“Costs vary depending on the irrigated area, the type of crop and the desired level of automation…”
Daniel Campanelli is CTO of iCrop, graduated in biological sciences from the State University of Northern Paraná, with a Ph.D. from the State University of Londrina, specialist in Environmental Auditing and Management from the Federal Technological University of Paraná, M.Sc. in agronomy from UENP and graduated in agronomic engineering from UNOPAR.
AgriBrasilis – What technologies are revolutionizing irrigation practices?
Daniel Campanelli – The main innovations combine data, precision, connectivity and intelligence. Management software allows you to monitor water usage according to the crop stage. Weather stations provide local data, essential for calibrating irrigation strategies. Our algorithms have been trained for various soil types, regions and crops and help to avoid both excess and shortages of water. Automated systems optimize application, while satellite imagery helps to identify gaps and asymmetries in the field.
AgriBrasilis – What are the costs of adopting high-tech irrigation?
Daniel Campanelli – Costs vary depending on the irrigated area, the type of crop and the desired level of automation. Systems such as central pivots require a higher initial investment, but deliver high performance and precision. Monitoring and management technologies, in turn, help reduce the number of irrigations, energy consumption and equipment wear. In the medium and long term, the investment tends to pay off with greater productivity, savings on inputs and operational predictability.
AgriBrasilis – In what situations is this investment recommended?
Daniel Campanelli – High-tech irrigation is especially recommended when there is a need to:
- Increase yields in sensitive crops, such as beans and wheat.
- Mitigate the impacts of water shortages, which are common in cotton and corn areas.
- Reduce losses caused by climate variations, as is the case with coffee crops.
- Maintain uniformity and reduce operating costs, which is important for soybeans.
- Maximize every drop of water, especially in regions where electricity is expensive or where there is limited water availability.
In short, the investment is recommended for those seeking efficiency, sustainability and high productive performance.
AgriBrasilis – Why is data collection so important for irrigation? What data is collected and why?
Daniel Campanelli – Because data enables informed and timely decisions. Soil moisture, for example, prevents unnecessary irrigation of beans or lack of water during the formation of potato tubers. There are critical phenological phases — such as flowering in wheat and coffee or grain filling in soybeans. Climate data (temperature, precipitation, radiation) help adjust the volume of water so that it is available to the plant at the right time. Evapotranspiration (ETc) quantifies the real need for water, being the basis for intelligent management in any crop.
AgriBrasilis – How is climate monitoring carried out for irrigation management?
Daniel Campanelli – iCrop operates a network of over two thousand weather stations in Brazil, integrated with predictive models. This infrastructure generates recommendations based on rainfall, temperature and evapotranspiration (ETc) forecasts. In wheat, for example, it helps to avoid losses at critical stages; in coffee, it brings forward irrigation to encourage flowering; in potatoes, it adjusts volumes at maturation, preventing diseases and quality losses.
AgriBrasilis – What is evapotranspiration and why does the farmer need to monitor this factor in crops?
Daniel Campanelli – Evapotranspiration (ETc) represents the sum of water evaporated from the soil and water transpired by plants. Monitoring this data allows the application of the ideal amount of water at the right time. In wheat, this ensures greater uniformity of grains; in potatoes, it improves the size and quality of tubers. In crops such as corn and cotton, it prevents losses caused by excess or lack of water. ETc is the technical basis for rational water management.
AgriBrasilis – Why is the practice of irrigation still not very widespread in Brazil?
Daniel Campanelli – There are still important barriers: high initial costs, difficulty in accessing credit, complex regulations on water use and the perception that irrigation is complicated.
iCrop works to transform this reality, with accessible, intuitive and field-adapted solutions. Our Irrigation Management service combines specialized consultancy services with monitoring software, ensuring water efficiency based on real farm data.
For those who are just starting out, iCrop Projects designs the entire irrigation system to measure. For those who already have irrigation systems installed, iCrop Reengineering increases the useful life of equipment and reduces losses. Irrigation is not a luxury, it is a strategy.
We also work on the intelligent management of another fundamental resource: electricity. With iCrop Power, producers can monitor energy consumption in real time, identifying opportunities for savings. Finally, our Meteorological Solutions provide reliable climate data, directly from the field.
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