PRECISION AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY IN A REGIONAL APPROACH:
THE ABC FOUDATION EXPERIENCE
D. Schmidlin*, M.L. Valentini*, L.M. Gimenez*, S. Camboim®
* ABC Foundation, Castro, PR, Brazil - fabc@fundacaoabc.org.br
® Geoplus Geotechnology and Informatics, Curitiba, PR, Brazil - geoplus@geoplus.com.br
Commission VI, WG VI/4
KEY WORDS: Agriculture, GIS, Application, Photogrammetry, Soill
ABSTRACT:
The adoption of precision agriculture practices is just starting in Brazil. In Paraná State, ABC Foundation, a research organization
owned by farmers, is conducting a strong program of evaluation and adjustment of precision agriculture techniques. The farmers
profile in the region, always incorporating new technologies, and the coop environment, make possible the development of such
studies. An example of the regional development is the no till system, established in the region 25 years ago. No till technology
increased soil fertility and yield, providing sustainability to the productive system. This paper aims to present the whole idea, efforts
being made, results and challenges as an interdisciplinary experience. The program is divided into two major projects. The first one,
started in 1998, contemplates the detailed study of 14 fields between 20 and 30 hectares each. Yield mapping, remote sensing, soil
grid sampling and other practices are being used to understand the variability within each field, always looking for profitability. A
great amount of information has been acquired and the understanding of variability is being possible with the knowledge about
regional aspects. The second project is the implementation of the regional infrastructure that will allow farmers adopt related
technologies. Basic information such as topographic maps, soil and climate, among others are being organized. Recently, it was
produced digital color ortophotos covering an area of 2.200,000 hectares, with emphasis on productive land. A database including
information from technical assistance, soil classification, meteorological and environmental aspects is being georeferenced and
linked in a GIS. As the project is primarily designed to produce and let this information available to the associated farmers, an
application was build using the Map Objects library from ESRI, the “GeoFarm” software. It was designed to be simple to install and
use, in order to be easily accessible to the farmers with minimal training. With the GeoFarm, the user can explore the ortophotos and
other layers, add GPS-taken coordinates, print layouts, make queries and drawings, and manage the associated farm database. Today
in its second version, the software is already been used in 133 farms. It is a planning tool to help bring the latest technological
solutions to each farmer desktop.
1. GIS FOR COOPERATIVES AND GROUPS OF safe alternative routes and ways to allow the outflow of the crop
RURAL PRODUCERS safely.
GIS's will have each time more importance in precision 2. CREATION OF A DATA BANK
agriculture, specially as concerns to automation in the field.
Cooperatives and organised producers in the form of groups or The competitiveness increased by the globalized environment
associations has the constant challenge to evolve in the search has put us in front of constant challenges. The brazilian
of better economic results for its agricultural organisations and agriculture and cattle raising activity stopped being an amateur
companies. one to be viewed as highly competitive. In order to us to face
The Technology of Information is being largely used on the the market requests, supplying products of quality, concerning
different enterprises, since the industry, service renderings and the environment and economic maintenance, it is necessary à
now on the agribusiness. It aims to increase the competitiveness complete control of a assemblage of technologies. With the
of the companies, pressed by globalisation and the need to increase of informatics, data bank tools has been largely used
compete with transnational companies and worldwide activities. on the different branches of business. On agriculture and cattle
Systems of geographic informations allow us a better planning activities it attends the technique-economical accompaniment
of the desirable resources for the production from the and now appears as an alternative to compare the different
recognition of the farms in space, to the presence of rivers, technologies used in each farm.
areas of protection, native vegetable coverings, roads and the
physical structures scattered in the farms and service renderings 3. ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES
cooperatives. Through a GIS it is permitted to compare the
different results obtained in each crop, in each farm or whatever Nowadays the pressure of society demands from us the
unit desired to be compared. With a GIS it is possible to use development of the concept of sustainance. It is not enough
tools of logistics, helping in the studies of reduction of costs of
transportation, storage and of new enterprises such as the better
way to construct new silos, factories of food for animals, posts
of attendance for the associates, the recognition of the better
productivity. The respect to the environment, has introduced in
our middle a constant concern about the use of raw materials
that do not attack man and the environment. In an activity such
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