{"id":274656,"date":"2019-02-26T15:44:14","date_gmt":"2019-02-26T18:44:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/?p=274656"},"modified":"2019-03-15T14:16:19","modified_gmt":"2019-03-15T17:16:19","slug":"options-on-the-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/options-on-the-table\/","title":{"rendered":"Options on the table"},"content":{"rendered":"

Agribusiness\u2014one of Brazil\u2019s strongest industries\u2014generates approximately 25% of the country\u2019s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), provides 20% of jobs, and produces some of the country\u2019s most important exports, with soybeans, sugar, cellulose pulp, beef, and poultry topping the list. But the sector\u2019s high productivity is dependent, to a great extent, on the intensive use of pesticides, especially on large soybean, sugarcane, and corn fields, which together account for 75% of pesticide consumption in Brazil. Monoculture crops dominate vast swathes of Brazil\u2019s farmland. Soy and maize, for example, accounted for almost 70% of total cropland in Brazil in 2018, as estimated by Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento (CONAB), occupying 61.7 million hectares or 7% of the country\u2019s total land area.<\/p>\n

The use of large volumes of pesticides on these crops has direct impacts on the environment\u2014they contaminate the soil and surface and groundwater bodies such as rivers, lakes, and aquifers. Large farms can reduce these damages, according to experts interviewed for this article, by implementing emerging technologies.<\/p>\n

\u201cSolutions based on agriculture 4.0, such as sensors, smart machines that \u2018talk to each other,\u2019 the Internet of Things, and robotics, can help to ensure farm inputs, including pesticides, are used more effectively,\u201d says electrical engineer Fernando Martins, a board member at world-leading sprayer manufacturer Jacto (see article<\/a><\/em>).<\/p>\n

The use of state-of-the-art technology in the coming years, says Martins, will allow farmers to utilize farm inputs (pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, water, etc.) at variable rates, rather than at constant rates as they currently do. Applying just the right amount of pesticides on crops is a challenge the industry is now actively addressing. \u201cFarmers will put more pesticides in one field and less in another as needed, generating cost savings and improving spraying efficiency,\u201d he explains. \u201cToday, another force driving down the overuse of agrochemicals is their high cost.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Alongside Jacto, in Pompeia, another S\u00e3o Paulo\u2013based company investing in digital agriculture is Solinftec, in Ara\u00e7atuba. Solinftec\u2019s range of connected machinery and agricultural equipment is present in about 65% of sugarcane plantations in S\u00e3o Paulo. Large areas of commodity crops, such as soybeans, sugarcane, cotton, maize, and eucalyptus (for pulp making) are sprayed using crop dusters or tractors, while smaller plantations growing produce for domestic consumption are often sprayed by farmers themselves using backpack sprayers.<\/p>\n

\u201cCrop dusting is an environmental and public-health issue. Pesticides released from aircraft end up in springs, other plantations, protected areas, and populated areas. When aerial application is used, airborne pesticides can travel further, adversely affecting the environment and creating a health hazard for people living near farms, for farm workers, and for people who eat pesticide-laden produce,\u201d says Adelaide Cassia Nardocci, a professor at the School of Public Health of the University of S\u00e3o Paulo (FSP-USP).<\/p>\n

In a collaboration with the Health Surveillance Center at the State Health Department of S\u00e3o Paulo, FSP-USP created an online pesticide knowledge base called Ariadne, providing information on how pesticides are used and applied in S\u00e3o Paulo and, in particular, about pesticide effects on the environment and human health. \u201cAriadne is designed to help people unfamiliar with the subject to find information about pesticides,\u201d says Nardocci.<\/p>\n

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Solinftec<\/span><\/a> A Solinftec employee works from a computer during sugarcane harvesting operationsSolinftec<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

The need for solutions and intelligent systems to contain drift\u2014the amount of pesticides falling out of the target area\u2014and to make pesticide application and pest control more efficient led the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) to create Rede de Pesquisa Redagro, a research network formed by 10 universities and the National Union of Aerial Application Companies (SINDAG). At the beginning of the year, the researchers completed a four-year project titled \u201cDevelopment of aerial application as a strategy for controlling agricultural pests of national interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDeploying technology, agriculture 4.0, and intelligent decision support systems for pest control in tropical agriculture has provided a pathway for improving food and energy security,\u201d says Paulo Cruvinel, a control systems and automation researcher at EMBRAPA Instrumenta\u00e7\u00e3o in S\u00e3o Carlos, and head of the Redagro network. These efforts, he continues, have created new methods, leveraged new technologies, and developed strategies for more efficient spraying.<\/p>\n

