Agro-industry 4.0: Cirion presents modern technological solutions to support digital transformation
Internet of Things (IoT) applications and low-energy satellite solutions make it possible to capture data in the field to improve productivity and competitiveness at a global level.
Miami, December 2023. The coastal El Niño and Global El Niño phenomena have been affecting the agricultural industry in Latin America. High temperatures, droughts and high humidity have created a series of competitive and economic challenges that affected productivity and agricultural performance.
“The agro-industry in Latin America has experienced exponential growth and consolidation in multiple international markets. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), in 2021 the net trade of agricultural foods produced in Latin America and the Caribbean represented almost 45% of the world total. This year, however, the drop in production, losses, and competition from large agriculture exporting countries have affected this sector in the region. Therefore, using digital technologies can help optimize, increase production, and improve performance in the agro-industry sphere, enabling producers to become more competitive, globally,” said Luis Ladera, Director of Data Products at Cirion Technologies.
The companies in this sector are still at an early stage when it comes to collecting data on their production and applying digital technologies to their business. This data could be analyzed, processed and transformed into information to generate smarter and more efficient decision-making in the short and long terms. Cirion presented a part of its portfolio called Smart Solutions, which includes IoT elements or specific sensors temperature, light, humidity, pH, among others to generate and monitor data through a digital application on the web that can be accessed from mobile phones, tablets, or computers. This will make it possible to understand the behaviors of elements in the field and control important variables in production, even remotely, from anywhere in the world.
In general, agricultural production sites are extensive and not always accessible, often creating a connectivity issue. In this sense, Cirions sensors are integrated with low-power private satellite connectivity solutions that allow data to be transmitted to digital devices without any issues.
IoT systems, cloud connections, Internet and security, used in the implementation of digital technology in the agro-industry, offer companies the resources to transform and optimize their businesses. Data collection is the basic input to feed machine-learning based artificial intelligence systems, generating predictive models that enable timely and adequate decisions to improve production performance and cost and resource optimization, among others.
Luis Ladera also comments that companies in the region are not yet taking full advantage of technology to be more competitive when compared to countries that are world leaders in agricultural exports. As exports increase, theres also an increase in competition and we must take control of the situation, investing more in technology, understanding how to apply it, and how to improve it to become even more competitive. Ultimately, it all comes down to this: the industrys digital transformation is all about generating competitive advantages in the market, he added.
Heading towards Agro-industry 4.0
Cirion experts say that first, organizations should define what are the important variables in their business and then, start measuring them. Next, they must generate analytics, clean and understand data, and begin creating models using artificial intelligence techniques. To do this, they need the Internet of Things, connectivity, the cloud, and additional technology.
Once all this data has been stored and processed, models will generate insights that will make it possible to predict the best times for harvesting, pest control, applying fertilizers or even rationing pesticides and water. This may bring optimizations and improvements, helping obtain competitive, high-quality products, as well as creating a friendlier production, with less impact on the environment. “There is a huge potential for growth. We’re talking about hundreds of billions of dollars that could be generated over the next few years from the implementation and use of digital technologies in the agricultural industry. What’s more: we know that global food production is critical to the sustainability of humankind. Therefore, everything that involves improving productive performance is critical to the agro-industry, globally, concludes Ladera.
About Cirion:
Cirion is a leading digital infrastructure and technology provider, offering a comprehensive suite of fiber network, connectivity, colocation, cloud infrastructure, and communication and collaboration solutions with the purpose of furthering Latin America´s progress through technology. Cirion serves over 5,500 Latin America-based and multinational customers, including enterprises, government agencies, cloud service providers, carriers, ISPs, and other leading businesses. Cirion owns and operates a facilities-based network and data center portfolio, with extensive coverage spanning across the Latin America region. Learn more about Cirion at www.ciriontechnologies.com