Precision Agriculture can monitor the field completely

In the first week of July, Serra Gaúcha brought together the main Brazilian technicians who are involved with Precision Agriculture during the II Workshop on Precision Agriculture in Fruit and Winegrowing, at the headquarters of Embrapa Uva e Vinho, in Bento Gonçalves, RS.

Promoted by Embrapa's Precision Agriculture Network (Precision Agriculture Project (AP) for the sustainability of the Brazilian agricultural, livestock and forestry production system), the event enabled exchanges between research, producers and equipment suppliers and surveys of demands. “The expectation is that the production sector understands the possibilities and the great tool that AP is; When demand arises, we will have a ready response and this will also have a positive impact”, projects Luciano Gebler, researcher at Embrapa Uva e Vinho.

Precision agriculture is a set of techniques to support agriculture in which information technology, sensors, maps are used, based on the principle of plant variability in relation to soil, climate and agricultural practices. Based on specific data from geographically referenced areas, the agricultural automation process is implemented, dosing fertilizers and agrochemicals, as well as irrigation. Precision agriculture can also help manage the production system and make decisions by the producer about the management area, such as combating diseases.

In the opinion of Ricardo Yassushi Inamasu, researcher at Embrapa Instrumentação and coordinator of the Precision Agriculture Network, the biggest doubt is the right time to use the tool. ”The first step is to find the differences that exist in farming, understand these differences and get the best out of it. There are regions where the soil type, the characteristic itself, is difficult to extract, and requires fewer inputs. You can reduce input and maintain productivity, for example.”

A viable option is drones, according to Lúcio André de Castro Jorge, a researcher at Embrapa Instrumentação, who believes that drones are “a new tool, a tool that is easy for producers to access, at a reasonable cost, where you can monitor the field of complete form”.

Rosemary Hoff, researcher at Embrapa Uva e Vinho and coordinator of the event, considers that “the trend in the issue of drone use is the most widespread, in addition to the use of computer systems for agribusiness management, such as in wine management, using geographic information systems, satellite images, aerial images captured by drones. I think the demand for this type of equipment is increasing. There are companies that provide consultancy in this area, both for research and for companies that are making it commercially available to producers.”

Good news for producers was the announcement of Inovagro, the credit line for purchasing precision agriculture equipment. If the cost of investing in AP is high, on the other hand, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) has a line of credit for producers who want to invest in Precision Agriculture. It is open to all of Brazil, with 1 million and 600 thousand reais available per producer, per CPF. This line of credit is for the acquisition of precision agriculture products and allows the producer to pay up to 5% of the project value to the responsible professional also through financing. “This year the Inovagro line has an interest rate of 6,5% per year, compared to last year which was 8,5%. So the government lowered 2% to encourage this acquisition of technology for producers. Both for small, medium and large producers”, says Fabrício Juntolli, from MAPA.

Another alternative presented is aimed at small producers, through cooperatives. If a cooperative or an association of producers buys a drone, it will be much cheaper than everyone buying their own; being shared, it is better able for a technician to follow the process and be better used. “The recommendation is that the producer has a lot of control over his crop, through notes, recording of occurrences during the harvest, off-season, dormancy period, because all of this helps to apply precision agriculture techniques and know why such phenomena are occurring. ”, adds Hoff.

During the Workshop, the producer can learn more about the uses and research on AP. For Tiago Tonini, winemaker and wine producer, “This type of technology triggers a new process to work and reduce pesticide costs. It’s a great experience to understand the reality that is coming to us.”

Gebler considers that “minimum parameters still need to be established for the introduction of Precision Agriculture in fruit growing in productive areas that do not yet use it; organize AP management in areas that have already started it and contribute to the organization of the work system and standardization of actions, processes and equipment, providing the basis for the consolidation of Precision Fruit Farming in Brazil, this was the final evaluation of the event” . About the II Workshop on Precision Agriculture in Fruit and Winegrowing Gebler believes that it has fully achieved its objectives. The next precision agriculture meeting is scheduled for two years from now and intends to become regular.