Porto Alegre hosts precision agriculture congress

Between July 13th and 16th, Porto Alegre (RS) will be the world's leading center for discussions on precision and digital agriculture with the joint hosting of the 11th Brazilian Congress on Precision and Digital Agriculture (ConBAP) and the 17th International Conference on Precision Agriculture (ICPA). Promoted by the Brazilian Association of Precision and Digital Agriculture (AsBraAP), in partnership with the International Society of Precision Agriculture (ISPA), the event is expected to bring together around 900 participants, including researchers, professors, companies, consultants, students, and rural producers from Brazil and abroad.

The 2026 edition marks a historic moment for the sector by hosting, for the first time, the International Conference on Precision Agriculture (ICPA) outside of North America. Brazil's selection reinforces the country's leading role in the development and adoption of technologies for more efficient, sustainable, and data-driven agriculture. International interest is already evident in the numbers: representatives from 28 countries have confirmed their attendance, and the event registered a record 512 scientific papers submitted, solidifying its position as one of the world's leading forums for disseminating research and innovations in the field.

According to the president of AsBraAP, Marcio Albuquerque, holding the two events together represents a milestone for precision agriculture. "For the first time, ICPA is taking place outside of North America and, together with ConBAP, it draws attention for the diversity of topics and technologies presented, as well as the interest from people all over the world," he says.

The program brings together the main applications of precision and digital agriculture

For four days, researchers, experts, and companies will present technologies and experiences that are already being applied in agriculture in different regions of the world. The program is structured to integrate science, innovation, and practical applications in areas such as artificial intelligence, agricultural robotics, advanced data analysis, soil management, precision irrigation, integrated production systems, low-carbon agriculture, soil fertility, remote sensing, and automation.

The official opening, on July 13th, will feature an international panel discussion on the landscape of precision and digital agriculture across different continents. Participants include José Paulo Molin (Esalq/USP), a leading Brazilian expert in the field, Davide Cammarano (Aarhus University, Denmark), and Brenda Ortiz (Auburn University, USA), who will discuss how these technologies are being used in various production systems around the world.

On July 14th, the program highlights the evolution of agricultural robotics, with a lecture by researcher Wen-Hao Su from China Agricultural University, as well as the applications of integrated production systems and low-carbon agriculture, presented by Alberto Bernardi from Embrapa. The day also includes lectures on intelligent fertilizer recommendations, with Luciano Gatiboni (North Carolina State University), and the use of pedometrics in precision agriculture, conducted by Raul Poppiel (Esalq/USP).

The program on July 15th will be dedicated to the use of advanced data analysis in agriculture, with researchers from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina, as well as presentations on precision irrigation, given by George Vellidis, from the University of Georgia (United States). A panel discussion on the landscape of precision agriculture in Brazil will also be held, bringing together representatives from research, companies, and the production sector.

At the closing ceremony on July 16, the president of Embrapa, Silvia Massruhá, will address the role of artificial intelligence in precision and digital agriculture, followed by the awards ceremony for the best scientific papers and the official closing of the congress.

In addition to lectures and panels, the program includes workshops, scientific sessions, poster presentations, a technology exhibition area, technical meetings, networking opportunities, and a post-event technical visit, providing integration between researchers, companies, startups, consultants, and rural producers.

Registrations

Registration remains open through the official website (https://www.ispag.org/Events/ICPA) and the organization expects to receive approximately 900 participants, consolidating the Brazilian edition of ConBAP & ICPA as one of the largest international meetings ever held on precision and digital agriculture.