Climate Venture Capital studio OMTSE highlighting first-mile challenges for smallholder farmers at a recent Davos roundtable on making AI in agriculture impactful. Leaders urged moving beyond pilots to scalable, inclusive solutions, with OMTSE Co-Founder and Black Eyed Peas artist Apl.de.Ap stressing the pairing of AI with local knowledge, trusted partnerships, and data access to strengthen food security, climate resilience, and farmer livelihoods worldwide policy collaboration.
DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan. 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Climate Venture Studio OMTSE participated in a vital global roundtable at the IHC House in Davos titled "From Potential to Impact: Making AI in Agriculture Work." The discussion convened leaders from the worlds of government, philanthropy, technology, and civil society to explore how AI-enabled agricultural technologies can deliver real, equitable outcomes for smallholder farmers. Apl.de.Ap of OMTSE appeared on the panel alongside Sabrina Elba, UN Goodwill Ambassador for IFAD, Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA, Hugh Evans, CEO and co-founder of Global Citizen, with moderation by Wes Sechrest of Re:Wild.
Hosted by Global Citizen, IHC, and Teneo, the discussion focused on moving beyond pilot programs toward scalable, first-mile solutions that strengthen food security, support climate-resilient agriculture, and create viable livelihoods for farmers—particularly youth and underserved rural communities.
Representing OMTSE, Co-Founder Apl.de.Ap shared insights from direct engagement with farming communities, emphasizing the importance of technology that is practical, trusted, and accessible at the farmer level. Drawing from OMTSE's on-the-ground experience working with small hold farmers in the Philippines, he highlighted how AI and data-driven tools must be paired with local knowledge, training, and inclusive partnerships in order to translate innovation into real income and long-term resilience.
A central theme of the discussion was the "first mile" of agriculture—the point at which many smallholder farmers remain unrecorded, leaving them out of critical early financing, and excluded from emerging systems of support. Panel participants heavily underscored that without reliable data, equitable access to AI, emerging technologies, and coordinated investment, farmers risk being left behind as food systems modernize.
The Philippines and other geographically complex regions were cited as examples of why responsible digitization is essential. With fragmented landscapes and limited infrastructure, these regions require AI solutions designed for real-world constraints—tools that empower farmers rather than overwhelm them.
OMTSE's work aligns closely with the roundtable's call for cross-sector collaboration, targeted investment, and enabling policy environments that ensure AI and ag-tech serve the communities most exposed to climate and economic risk. As emphasized throughout the session, technology alone is not enough; success depends on partnerships that prioritize trust, human capacity, and farmer agency.
While the conversation took place on a global stage, the work continues on the ground. OMTSE remains committed to building and deploying tools that help smallholder farmers move from invisibility to participation—transforming potential into measurable impact.
NOTES FOR EDITORS:
ABOUT OMTSE VENTURES
Omtse Ventures is a climate venture studio building the infrastructure of a regenerative future. Its portfolio spans carbon measurement, rural connectivity, modular infrastructure, and climate finance. By partnership with ventures like Earth Sama, Omtse advances sovereign-aligned, community-powered solutions for climate impact at scale.
ABOUT EARTH SAMA
Earth Sama is a modular digital platform enabling community-led carbon credit generation. Independently founded and field-proven, Earth Sama integrates blockchain transparency, smart contract infrastructure, and real-time MRV to support equitable, high-integrity climate finance.
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