Technology, data and the “commercial revolution” in the Brazilian agricultural machinery market

It is not new that the so-called “Industry 4.0” is being discussed in its most varied verticals. In agribusiness, like other areas, the term “Agriculture 4.0” was created with the same foundations that permeate the concept of the fourth industrial revolution – automation, collection and interpretation of data and decision-making in real time, based on information solid. In a world that already sees the mission of feeding the global community as an arduous challenge on the horizon, such resources are fundamental.

In Brazil - a country that plays a leading role in global agriculture and leads the production and export of several commodities, such as soybeans, corn and sugar cane - adopting technologies that help farmers of all sizes produce more in less space and using fewer inputs is an almost critical need.

To give you an idea, corn exports from Brazil grew 172% in 2019, the best result in the history of national agribusiness. In 2020, the volume exported was the second highest ever. This is why the agricultural machinery industry has taken the lead in developing technological solutions that increase productivity in Brazilian fields. With this, the segment is already preparing for a new revolution in field operations: “Agriculture 5.0”.

For the coming years, the expectation is that, in addition to connected and automated solutions, sectors linked to agribusiness will have the presence of high technologies, such as autonomous machines, drones and robots, which will be fundamental throughout the entire production process. Based on these trends, the main brands on the market are investing heavily in innovation.

In recent years, tractors, harvesters, sprayers and other equipment have started to incorporate connectivity and automation features. However, there were still “loose ends” in the production process in the field. The first was responsible for planning and managing the information collected by machines in the field. The second referred to the lack of robust connectivity infrastructure in rural regions of Brazil.

To meet these demands, AGCO, owner of the Valtra brand, designed an open and 360° technology strategy, capable of covering the entire agricultural production cycle. First, it was decided to completely renew the portfolio of machines offered, incorporating automatic steering technological solutions, productivity monitor options, such as the Fieldstar®II and 20|20®, in addition to variable seed rate application control systems. and fertilizer in different planter lines. The machines also received some important automotive gains, such as the AGCO Power engine, approved by the Brazilian emissions control law (MAR-1), and the first and only tractors with a CVT transmission in Brazil.

But technology in agricultural machines without connectivity and without intelligent platforms capable of transforming raw data into information sounds like a mere accessory. So AGCO joined eight other companies to found the initiative to promote connectivity in rural areas called ConectarAgro. The idea is to offer Brazilian farmers a reliable and affordable connectivity infrastructure, with specialized service and support. TIM is the initiative's telecommunications partner.

To give meaning to the term “decision-making agriculture”, derived from the concept of agriculture 4.0 and which permeates the principles of the upcoming agriculture 5.0, the Farm Solutions program was created. It is a package of digital agronomic solutions that benefit the entire production cycle, from planting to harvest. AGCO identified specialized partner companies in the technology market to be part of the program. Namely, the companies are Solinftec, Tecgraf and Inceres. Farm Solutions began to be offered in the dealership network of AGCO brands in several regions of the country. This means a profound change in the way we sell machines and relate to farmers.

It can be safely said that, today, the agricultural machinery market is experiencing a true commercial revolution. From now on, the Brazilian rural producer will not only acquire a work machine, but will also be able to have all the structure and support to produce more and increase their profitability, with the machine as an intelligent productivity station and the concessionaire as a agronomic consultant and partner. It's a path of no return and AGCO is at the forefront of this change.

Other brands have followed the same path, whether through partnerships or proprietary systems. For the farmer, the most important thing is to identify which brand best combines onboard technology with automotive performance, the capillarity of the dealership network and the expertise in developing the digital agronomic solutions offered. With this, Brazilian agriculture and the global community, destination of much of the country's agricultural production, only stand to gain.