ConectarAGRO, Nokia Partner to Bring Connectivity to Brazilian Farms

Less than 7% of Brazil’s agricultural areas have access to broadband coverage. An initiative between ConectarAGRO and Nokia will enable 500,000 Brazilian farms to employ robots, temperature and moisture sensors, drone aerial images, and GPS as well as connect their farm fleets.  

Access to this technology will help farmers increase yields while reducing fuel consumption, insecticides, and water for irrigation. In turn, this will give Brazil’s agribusiness segment a significant boost. The ag sector contributed 23.5% to Brazilian GDP in 2017 and accounted for nearly 80% of GDP growth.

The ConectarAGRO initiative provides an industry-coordinated approach to facilitate the development of these precision agricultural technologies for Brazil’s farmers. As part of the initiative, Nokia will develop and provide solutions for the agribusiness sector and Agriculture 4.0; Nokia’s wireless broadband solutions include 4G/LTE and 5G, as well as satellite and microwave technology. These will provide a powerful platform for supporting advanced IoT solutions that improve efficient use of resources while boosting productivity. 

“This open approach will help to spur innovation by creating an ecosystem of companies that can support the digital transformation of the Brazilian agricultural sector,” says Luiz Tonisi, head of market unit Brazil at Nokia. The Nokia team is very pleased to help realize Agriculture 4.0 for Brazil’s farmers.”

“Brazil already has some of the most advanced farmers that use state-of-the-art technologies and management practices. However, reaching the next level of productivity is impossible without connectivity,” says Gregory Riordan, director of digital technologies for CNH Industrial South America. “We are eager to collaborate with a company of Nokia’s caliber to find innovative solutions, especially for farmers in underserved areas. The agricultural sector is a key contributor to Brazil’s economy, and we are proud to join the other members of the ConectarAGRO initiative to serve and enhance Brazilian agriculture.”

To date, Nokia is the only connectivity technology vendor contributing to ConectarAGRO. It plans to expand its activities to other rural areas in Latin American and worldwide.

“This initiative connects machines and people. On the business side, it drives productivity, efficiency, and economic growth. On the social side, it has the potential to change millions of lives, providing voice and internet connectivity, enabling access to education, entertainment, and public services,” says Rafael Marquez, marketing director corporate market at TIM Brasil.

This agreement complements Nokia’s work in the IoT space with its recent launch of prepackaged vertical solutions for agriculture and livestock management. These vertical solutions are offered on Nokia’s Worldwide IoT Network Grid (WING), which is gaining increased interest and customer traction across South America.