Duo Designing the Future of Farming

Future of Farming – The connected farm initiative by Case IH has been active in Brazil for just over six months. Here, we follow the collaboration between Paulo Humberto Gouvea, senior director of corporate solutions at TIM Brasil, and Christian Gonzalez, vice president of Case IH for Latin America, as they work to advance digital agriculture in even the most remote regions.

Future of Farming

Here is a summary.

The Problem

Locate a partner Case IH, a CNH Industrial brand, would require more than just its digital know-how to launch the linked farm, a lab where farmers can test, learn, and provide first-hand feedback. A connectivity partner with the knowledge and skills to handle Brazil’s extensive agricultural environment was needed. And at that point, TIM Brasil intervened.

The largest mobile network coverage in the nation is offered by TIM Brasil. These are merely urban regions, though. Connecting the vast rural portions of the nation is the next significant task.

Gouvea says, “I’d argue Brazil is a continent. We have a significant difficulty because Brazil has agricultural land covering more than 300 million hectares.

Determine the ideal location – According to Christian Gonzalez of Case IH, “We wanted to select a setting that symbolises true Brazilian agriculture.” The company intended the linked farm to show how, even in a location with already high levels of productivity, rural internet boosts in-field output.

After looking at other areas, the ideal partner was discovered—one of their dealers in Gua Boa, in the state of Mato Grosso.

The Answer

Show the advantages – To persuade the community of the project’s advantages, the team measured three crucial pillars. The first was productivity, which included cutting back on chemical use, labour, and logistics for machinery. The second was financial, focusing on assets, investments, and return on equity. How will farmers be compensated? Sustainability is the third factor, which is also quite crucial. How would the project assist farmers in producing more while using less water, fertilizer, chemicals, and carbon footprint?

Engage the neighbourhood – 58,595 hectares, or more than 25,000 people, and 93 rural homes are now connected in the region. The project’s benefits have not just been felt in households; over 6,000 pupils are being taught in 21 schools.

Long Term Goals – The connected farm project will last for three years, and as it has only been underway for a few months, nature has not yet provided much information.

Gonzalez argues that we must respect nature’s timing. “We have our three primary pillars to measure by, but in order to analyse and compare data, we need three complete agricultural cycles.” The farm’s daily operations are, nevertheless, being favourably impacted by the preliminary findings. According to Gonzalez, “We are witnessing a very substantial impact on farming practise, in how problems are dealt at the farm.”

Just the beginning: A number of partners are eager to fund the initiative since they share its goals.