Empowering Women’s Role in Agribusiness, Producer Achieves Three Harvests a Year Using Pivot Irrigation

In Honor Of International Women’s Day, Let’s Learn About The Work Done By Mato Grosso Farmer Ana Clara Gatto, Who Found In Irrigation The Solution To Diversify The Crops On Her Family Farm, Making It More Profitable And Efficient In The Use Of Land

The Cabeceira 5 farm, located in Ipiranga do Norte, a municipality of just over 6,000 inhabitants, which until 2004 belonged to neighboring Tapurah in the mid-north of Mato Grosso, is a model property for its management and efficiency in land use. In an area planted with 1,650 hectares, with the help of technology, the farm carries out three full harvests per year. In addition, it has a wide variety of crops in a rotation scheme, with more than six different varieties.

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Currently, Mato Grosso leads as the largest national grain producer, with a share of 28.9%, having been responsible for over 66.9 million tons in the last harvest. However, the year-to-year succession of corn and soybeans has resulted in significant problems on farms, with nematodes, pests, and diseases. However, at Cabeceira 5, this is a problem that has been managed. The secret? Crop diversification. “With the cultivation of chia, sesame, rice, and beans, we have an efficient and profitable rotation with soybeans and corn. As they are different crops from other families, pests do not attack,” says Ana Clara Gatto, the producer and agronomist responsible for the financial, administrative, purchasing, and sales aspects of the farm.

The cultivation of chia and sesame on the property occurs in partnerships with local companies. These companies provide the seeds and make purchase agreements for the production. “This agreement is very interesting for us, as we have a guarantee of selling these crops, which have a more restricted market,” says Ana Clara.

According to her, who is the daughter and granddaughter of the first producers in the state who migrated from Rio Grande do Sul to explore Mato Grosso, this diversified cultivation was only possible with the implementation of technology. One of the solutions adopted was irrigation pivots. Currently, the property has two systems that irrigate a total area of 320 hectares. One of them, the most recently acquired, is from Zimmatic by Lindsay. “The pivots allowed us to optimize land use, which is why we can plant and harvest up to three times a year,” emphasizes the agronomist.

Another significant advantage that sprinkler irrigation provided for the farm, according to the producer, was the ability to schedule and anticipate soybean planting. While most producers in MT are experiencing delays in harvesting the oilseed and compromised productivity due to excessive rain during this time of year, Cabeceira 5 is already completing the harvest of the last bags. “With the pivot, we have a much more relaxed operation; it does not concentrate everything in one period, thus allowing for better time management for the entire team,” she highlights.

Change In The Farm Routine

With a near-daily presence on the farm, Ana Clara will have her routine changed in the coming months. This is because the producer is pregnant and will soon begin to slow down her activities to prepare for the birth of her twin daughters. However, to remain informed about the property’s operations, she will need to rely on technology more than ever.

One such solution is being implemented on the property this season, which is FieldNET, also developed by Lindsay, for remote management of the farm’s two pivots. From a computer, smartphone or tablet, the tool allows for the creation of variable rate irrigation plans that define stops and movements, create usage reports, monitor performance and gains throughout the operation, and send real-time updates and alerts.

“We are starting to use this tool; we still have a lot to learn and adjust, but I am sure it will further facilitate irrigation management, especially when we are away from the property. This remote monitoring makes it easier to check irrigation and the progress of operations; the entire team is integrated on the platform: the manager, the managers, and the technical assistant,” emphasizes the producer.

The Strength Of Women In Agriculture

Ana Clara is an active advocate for women’s rights and has raised this flag, especially in agriculture, on her farm, as well as in meetings, events, and fairs. “Prejudice against women, especially in agriculture, has improved a lot, but we still feel that structural distrust, as if a woman’s word had less strength and credibility. Therefore, we have to constantly prove our knowledge, and this needs to change; we need to be treated equally to men, both in credibility and in the quality of the work performed,” she states.

She also mentions that opportunities like International Women’s Day are always a chance to discuss the topic and its importance. “Everyone should be treated equally, regardless of gender; people should be chosen based on their abilities. We have seen more women in leadership positions, and that is a good thing that should continue to grow,” concludes the producer.

About – Lindsay South America is a subsidiary of American Lindsay Corporation and is headquartered in Brazil, with an office in Campinas (SP) and a factory in Mogi Mirim (SP). The company produces a complete line of irrigation systems, represented by the brands Zimmatic and FieldNET. Having been engaged in the manufacture of center and lateral pivots and also in the distribution of agricultural equipment for over 55 years, Lindsay has irrigation systems in operation in more than 90 countries. www.lindsaybrasil.com.br.