On **October 10, 2023**, the University of the Philippines Mindanao hosted the launch of the AIDurian project, a new initiative under the Department of Science and Technology's (DOST) i-CRADLE program. The event was attended by representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Department of Science and Technology Region XI (DOST RXI), the DOST Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), and key durian industry partners and stakeholders.
AIDurian — the "AI-based Non-Invasive Grading System for Durian" — is a research project aimed at developing a non-destructive grading system and maturity estimation model for durian produced in Mindanao using artificial intelligence and imaging technologies. The project started on August 1, 2023, and is funded through the Accelerated R&D Program for Capacity Building of Research and Development Institutions and Industrial Competitiveness (i-CRADLE).
The project is led by A/Prof. Armacheska R. Mesa-Satina, with Prof. Emma Ruth V. Bayogan, a/Prof. Vicente B. Calag, and Prof. Vladimer B. Kobayashi. It partners with Belviz Farms, Rosario's Delicacies, D'Farmers Market, Eng Seng, and VJT Enterprises.
The launch highlighted the cooperative effort of regional stakeholders, paving the way for advances in agricultural innovation — with the goal of supporting the quality and marketability of durian through AI-assisted assessment.