From the Field to the Phone: How the NextGenBioPest Pest Detector App is Putting AI in the Hands of Farmers

Across Europe, farmers and agricultural professionals face a daily challenge: identifying plant diseases and pest damage quickly and accurately enough to take action before it is too late. Traditional diagnosis often requires expert knowledge, laboratory analysis, or costly consultations, resources that are not always accessible, particularly for small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises (SMEs).

About the app

The NextGenBioPest Pest Detector is a free, AI-powered mobile application developed by AUA Developers within the Horizon Europe NextGenBioPest project, coordinated by the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) and involving the Agricultural University of Athens and other consortium partners. By bringing advanced disease detection technology directly to farmers’ smartphones, the app bridges the gap between cutting-edge agricultural science and everyday farming practices, demonstrating how digital innovation can empower the agricultural workforce of tomorrow.

How does it work?

The app uses a trained artificial intelligence model to analyse photographs of plant leaves and deliver instant, accurate disease diagnoses, without the need for internet connectivity or expert knowledge. It is designed to be accessible, intuitive, and practical for use directly in the field.

The Pest Detector app is built around simplicity and speed:

•    The user selects their crop type (currently grape, with tomato and apple coming soon).
•    They take a photo of an affected leaf using the phone's camera, or select one from their gallery.
•    The AI model analyses the image and delivers an instant disease diagnosis.

The application features a clean, user-friendly interface designed to require minimal digital literacy, making it accessible to farmers of all ages and backgrounds. Data is encrypted in transit and no data is shared with third parties, ensuring full privacy compliance. Current functionality focuses on grape disease detection, a highly relevant capability given the scale and economic importance of viticulture across Mediterranean Europe. Upcoming updates will extend the app's diagnostic capabilities to tomatoes and apples, two of the most important horticultural crops in the EU.

What are the goals?

The NextGenBioPest Pest Detector is more than a diagnostic tool, it is a gateway to digital literacy and technology adoption in the agricultural sector. For many farmers, particularly those in rural areas or from older generations, the adoption of digital tools can feel daunting. A well-designed, purpose-built app with a clear and immediate use case such as identifying a disease threatening their crop, offers an accessible entry point into the world of agricultural digitalisation.

By using the app, farmers are not only detecting diseases more efficiently. They also:

•    Gain first-hand experience with artificial intelligence in a practical, low-barrier context.
•    Build confidence in the use of digital tools for farm management decisions.
•    Become part of a broader data ecosystem that, over time, improves the accuracy and coverage of AI-based agricultural diagnostics.

For agricultural advisors, extension workers, and agri-SMEs, the app also offers a powerful communication and demonstration tool, a concrete, tangible example of what AI can do for sustainable agriculture, here and now.

Who is the application for?

The NextGenBioPest Pest Detector is designed for:

•    Farmers and growers, particularly in viticulture and horticulture
•    Agricultural advisors and extension services
•    Agri-SMEs seeking cost-effective, technology-driven pest management support
•    Agricultural students and educators looking for real-world AI applications in farming
•    Anyone curious about how artificial intelligence is reshaping sustainable agriculture

The NextGenBioPest Pest Detector embodies the dual ambition of the European Green Deal and the EU's Digital Decade: making agriculture both more sustainable and more digital. By enabling faster, more accurate disease identification, the app helps farmers make evidence-based decisions on crop protection, reducing unnecessary pesticide applications and supporting the transition to integrated pest management (IPM) approaches.

This directly contributes to the Farm to Fork Strategy's target of reducing pesticide use across the EU by 50% by 2030. At the same time, the app demonstrates how Horizon Europe-funded research can generate practical, openly accessible digital tools that strengthen the digital skills and capabilities of one of Europe's most important economic sectors.