Brazil adopting Precision Agriculture techniques

In order to promote public policies that drive forward technological innovation by adopting Precision Agriculture (PA) techniques, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply (MAPA) developed an action plan that establishes the development of work needed. The first phase is already taking place with the support of Conab (National Supply Company) and it aims to identify which industries, farms and technical assistances use the techniques.

The action plan proposes among other things the creation of a line of support for PA training, dissemination and extension techniques, as well as it enhances the efforts already made by Conab. A statistical study is already being done to evaluate farmers’ profile that use the tool, how many are using it, how big is the area and how many devices are sold in the country. The data is been organized by the Monitoring and Coordination of Agricultural Technology Promotion Bureau of Livestock Development and Cooperatives (CAPTA / SDC / MAPA) under the guidance of the Brazilian Commission on Precision Agriculture (CBAP).

CBAP was founded in September 2012 aiming to disseminate and promote the concept and techniques of PA. Precision farming uses equipment and machinery that make the analysis of soil and distribute inputs at different rates. Input sensors show that areas with better soil and they guide the best way to plant. GPS devices help to map and monitor the property for fertilization and use of chemicals in the right amount for each location. It avoids wasting fertilizer, and optimizes crop and provides sustainability and competitiveness of the small, medium and large Brazilian agribusiness.

According to the Secretary of the SDC, Caio Rocha, MAPA’s goal is to spread throughout the crops techniques of Precision Agriculture. "We want to disseminate this knowledge in an enlarged and appropriate way through technology to farmers so they will increasingly use these tools. It has been proved that the method improves the management of the production unit, increasing competitiveness, by making use of sustainable techniques," he says.