Rural connectivity accelerates significantly in 2022

The 2020/2021 biennium was marked by an increase in demand and use of digital tools, not only in cities, but also in the countryside, largely driven by the remote model. However, the same pandemic that generated this situation also created considerable difficulty in implementing connectivity. But the year 2022 marked an acceleration in the implementation of projects that meet this repressed demand, which saw a significant number of new areas connected with 4G technology, at the 700Mhz frequency, defended by ConectarAGRO.

Recently, in November, we reached 12 million hectares connected, almost doubling the area in 12 months and coming very close to 13 million ha - the Association's original ambition for 2022. This result was only possible through the joint work of all agents involved , especially associated companies, rural producers, associations, agricultural cooperatives and public authorities.

The launch of ConectarAGRO took place at Agrishow in 2019 and, three years later, we carried out the first change of board, bringing Ana Helena to the presidency. A passing of the baton with an air of continuity, maturity and reinforcement of previous achievements. We remain firm in our objective of enabling connectivity in remote and rural regions of Brazil, improving the countryside and people's lives.

Still talking about member companies, in 2022 we went from eight to more than 40 members, spectacular growth for any association. We were created with the aim of being inclusive in the sense of allowing the entry of companies of different segments and sizes, as long as they are interested in expanding connectivity - often also a means of offering their services and products to generate productivity and quality of life for everyone in the field. This positioning allows us to attract companies that are so different in their segments and business models, which enriches internal debates and presents more options for solutions to present and future challenges.

I am happy to see that ConectarAGRO has matured a lot since its creation and even more so in 2022. We have updated our internal statutes to reflect an Association that is growing and seeks robustness in its structure, without losing simplicity in decision-making. Agility with safety.

The market has also matured and the 5G auction, for example, brought some considerations that require the installation of 4G technology on roads that permeate rural paths, which will help to add connected hectares and bring the technology closer to more remote areas.

At the same time, agriculture has transformed and contributed to reaching 12 million hectares connected. I will mention three points.

1. During the pandemic, we went from a 100% in-person to a remote world and learned to use digital tools to communicate. This reality is not exclusive to urban centers, but also to the countryside, especially among younger generations who are adept at new technologies.

2. Commodity prices were very favorable to Brazilian producers, making profitability possible for investments in technologies.

3. Some supply chain situations had their logistics affected by the pandemic and the current conflict in Ukraine, especially the supply of fertilizers used in Brazil. The restriction situation motivated producers to look for alternatives to be even more efficient in the use of inputs.

Connectivity comes in as a response to these three situations. The sum of them has become a strong motivator for the advancement of digitalization, which in turn requires connectivity

And what will 2023 be like?

A beautiful future awaits us. ConectarAGRO, among other actions, will maintain its projects and advance dialogue with state governments to encourage a business model that makes connectivity reach small producers. In this sense, partnerships with agricultural cooperatives and other aggregating entities are also an excellent option.

The trend of increasing connected area should continue and the return calculator announced by us at Agrishow should support rural producers to visualize the benefits of using connected goods and services to gain efficiency, by reducing costs and waste, facilitating management and protecting your assets. The key is the use of digital tools to improve production.

And going further, regardless of short-term market conditions, agriculture was able to follow its trends. It is a very autonomous sector that has enjoyed successive successes in recent years, with increased production and productivity, innovation and leadership in the competitive international market.

Our biggest challenge for the coming years will be finding new alternatives to implement this connectivity in all regions of this country, with continental dimensions and characteristics, and in properties of all sizes.

Let's look for new areas and solutions!

By Gregory Riordan, vice president of ConectarAGRO