Jacto brings the latest innovations in precision agriculture to the South African fields
The United Nations (UN) estimates that by 2050, there will be about 9.7 billion people living on Planet Earth. Feeding this entire population will be a huge challenge and will require an increase in productivity in agriculture. Precision agriculture is an important tool to achieve this goal, promoting a technological leap in the field.
Precision agriculture consists of a series of mechanisms that use data collected in the field to promote more efficient cultivation. These technological resources allow a panoramic management of production, optimizing the use of inputs. This has two positive effects: an increase in profitability and a reduction in environmental impacts.
The transition to precision agriculture has been taking place in an accelerated manner worldwide. A survey by consultancy MarketsandMarkets estimates a movement of US $ 7 billion worldwide in precision agriculture alone in 2020. The trend is that the value will grow by 82.8% until 2025, to US $ 12.8 billion.
The first great wave of precision agriculture occurred in the 1990s, with the consolidation of satellite monitoring technologies, such as GPS, which made it possible to map the production area using these geolocation tools. In the following decades, software of various types was created and the first machines connected to the internet appeared. More recently, it was the turn of drones, which acquire new functions with each passing year.
Technological innovations are also profoundly transforming spraying techniques. The use of technology makes the application of agrochemicals happen only where it is needed. This makes the spraying process more accurate, providing savings on inputs and higher plantation yield.
Founded in 1948 by a Japanese immigrant in Brazil, Jacto has established itself as one of the most innovative companies in the manufacture of agricultural machinery in the world and is present in more than 110 countries. With a strong investment in research and development, Jacto has stood out in the race for efficiency gains in spraying.
South Africa is currently one of the most important markets for its self-propelled sprayers. The company's expectation is to triple its share of the local market in the next three years. According to Jacto's sales manager in South Africa, Stephan Strydom, there is a growing demand for efficiency and in South African agriculture.
“We want to bring the most sophisticated technology in the world to South African farmers. There is, in the country, a great space for efficiency gains, which are reversed in lower cost and greater profit margin ”, explained Strydom.
The automatic operation of the nozzle-to-nozzle system, present in both Uniport 3030 and Uniport 4530, provides high spraying accuracy, reducing the use of agrochemicals by 10%. Today, an application of herbicide can be carried out, for example, with volumes below 30 liters per hectare, where previously 200 liters were worked in the same area, thanks to the improvement allowed by the developed technologies.
Another advantage of the company's self-propelled sprayers is the Unitrack steering system, which allows faster and more precise maneuvers, with a 35% smaller turning radius. This system reduces crop damage by up to 40% during maneuvers. The system allows the maneuver of the four wheels, zeroing out the stepping and entry of field and reducing considerably the time of maneuver.
The Uniport 4530, was equipped with a 36m bar that allows it to operate with low tire pressure, reducing soil compaction and increasing crop productivity. When compared to equipment that has a 3000-liter reservoir and 30-meter bars, the Uniport 4530 has increased operating efficiency by up to 30% and reduced trampling by up to 17%.
The OTMIS system is another powerful tool for improving operational productivity, reducing costs, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing profit. In addition, it automatically directs Uniport, assists in spraying, minimizes failures and overlaps and allows the operator to pay more attention to other equipment functions
Initially designed for rugged terrain in Brazil, Jacto's self-propelled sprayers are equipped with intelligent hydrostatic transmission (4x4) and independent automatic traction control, which provides greater traction capacity on different types of soil.
With independent air suspension and automatic height regulating valve, the system seeks to keep the chassis constantly level with the ground, bringing more stability to the booms, and, consequently, higher spray quality.