Considering the growing of digital solutions in the agricultural business, farmers, companies and even the states governments have gotten together to spread the technology through the Country. Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros, advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Supplies of the State of São Paulo, gives his opinion about the future of the sector.

The agribusiness is going through an increasing period in Brazil. Tech companies haven’t been saving efforts – and investments – on creating solutions to improve the productivity on the field. Apps, sensors and digital platforms have become common on a daily basis to those who live from the agribusiness.

However the lack of infrastructure makes many of the technologies stay out of order due to low signal at rural areas. This matter has been discussed more and more at events over the country like the Digital Agro that happened between june 12th and 14th at the Carambeí’s Historical Park, Paraná.

“Events like this allows not only bringing technology to small and medium farmers but also coming up with new solutions”, approves Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros, advisor to the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture and Supplies of the State of São Paulo.

With that on his mind, Barros organized along with the former secretary of Agriculture and Supplies of the State of São Paulo, Arnaldo Jardim, the Agrifutura Fair and managed to reunite in March around 2.5k people at Biological Institute in São Paulo.

“The Campus Party is focused in technology in so many ways, it’s a tremendous success. So why not make one specific to the agribusiness? The project now is to divide the event in trainings and lectures over the year, says Barros.

To the advisor, actions like Digital Agro taken by the government and Companies, organized by Frísia Cooperativa Agroindustrial help spread technology through the field. “The biggest challenge is to take technology to the smaller ones at far more distant areas. We all should support the movement”, affirms him.

All these actions has productivity as a goal. It was registered a record crop of 238,8 million tons of grain. Exports grew around 13% compared to the year before, going up to US$ 96,01 billion. Along with the climate conditions which also contributed to this advance, the new technologies fit as some kind of extra support on the field, making it possible to even define the crop’s outcome.

“Brazil is experiencing a wave of startups focused on technologies. They have indeed helped the small and medium farmers and offered more productivity. It’s impressive what we see and will see over the next five years”, adds Barros.

Business and the internet

In addition to the solutions that have been increasing the farmer’s profit, communication techs have been fundamental to do business. The instant messaging app Whatsapp and social media already make a big difference at rural areas.

“Many farmers as of now exchange information using Facebook and Whatsapp. It creates a community and a channel of updated data. The sharing of knowledge is a very positive thing. This accelerates the sector’s growth”, analizes Barros.

O avanço da tecnologia no campo

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros. Photo: Adriano Stofaleti.

The World Bank organized a study about communication and its impact on the agricultural economy and concluded that farmers who use communication techs get to earn 35% more profit. The explanation is at the access to better prices, easier time on doing business with sellers and customers and also variation on forms of consumption.

“I have no doubt it won’t take long for the internet to place itself permanently on the field. Many startups are coming up with innovating accessible proposals. When it indeed stabilizes, the connectivity will transform the agricultural sector”, affirms him.

Read the interview with Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros

CWS: How important are the fairs and events that help promote the technology on the countryside?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros:

The big companies and big soy producers, for example, already have access to technology. The biggest challenge is to take it to the smaller ones at far more distant areas. We all should support the movement. Digital Agro is a good example because it will get to bring these solutions closer to the farmers. Brazil is experiencing a wave of startups focused on technologies. They have indeed helped the small and medium farmers and offered more productivity. It’s impressive what we see and will see over the next five years. I was talking about this today actually: there are companies that want to place little satellites over the countryside. The cost of a regular satellite is enormous, millions of reais, and when it comes to these little ones the price would drop tremendously. This would accelerate the connectivity and transform the field.

CWS: Is this connectivity problem close to being solved?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: Yes, thanks to the startups that take more effective solutions to the field. The “internet of things” (IoT) is advancing fast enough at the rural areas. Most equipment are already set with technology settings and just require connectivity. I saw not long ago a proposition of putting little meteorological stations at the properties. One very important thing on the agribusiness is to predict and prevent storms. The more information you have about rainfall, the safer you are. The idea is to set put over 100k little meteorological stations at the properties. Nevertheless, due to the lack of infrastructure they are set to not stay connected to the internet 100% of the time. The data will be able to be collected when the user position a smartphone close by. These machines collect the information and transmit it when turned online.

