Public policy in support of digital agriculture

Abstract

This study aimed to provide an overview of the federal public policy to support digital transformation in the Brazilian agriculture, based on data extracted from the federal government web platforms. The results show that the phenomenon of digital agriculture (Agro 4.0) motivated the federal government to institute the CT-Agronegócio, the legal framework for science, technology and innovation (Marco Legal da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação), the general data protection law (Lei Geral de Proteção de Dados), the national plan for the internet of things (Plano Nacional de Internet das Coisas), and the comission for the precision and digital agriculture (Comissão de Agricultura de Precisão e Digital). These actions and the joint performance of Embrapa Informática Agropecuária, BNDES Piloto IoT, the Câmera of Agro 4.0, the Programa ATER Digital, and the Programa Agro 4.0, aim to encourage the development of digital technologies and to improve the fluidity of their adoption by the actors of the Brazilian agriculture and livestock. Nevertheless, despite the numerous benefits, progress is needed in the sense of including producers – family, small, medium and large –, and rural workers as well as their families in this process. Specific investments in connectivity infrastructure and incentives for the professional training of actors in the use of digital technologies are needed, to minimizing the impacts on the rural world and on the rural labor market. In addition, government officials should promote the development of digital technological solutions to the problems of production and management of the rural activity, which are adapted to the different profiles of rural producers, besides promoting the adoption of digital technologies in all regions of Brazil and creating a safe institutional environment for the use of data through Agro 4.0 technologies.