The initiative began when Dr. Mason and Dr. Lyndal Hugo, the CEO of Orlar, a high-tech agriculture company based in Vietnam, had a conversation about their concerns relating to the daily struggles of local farmers. They observed that farmers lack confidence in their technological abilities and traditionally rely on their naked eye to care for their crops. The reality is that by the time the farmers react to visible signs, the plant is already dying inside and is often beyond saving. This delay has the potential to devastate entire harvests, pushing farmers to the brink of abandoning their land and even their livelihoods.
Dr. Mason and Orlar have a shared vision to overcome this problem. Their project will improve early disease detection and promote a proactive approach to crop care, where technology supports farmers before visible damage occurs; further, it will raise awareness of how innovative technologies can drive impact in agriculture as a practical solution for real-world challenges.
Their system combines hyperspectral imaging with computer diagnoses. Unlike conventional cameras, hyperspectral imaging captures how plant leaves absorb and reflect light across a wide range of wavelengths. These images can then be transferred to the main computer for detecting disease. Beyond its technical capabilities, the project instantiates a sustainable approach to agriculture, less reliant on harmful antibiotics or pesticides.
From Dr. Mason's perspective, sustainability needs to be understood via both environmental and economic factors. In his own words, “the farmers will have food to live on, a source of income and the ability to support their families without having to leave their hometowns for big cities”. By enabling earlier detection, farmers are less dependent on excessive chemical treatments, reducing unnecessary costs, long-term soil damage and future economic losses. This reflects the central theme of the project, which revolves around sustainability in both environmental and economic lenses.
Even with technological optimisation applied in the appropriate context, Dr. Mason realised that the project still faces technical and practical barriers, as it requires financial resources, education and trust for farmers to invest in an unfamiliar technology. To address these challenges, Dr. Mason suggested further development to improve system reliability and to clearly demonstrate the value of technology for farmers at both small and large-scale operations. Building that trust meant engaging directly with farmers, tackling their concerns and providing education opportunities for them to see how the technology works.
Dr. Mason and Orlar are not positioning the project as a complex technological leap, but as an accessible first step helping farmers gradually build confidence and trust in applying technology to their crops, even if they are not technologically proficient. “We are not creating new technologies. We are using what already exists and applying in the most suitable context. That is where innovation happens,” Dr. Mason emphasised.
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Xuan An, Nguyen Khoa Minh Nhu, Lieu Ngoc Han, Chu Minh Hang, Do Lam Phuong Mai