CWS: How was organizing a tech fair?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: It was the former secretary’s idea, Arnaldo Jardim. The Campus Party is focused in technology in so many ways, it’s a tremendous success. So why not make one specific to the agribusiness? We did some research until we came up with the skeleton of our idea. Our outcome turned out to be a very innovating model.

CWS: Why innovating?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: Because it wasn’t a commercial event. It was shaped in so many different ways. It’s a startup expo, stage for debates, fun environments for presentations and sharing of ideas. We welcome over 800 farmers who want to keep up with what’s new in the market. Today, if a farmer isn’t equipped with tech tools his business won’t survive. He won’t reach productivity nor reduce costs. Infact, he will have a list of problems which could have been avoided with the use of technology and accessible solutions. Therefore, it dragged the attention of more than 2.5k people including students, farmers and software developers, a hard crowd to put together. We created the bridge between them. The project now is to divide the event in trainings and lectures over the year.

The Agrifutura Fair, that happened in São Paulo. Photo: Press.

CWS: Brazil has presented more and more innovative solutions. How are we with this tech movement?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: I’d say we’re at an intermediate level but with a great potential to grow until we become leaders. I believe we’re in the right path to get in the top 3 countries when it comes to technology.

CWS: Has the process of buying improved for the farmer after the technology?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: The access to information is fundamental. With the help of the internet, he’s now able to buy new machines, equipments and inputs. He can also get better deals. As you can see, the communication improves and it is everything for the producer.

CWS: So the rural producer has been buying more pieces online?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: Yes, and it is impossible to go back. At the United States of America more than 50% of sales are done online in all sectors. In Brazil, we’re going to achieve that number too. Consequently, the buyer is also purchasing over 50%. I don’t think it will take more than 5 years until that happens.

CWS: Are the concessionary companies more digital?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: I presume there’s still a long road ahead. The countryside man still has some conservatism on his daily routine so we believe he didn’t quite get that passion for digital things yet. That is not entirely true because they all have a cell phone. These changes are all very natural and, of course, the companies are turning more digital every day.

CWS: Which platforms have been used the most by the farmers?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: There’s a reproduction of marketplaces: inputs, pesticides, fertilizers, pieces and equipments. Online sales only tend to grow on all levels in the agribusiness. When it comes to startups, we say 50% of them are linked to the agribusiness. That happens because we consider everything since the biotechnology to the food ready for consumption, like Ifood, for example. All of those are part of the agricultural chain. Furthermore, it’s not an overstatement to say the division is raising with the internet.

CWS: How do you see the use of tools like Facebook, Youtube and Whatsapp?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: The trade actually exists inside those platforms. It’s basic, but it’s there. Briefly, Facebook is turning into one of the most important media on the market. To exemplify how big it is, a few soccer games are streamed exclusively by it. It stopped being only a social media, people use it to watch more videos and generate more publicity and business opportunities. Many farmers as of now exchange information using Facebook and Whatsapp. It creates a community and a channel of updated data. The sharing of knowledge is a very positive thing. This accelerates the sector’s growth. They also more frequently use Youtube to watch technical videos with lots of explanations. It’s a teaching tool nowadays.

CWS: Have these tools opened space for online courses?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: Yes, especially because of the distance between the field and a school. It’s easier for a farmer to use resources like Youtube and online courses than dislocating himself to class. This initiative also tends to grow. Today there isn’t a great portal where the user gets all there is to know about agriculture. Everything is quite distributed. Therefore, the producer types exactly what he wants and finds all about it on the internet.

CWS: What does the future hold for this matter at the digital environment?

Carlos Henrique Paes de Barros: The maintenance of pieces and equipments will be faster and more efficient. The farmer will make better use of the digital channel. Machines will be directly connected to suppliers and sellers. Stocks will be managed more powerfully. When it comes to solutions, the sky’s the limit. Many equipment will come in order to identify production problems, save the producer’s time, some already exist. You need technology to highlight yourself on the market and handling products. The farmers already have access to smartphones and it will be used more and more as work tools. Brazilian farmers are ready to all these changes.