Syngenta highlights advances and challenges in Brazilian digital agriculture

The digitalization of the countryside in Brazil has advanced significantly in recent years. If digital was previously seen as niche and avant-garde, today it is being adopted by producers of different sizes, cultures and regions of the country. According to Ronaldo Giorgi, Director of Digital Agriculture at Syngenta in Brazil, the digital journey began with large, more tech-savvy groups, such as sugarcane mills and cotton farmers. Currently, the scenario is different, with the addition of new technologies, such as planters and harvesters with integrated digital tools, crop monitoring systems, financial management tools, imaging solutions, among many others.

Despite the advances, Ronaldo points out two challenges still present in the digitalization of Brazilian agriculture. "Firstly, there is a problem with internet signal coverage in the fields. The other factor is the lack of qualified labor", he explains. Furthermore, he explains how Syngenta Digital has sought to overcome them. "To overcome the lack of coverage, we have developed solutions that operate offline and synchronize information when devices arrive at a location with coverage. In parallel, we have sought to support producers on their transformation journey with our team of experts and have provided training , such as the Digital Academy, to better prepare them".

One of the technologies that contributes to the expansion of the digital agriculture map in Brazil is the Cropwise Protector. Used by more than 2.500 Brazilian producers, present in 4,5 million hectares, the system collects crop data and transforms it into diagnostics for remote crop management, and can even be used offline. This technology supports decision-making by producers, in addition to improving the management and sustainability of agriculture.

Another project that has contributed to digital expansion, especially among small and medium-sized producers, is the Control Sure. The program is offered by Syngenta's network of distributors and partner cooperatives, which provides technical support for farmers without specialized monitoring teams. The service includes the use of Cropwise Protector technology and qualified labor to monitor crops. "This format has helped to spread the technology from north to south of Brazil. In the last harvest, more than 1 million hectares were monitored, helping producers in data collection and decision making", highlights Thais Andrade, Regional Manager of Digital Transformation by Syngenta Digital.