Artificial intelligence and cybersecurity also become differentiators for agribusiness

There is no doubt that crops are mechanized and intelligent: the efficiency of Brazilian agribusiness is a reference in the world, and is largely due to technological advances in production practices. The step to be taken now is in the automation of management processes. This leap is the big difference for the sector.

This was one of the messages conveyed at the “Agrotech – meeting of technology and management trends in agribusiness”, promoted on the 30th by ROIT BANK, fintech and accountech based in Curitiba and corporate clients from the most diverse economic activities, and by Agrotis, provider of information technology (IT) solutions focused on agriculture. The webinar involved professionals and entrepreneurs from the agribusiness chain.

Founder and CEO of ROIT BANK, Lucas Ribeiro presented practical applications of artificial intelligence and robotization in accounting, fiscal, tax and financial management, suited to the specificities of corporations linked to the field. Ribeiro explained how the technologies developed by ROIT BANK work, such as the Supplier Portal and the Magic Mat, solutions that provide advantages to the various links in the production chain.

Through robots and artificial intelligence, we gain agility and precision in the accounting, fiscal, tax and financial management of companies. “Our tax robot, for example, has accumulated more than 2,1 billion tax scenarios analyzed, something humanly impossible to do”, highlighted Ribeiro, adding: “it is not about exchanging people for robots. It means changing processes, which are much more efficient, scalable, capable of generating productivity – which, by the way, is the watchword of agribusiness.”

The Supplier Portal and Magic Mat solutions make it possible, on the one hand, to anticipate receivables for suppliers; on the other, companies postpone payments to suppliers. Cash flow advantages for all links. “[About technological innovations] we hear every day. But there is still a lot of theory. We need to go to practice. And many agribusiness companies have already made this decision, to truly enter the world of technology”, highlights the CEO of ROIT BANK.

In turn, the head of Information Security at Ativy Digital, Bruno Giordano, highlighted the importance of cybersecurity for agribusiness companies. Ativy Digital specializes in cloud solutions, and focuses on protecting your identity on the internet. “By the end of 2021, companies [around the world] will have invested US$1 trillion in cybersecurity. However, cybercrime is expected to profit US$6 trillion”, compared Giordano, highlighting the voluptuousness of cybercriminals.

The specialist highlighted the importance of what he calls “vulnerability management”, which includes identifying weaknesses and corrections, including preventive measures. Particularly for agribusiness, the main risks are the ransomware offensive (the entry of malicious software that hijacks information and data, released only upon payment of a ransom). Data breaches and system unavailability are among the consequences of these offensives.

“We have cases like one in which a certain employee was charging a cell phone, connecting it to a computer [at the agricultural company]. But he didn't know that the cell phone had an embedded threat. When he connected his cell phone to the computer, he ended up spreading this threat, even affecting the industrial plant. In other words, it is a problem that also impacts production”, explained Giordano.

In line with the speeches of Ribeiro and Giordano, the Commercial Director of Agrotis, Evaldo Hansaul, pointed out that technology in processes is therefore established as a competitive advantage for agribusiness companies. Agrotis is a provider of IT solutions aimed at organizations in this sector. “Technology is no longer a wish. It became mandatory. But there is a challenge: knowing which, among so many technological options, to use. And how to use it.”

Hansaul cited data from the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) on the main technologies that agribusiness has already incorporated. Internet (70% of businesses) and applications (57%) are among the most recurring; GPS (20%), satellite images (17%) and sensors (16%), such as those directly linked to the production process. Management technologies would be present in 22% of the projects. “One of the challenges is establishing integration between these technologies,” he said.

The director of Agrotis also raised some points for reflection, based on common doubts among agribusiness professionals and entrepreneurs, when it comes to digital transformation. For example, a certain resistance to the incorporation of new technologies and practices, something highlighted by the event's debaters as a cultural aspect of, in the first instance, refuting the new.

Another issue raised by Hansaul refers to the storage and processing of data and information, which is often restricted to a professional or small team. The data and knowledge generated must be understood as something owned by the organization, not something owned by someone. In this aspect, automation and artificial intelligence make the knowledge produced something organizational, the debaters pointed out.