through the app, making the experience smoother and ensuring they get the most out of Nile's features.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We’re proud of creating a solution that not only helps conserve water but also directly supports farmers in regions most affected by climate change. The ability of Nile to offer real-time insights, integrate user-generated reports, and scale to different farm sizes is a significant achievement. Most importantly, Nile empowers farmers to make smarter, data-driven decisions about water use, ensuring long-term sustainability.

What we learned

Throughout the development of Nile, we learned the importance of real-time data in making accurate agricultural decisions. We also discovered that farmers need a solution that is both simple to use and capable of providing immediate value. Balancing technological innovation with practical usability was key to making Nile successful.

What's next for Nile

Next, we plan to integrate actual code into our prototype, bringing our idea to life by incorporating functional APIs. We aim to enhance the interactive map by refining its layout to ensure that farmers can easily understand its purpose at a glance. Our goal is to make the map more intuitive, allowing users to access vital information without confusion, while continuing to provide real-time data and updates. By doing so, we ensure that Nile remains a powerful yet simple tool for farmers to manage water efficiently and navigate climate risks.

Built With

• figma