In a bid to enhance project monitoring for fisheries initiatives, the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) Caraga, through its Fisheries Management Area (FMA) Coordinating Unit (FMA)-13, hosted a two-day Training on the Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Tools for Project Monitoring and Management from February 18-19, 2025 held in Butuan City.

Over 50 participants from DA-BFAR Caraga and partner local government units attended the training which focused on integrating AI and digital tools into project monitoring and management, emphasizing their capacity to streamline data processing and enhance efficiency in tracking fisheries projects. 

Harnessing AI for efficient project monitoring and management

Justine Mark S. Quitor and Hannah Faye C. Culaste of the University of the Philippines Mindanao served as resource speakers. They presented various digital tools designed for real-time monitoring, data visualization, and predictive analytics in project management. They also demonstrated how AI-powered tools can simplify complex data analysis and improve the accuracy of fisheries project assessments.

FCU-13 assistant technical coordinator Reynald Gimena, of the FishCoRe Project, said that the training stemmed from the challenges faced by project implementers in managing and monitoring projects efficiently.

“This activity originated from the idea that as project implementers, we often encounter difficulties when we start implementing projects. Many of us are not fully capacitated to maximize the available resources and technological advancements. With the development of artificial intelligence, we see this as an opportunity to utilize these tools to make project monitoring and management more efficient and faster,” Gimena explained.

“For example, when monitoring a project with a large dataset, it can take days to synthesize and analyze the gathered information. This delay affects report writing and presentation timelines. With the help of AI and open-source digital tools, we can now streamline these processes and meet project deadlines more efficiently,” he added.

Aside from project monitoring, the training also covered AI-assisted presentation tools to enhance data communication. Discussions also included AI’s potential in financial monitoring to ensure better project fund management and disbursement tracking.

Balancing AI and human decision-making

While AI presents numerous advantages, chief aquaculturist Rizalinda L. Abing reminded the participants that human judgment remains paramount in finalizing outputs.

“AI is only a tool to make our work easier and more efficient. We must always remember that the human mind remains supreme. AI operates based on the data we input, and while it can generate insights, it is still human intelligence that provides wisdom and ethical judgment in finalizing our output,” Abing emphasized.

Abing also stressed that while AI can offer suggestions, all AI-assisted work must undergo human evaluation to ensure accuracy, ethical considerations, and contextual relevance.

“As we bring these learnings back to our respective roles, we must practice integrating AI tools to enhance our outputs at work while maintaining the human touch in every output,” Abing concluded.

With the growing need for efficient and data-driven fisheries management, DA-BFAR Caraga’s initiative in equipping project implementers with AI and digital tools marks a significant step towards modernizing fisheries governance and promoting sustainability in the sector.# (Andy T. Ordoña, Information Officer, DA-BFAR Caraga)

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