One study showed that the use of rotary atomizers\u2014a type of spray nozzle\u2014for soybean crops can reduce drift by about 80% in aerial application compared with the more widely used adjustable hydraulic nozzles. Another study, on ground application, established the level of automation needed to adjust boom spray nozzles and pressure depending on whether the tractor is moving in a straight line or making a turn.<\/p>\n

Technological innovation may be the way to mitigate pesticide use on commodity crops, but for the food crops supplied to street markets throughout Brazil, largely by smallholders, promoting pesticide-free organic farming could be the avenue of choice. In addition to minimizing the risk of contamination, reducing pesticide use can prevent poisoning among the 4.4 million small farmers who produce 70% of the produce consumed in Brazil.<\/p>\n

Promoting agroecology<\/strong>
\nDraft Bill 6670\/16, which has been pending before the House since 2016, proposes a National Policy for Pesticide Reduction (PNaRA) and measures to promote organic farming, agroecological farming, and biological control\u2014an approach that uses insects, fungi, viruses, and bacteria for pest control. \u201cPNaRA is a counterweight to Draft Bill 6299\/02,\u201d says biologist Fernando Carneiro, a member of the Brazilian Association of Collective Health (ABRASCO) and a researcher at Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) in Cear\u00e1. \u201cThe bill has been slow to move through Congress. Only recently has a special committee been set up to discuss it.\u201d<\/p>\n

PNaRA will also do away with tax exemptions and financial incentives for imports, production, and marketing of pesticides. An audit conducted by the Brazilian Federal Audit Court (TCU) estimated that revenues lost to tax benefits for pesticides were as much as R$9 billion between 2010 and 2017. Because these products are classified as agricultural inputs, the money farmers spend buying them is tax deductible.<\/p>\n

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Caetano Barreira\/Olhar Imagem<\/span><\/a> An airplane dusting a sugarcane plantation in S\u00e3o PauloCaetano Barreira\/Olhar Imagem<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Agroecological farming, explains Carneiro, promotes sustainable crop management by incorporating social, political, cultural, environmental, and ethical issues into farming. \u201cAgroecology practices look at farmers\u2019 working conditions, whether crops are compatible with the surrounding ecosystem, and the level of processing throughout the value chain,\u201d he says. They also aim to minimize the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and promote organic farming.<\/p>\n

According to data from the Office for Agricultural Development and Cooperativism, an agency linked to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply, the area of cropland occupied by organic crops is expected to set a record this year, exceeding the 750,000 hectares recorded in 2016. Agroecology is largely being driven by family farming. Despite this growth, however, organic crops still occupy only 1.2% of total cropland in Brazil, giving the country a meager 13th<\/sup> place among global producers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe alternative farming methods are important. Both conventional and organic farming, if well managed, produce foods that are safe for consumption. We\u2019re not against agroecology or organic farming, but we need to be realistic. Organic farming is more expensive and produces lower yields,\u201d says crop scientist Mario von Zuben, executive director at the Brazilian Crop Protection Association (ANDEF). \u201cThe difference between the two models is scale. Producing the same amount of organic crops requires a significant increase in cultivated area\u2014and this is not an option given the resulting environmental impact and deforestation.\u201d But Fernando Carneiro, of ABRASCO, counters that the notion that agroecology is expensive and cannot be implemented at scale is a myth. Recent publications by the of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have recommended that agroecological production systems be promoted as a way of developing a solidarity economy that prioritizes local markets and supports regional development.<\/p>\n

Another way to minimize exposure to poisoning on small farms is to invest in training farmworkers on how to use pesticides safely. \u201cFor lack of knowledge, many farmers apply pesticides at doses above recommended levels and using methods that are inadequate for the target pests. So it\u2019s important that they receive adequate training,\u201d says crop scientist Hamilton Humberto Ramos, a researcher at the Center for Engineering and Automation at Instituto Agron\u00f4mico (CEA-IAC) in Campinas, and head of the Aplique Bem<\/em> program, which offers farmers training on pesticide use. In addition to health risks, improper application of pesticides leads to crop losses and undermines farm sustainability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Agriculture 4.0 can help to reduce pesticide use on farms in Brazil","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":274627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[156],"tags":[259,224,251,260,256],"coauthors":[116],"class_list":["post-274656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cover","tag-chemistry","tag-ecology","tag-nutrition","tag-public-health","tag-public-policies"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274656","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=274656"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274656\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":277686,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/274656\/revisions\/277686"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/274627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=274656"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=274656"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=274656"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/revistapesquisa.fapesp.br\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=274656"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}