To guarantee growing business, agribusiness won't just need good weather conditions and powerful crops. “Farms increasingly need connectivity, to integrate machines and work routines,” said Paola Campiello, president of ConnectAgro - an association of companies that aims to stimulate the expansion of internet access in agricultural regions -, during one of the events of the Futurecom 2025. Between 2023 and 2024, mobile internet coverage in rural areas in Brazil increased from 18.7% to 33.9%, according to the Rural Connectivity Indicator (ICR), developed by the organization in partnership with the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV). The ICR uses public coverage data from operators and the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) to measure the presence of 4G and 5G mobile networks in agribusiness.

“Connected agriculture is more sustainable,” said Campiello, pointing out that the connected area in the country is still very small. By analyzing data captured on farms with technologies such as sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, it is possible to know the right time to plant, harvest and spray crops, he argued. A IoT connects sensors, machines, drones and management systems, forming a network capable of collecting and analyzing information in real time. With this, the producer can monitor the soil and climate, adjust irrigation, optimize the use of tractors and harvesters, cutting costs and waste, she added. Campiello, who is also new business manager at agricultural equipment multinational CNH Industrial, said that the potential for reducing costs and the use of inputs that connectivity in the field can promote has already been proven in Brazil. Campiello cited the example of a “connected” farm in Água Boa (MT), with 3,000 hectares of cultivable area. With a total production of 12,900 tons, the property's 22/23 harvest was 18% more productive than the previous harvest, he said.

Compared to another farm without internet, in the same region, connectivity enabled a 3.5% increase in productivity, resulting in 2.3 more bags of soybeans per hectare. According to information from Case IH, a CNH brand, and TIM, the operator responsible for the project, it is estimated that with an investment of R$ 1.4 million, which includes antennas, maintenance, a telemetry kit for the machines and consultancy, the operation could see a financial return on investment in a year and a half. But it's not enough to offer innovations to farmers, said Campiello. “We need to educate them about the technologies and engage the workforce,” he said. “Farm employees need to know why all these systems are there.” Daniel Fuchs, vice-president of future growth at Datora, a connectivity solutions company, pointed out that most medium and large producers don't live in the countryside and don't know what's going on at the farm gate. “With systems that provide data in the palm of your hand, you can even check the speed of the tractors or if there is a poor distribution of inputs in the plantations,” he said. It is essential to invest in training, he says. “There's no point in buying IoT networks if the landowner doesn't know what to do with the data obtained by the sensors.”

According to Elias Sfeir, president of the Association of Credit Bureaus (ANBC), rural producers who manage to exploit the information captured by new technologies can secure loans more easily. Credit bureaus are companies that store the financial data of individuals and companies, registered by the Central Bank (BC).

“Credit is not a right. It's a concession and it has to be earned,” said Sfeir. The risk analysis for the offer of funds covers the entire rural operation, from cash flow to the type of planting, he explains. “With more data available on operations, we can know if the harvest will really ‘come off’ and if the credit commitments will be honored.” The president of ANBC said that a data-sharing partnership is underway with the Central Bank and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) with the aim of expanding the authorization of financing for small and medium-sized producers. “Around 44% of farmers in Brazil don't own a tractor and 80% don't have access to credit,” he said. Fuchs, from Datora, pointed out that obtaining loans has to be “easier” for farmers - both to buy new technology and to support the daily demands of farming. “A gearbox for a farm machine, which is usually changed every 18 months, can cost R$ 300,000.”