In honor of International Women's Day, let's get to know the work carried out by the Mato Grosso farmer, Ana Clara Gatto, who found in irrigation the solution to diversify the crops on the family farm, thus being more profitable and efficient in land use
The Cabeceira 5 farm, located in Ipiranga do Norte, a municipality with just over 6 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 a planted area of 1.650 hectares, with the help of technology, the farm produces three complete harvests per year. In addition, it has a wide variety of crops in the rotation scheme, there are more than six different varieties.
Currently Mato Grosso leads as the largest national producer of grains, with a share of 28,9%, having in the last harvest been responsible for more than 66.9 million tons. However, the year-to-year succession of corn and soybeans results in major problems on farms with nematodes, pests and diseases. However, in Headland 5 this is a problem that has been circumvented. The secret? The diversification of cultures. “With the cultivation of chia, sesame, rice and beans, we have an efficient and profitable rotation with soy and corn. As they are crops that are different from other families, pests do not attack”, says Ana Clara Gatto, producer, agronomist responsible for the financial, administrative, purchase and sales part of the farm.
The cultivation of chia and sesame on the property takes place in partnership with companies in the region. These companies supply the seeds and make the production purchase contract. “This agreement is very interesting for us, as we have the guarantee of the sale of these crops in which sales are more restricted”, says Ana Clara.
Still 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, such diversified cultivation was only possible with the implementation of technology. One of these adopted solutions was the irrigation pivots. Currently, the property has two equipment that together irrigate an area of 320 hectares. One of them, the most recent acquired, is from Zimmatic by Lindsay. “The pivots allowed us to optimize the use of the soil, so we managed to plant and harvest up to three crops per year”, highlights the agronomist.
Another great advantage that sprinkler irrigation provided to the farm, according to the producer, was being able to program and anticipate the planting of soybeans. While the majority of MT producers are late in their oilseed harvest and their productivity is compromised due to excessive rainfall in this period of the year, Headland 5 is already finalizing the harvest of the last bags. “With the pivot we have a much more relaxed service, everything is not concentrated in a single season, thus making better time management for the entire team”, she emphasizes.
Change in the farm routine
With an almost daily presence on the farm, Ana Clara will have her routine changed in the coming months. That's because the producer is pregnant and will soon start to slow down her activities to prepare for the birth of her two daughters. But, in order not to run out of information on progress on the property, it will need to rely on technology more than ever.
One of these solutions is being implemented on the property this season, which is FieldNET, a solution also developed by Lindsay, for the remote management of the farm's two pivots. From a computer, smartphone or tablet, the tool enables the creation of variable rate irrigation plans, which define stops and movements, create usage reports, monitor performance and gains throughout your operation. and even sends updates and alerts in real time.
“We are starting to use this tool, we still have a lot to learn and adjust to, but I am sure it will make irrigation management even easier, especially when we are away from the property, this remote monitoring makes it easier to check the irrigations and the progress of the service , the entire team is integrated into the platform: the manager, the managers and the technical assistant”, highlights the producer.
The strength of women in the field
Ana Clara is an active defender of women's rights and has raised this flag mainly in the countryside, on her farm, but also at meetings, events and fairs. “Prejudice against women, especially in the countryside, has improved a lot, but we still feel that structural mistrust as if women's words had less strength and credibility. Therefore, we constantly have to prove our knowledge, and this needs to change. We need to be treated equally with men, whether in terms of credibility or the quality of the work performed,” she says.
Still according to her, opportunities such as International Women's Day are always a chance to discuss the issue and its importance. “Everyone has to be treated equally, regardless of their gender, people should be chosen for their ability. We have seen more women in leadership positions, and this is a good thing and should continue to grow”, concludes the producer.
About - Lindsay América do Sul is a subsidiary of the 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 e FieldNET. In the manufacturing of center and lateral pivots and also in the distribution of agricultural equipment for more than 55 years, Lindsay has irrigation systems in operation in more than 90 countries. www.lindsaybrasil.com.br.
