Artemis: AI-enabled smartphone phenotyping for faster, accurate data collection in climate-resilient breeding

Between 2022 and 2026, the Artemis initiative, led by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT with Mineral, and support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, piloted AI-enabled phenotyping tools in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using smartphone-based image capture (Ona) and farmer feedback systems (Sikia), the project significantly improved data accuracy and efficiency. Trials in Tanzania and Uganda show over 50% reduction in phenotyping time, doubling of throughput (>1,000 plots/day), and high accuracy (±10%, r² > 0.8), with potential cost savings and faster breeding cycles.