The challenge in the field is no less: to transform data into a real value that would increase productivity, efficiency and sustainability
08.10.2019 • 07:25hs • Digital transformation
Digital transformation
This is the Bayer plan to "digitize" the fields and predict the future of crops in Argentina
Argentina is an agro-export country par excellence. Its economic history is closely linked to the fluctuations of the countryside, since its crops contribute much of the dollars and wealth.
In this sense, the Agricultural Foundation for Development of Argentina ensures that agrifood chains generate one in 6 private jobs (direct and indirect); one of every 10 pesos of the GDP and the national tax collection of AFIP. And seven out of every 10 dollars of total exports.
That is why it is important that this industry has begun to embrace the technological revolution in search of promoting production.
One of the main exponents of this revolution is Bayer. After the merger with Monsanto in 2016, he began exploring new edges around digital tools. Within this framework, The Climate Corporation, leading to the development of digital solutions, gained prominence within the corporation.
"With the view of The Climate Corporation on the digitalization of agriculture and based on the information collected, frictions of producers could be minimized with the millions of data generated in their fields," Matías Corradi, Leader of The, tells iProUP Climate Corporation for Latin America South.
The integration of this company with an industry giant like Bayer is part of the digital transformation. Of course, the challenge they faced was not minor: how to value those thousands of records in order to increase the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of their customers.
With an imprint of the world of software (soaked by agile methodologies, pilots and the philosophy of "making mistakes quickly and cheaply"), The Climate Corporation began to develop a solution that attacks the problems of an industry with a lot of potential. That's how FieldView was born.
Data, data and more data
With the premise of bringing digital transformation to the rural sector, Bayer began working with the solution of The Climate Corporation, Fieldview, to accompany producers.
The idea is simple: every task is generating data, so the central component of the platform is the ability to integrate that information in a simple way, so that the producer can "rediscover" his field with a more efficient and profitable look.
"Producers make key decisions in the production cycle. To a large extent, they derive from their different experiences, or from what the neighbors told them or from something they heard. Now they can incorporate Fieldview information to perform more accurate analyzes, in the that combines the science of data and the science of agronomy, "explains Corradi.
Strictly speaking, FieldView is a digital agriculture platform that helps you better understand your fields and their potential, through systems that allow you to easily collect and store records. In this way, they optimize their decisions, reduce input costs and make the crop reach its maximum yield potential.
The platform is revolutionizing the way producers manage their land. In the past two years, more than hundreds of producers from different regions tested FieldView on more than 250,000 hectares of corn, soy, wheat and sunflower.
"The launch of FieldView means a significant advance for agriculture in Argentina, as it allows them easy access to the information they require. They end up earning more money by making more accurate decisions," the Climate Corporation Leader tells iProUP for Southern Cone
According to the executive, "access to accurate and real-time data contributes to better management, helps to reduce costs and preserve natural resources. All this is in line with Bayer's commitments to reduce the environmental impact from innovative solutions. ".
FieldView in Argentina integrates information on planting, harvesting, monitoring and soil in a unique and online digital app. It is compatible with the main Argentine agricultural machinery companies, including the three leaders: Abelardo Cuffia, TIM and Metalfor.
It allows access to the information stored directly from the cell phone, tablet or computer, which facilitates the management and operational management. Producers know all of their crops through the automatic generation of field maps and planting and harvesting reports. They access satellite images to identify potential threats before performance is affected.
A "win-win" model
Bringing these types of solutions to a sector as traditional as the field was not a simple task. To overcome some resistance, Bayer worked together with producers to demonstrate the value added by this platform.
"We have the whole package: the technical and scientific knowledge of agriculture and technology to combine the platform. Thus, we eliminate the historical friction between data and users," adds Corradi. He says that "digitalization helps to democratize" and that this type of innovation gives producers the "true power of decision".
Strictly speaking, the solution has two parts:
- A device (which connects as if it were a Chromecast to the machinery) that collects data that it then transmits via Bluetooth to an iPad in the cabin. Subsequently, upload them to the cloud so they can be consulted from anywhere
- The platform itself
If there is no signal, the tablet stores the information until it recovers the connection.
The service works with an annual subscription that costs $ 3 per hectare, while the device sells for $ 199. This version of Fieldview Plus includes:
- Batch diagnosis
- Weather forecast by lot
- Georeferenced Markings
- Import of soil maps
- Import crop maps from previous campaigns
- Performance Analysis Tools
- Manual prescriptions
- Import maps of the current crop
- Mapping operations with FieldView Drive
- Technical delivery at the establishment
There is also a basic version of US $ 350 per year (with no limit of hectares) whereby producers access the diagnosis by lot, climate, geo-referenced landmarks, soil maps and harvest of previous campaigns.
"We have both solutions so that any producer can start breaking down the barriers to entry. The idea is not to do autopsies, but to anticipate any kind of problem and help increase production capacity," explains Corradi.
The next frontier
With more than 35,000 clients globally and 24 million hectares already paid (they expect to reach 36 million by the end of the year), Bayer seeks to go one step further in the digitalization of the fields in Argentina to detect different situations before the producer detect.
The robotization of the machinery and the new autonomous models that gain market will be allies of these technologies. In addition, with the implementation of artificial intelligence and machine learning, the next frontier will be accessed: predict what will happen in the next harvest.
For that, the Fieldview platform is open source. That is, it can be integrated into other solutions (it has alliances with 60 companies) so that the producer can have more and better access to his field. With this concept, it aims to inspire other firms to develop an innovation ecosystem.
The next step will be to provide total transparency to the chain. And there comes into play the blockchain: "If we manage to digitize the whole process, knowing what happens from end to end will be easy. The consumer is asking for it and the producer too," adds Corradi.
Regarding the local territory, the spokesperson for The Climate ensures Argentina is a market with a lot of potential, with particular characteristics of the Argentine producer: younger than the rest, resilience from an entrepreneurial gene, leased land and a lot of contracted machine. "When the Argentine producer sees the value, he quickly adopts it," he concludes.
