Last Thursday (7/21), Rodrigo Maule, executive coordinator of the GPP, participated in the roundtable “Opportunities to accelerate the digitization of the agricultural sector in the countries of Mercosur and Chile”, at the invitation of IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development ). The fund leads a process of regional consultation with the aim of establishing an Action Plan to promote the digitization of the agricultural sector in Latin America and the Caribbean and, with this aim, has been organizing round tables with experts for the exchange of information, ideas and proposals.
In his presentation, Maule highlighted GPP research on the subject. “We are developing studies and we have verified, in the rural dynamics, the occurrence of a scenario of deactivation of production in small properties, as a result of the interaction of these three elements: asymmetries of scale – which reduces competitiveness in terms of costs and commercialization; access to finance; and access to technology. The paths that these small properties follow are: verticalization, search for other incomes, social security deactivation or social vulnerability. Digital technology can be a key piece in minimizing these impacts,” he assessed.
Maule also underlined the need to educate producers on the use of digital tools and the role of ATER (Technical Assistance and Rural Extension) in this process: “It is important to work on the digital stage of farmers, according to the demand of each profile, directing the appropriate tools and providing the conditions of use of these tools. I understand that this role must be supplied by ATER, which also needs to be prepared for this role,” he said.
In 2021, IFAD funded the study “Rural Connectivity and Digital Inclusion as ATER Democratization Strategies: Opportunities for Brazil and Peru”, carried out by the GPP. The research sought to assess the challenges and opportunities of digital tools to democratize access to ATER in rural areas of Brazil and Peru. Read more.