A data command center being developed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) is nearing completion, with officials saying the platform will drive the agency’s digitalization push and strengthen evidence-based policymaking.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Sunday urged DA officials and employees to accelerate data collection efforts ahead of the command center’s launch, stressing that the success of the system depends on the quality and accuracy of information fed into it.

“I encourage everybody to gather and provide data that will populate the Command Center,” Tiu Laurel told DA personnel. “But we need real data, not fake information, to ensure we make the right decisions and take correct actions.”

The command center is envisioned as the DA’s central data hub, integrating real-time information on crop production, livestock inventory, weather patterns, import and export flows, price movements, satellite field monitoring, and supply chain conditions. By consolidating these datasets, the platform aims to help planners anticipate shortages, prevent oversupply, deploy interventions faster, and improve coordination across regional offices.

To enhance its analytical capabilities, Tiu Laurel said the DA is exploring the use of artificial intelligence tools to process large volumes of data and generate actionable insights.

“We will use AI to ask the questions and then hopefully help us solve problems or situations,” he said.

The agriculture chief added that the AI component may be called GAIA, or Government Artificial Intelligence for Agriculture, a reference to the Greek goddess of the Earth.

The AI layer is expected to help simulate crop scenarios, optimize planting schedules, detect disease risks early, monitor farmgate price distortions, and recommend timely interventions aligned with national goals of food security, agricultural modernization, and improved farmer incomes.

Tiu Laurel said the command center’s effectiveness will depend on active participation from DA units nationwide, from the central office down to regional and field offices.

“If we want to manage Philippine agriculture well, we must base our decisions on accurate and timely information,” he said.

With unified datasets and AI-driven analysis, the DA aims to build a more responsive, transparent, and forward-looking agricultural management system to stabilize food supply, manage prices, and support millions of Filipino farmers.