Precision and Digital Agriculture: Adoption of Technologies and Perception of Brazilian Farmers

Abstract

The rapid population growth has driven the demand for more food, fiber, energy, and water, which is associated to an increase in the need to use natural resources in a more sustainable way. The use of precision agriculture machinery and equipment since the 1990s has provided important productive gains and maximized the use of agricultural inputs. The growing connectivity in the rural environment, in addition to its greater integration with data from sensor systems, remote sensors, equipment, and smartphones have paved the way for new concepts from the so-called Agriculture 4.0 or Digital Agriculture. This article presents the results of a survey carried out with 504 Brazilian farmers about the digital technologies in use, as well as current and future applications, perceived benefits, and challenges. The questionnaire was prepared, organized, and made available to the public through the online platform LimeSurvey and was available from 17 April to 2 June 2020. The primary data obtained for each question previously defined were consolidated and analyzed statistically. The results indicate that 84% of the interviewed farmers use at least one digital technology in their production system that differs according to technological complexity level. The main perceived benefit refers to the perception of increased productivity and the main challenges are the acquisition costs of machines, equipment, software, and connectivity. It is also noteworthy that 95% of farmers would like to learn more about new technologies to strengthen the agricultural development in their properties.

Agriculture 4.0: Is Sub-Saharan Africa Ready?

“…Third, several studies focusing technology adoption have found that despite the significance of technology in improving productivity, unwillingness on the part of farmers to adopt could be a constraint to adoption [7,31]. This could be due to poor awareness, lack of insurance to manage the risks involved in up taking a new idea or lack of skills and knowledge about the appropriateness of technology, as reported by a study conducted in Brazil [59]. Lack of acceptance of technology has also been reported as a barrier to the adoption of agriculture 4.0 technologies in a HIC context [11].…”

“…A study on the perception of Brazilian farmers regarding the adoption of agriculture 4.0 technologies such as precision agriculture integrated with data from remote sensors on smartphones found that the cost of the machines, software, equipment and connectivity was a constraint to adoption [59]. More generally, capital availability has also been found to be a pre-requisite to the adoption of conservation agriculture technologies, especially where new equipment is needed [60].…”

Agriculture 4.0 and Smart Sensors. The Scientific Evolution of Digital Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Government investments, export volume, agricultural and consumer culture are also factors that directly impact the way food is grown, and the efforts and investments dedicated to production. Developed and emerging countries have different types of government investment for agricultural production and some are developing projects aimed at the digital transformation of agriculture in countries like China [158], Brazil [159], Mexico [160], Thailand [161,162] and others.…”

Multispectral Cameras and Machine Learning Integrated into Portable Devices as Clay Prediction Technology

“…So, soil analysis is the only method that allows, before planting, to recommend adequate amounts of correctives and fertilizers to increase crop productivity and, as a consequence, crop production and profitability. Soil science is considered a strategic research topic for precision agriculture and smart farms [6,7].…”