Digitalization in Uruguayan agriculture

Digital technologies in livestock, dairy, and crop production

Abstract

The increasing use of digital technologies worldwide has enabled more efficient agriculture through data usage and information analysis, impacting production models. This digital transformation poses a challenge in agricultural activities and rural areas, being a disruptive process that affects sectors, actors, and territories in different ways. At the national level, disparities in enabling factors such as infrastructure, connectivity, financing, skill development, and regulatory frameworks create differences in the adoption and use of technological tools across productive sectors. This article aims to identify and classify technological tools in livestock, agriculture, and dairy farming in Uruguay. The survey identifies 80 digital tools and technologies (41 in livestock, 25 in agriculture, and 14 in dairy farming). The classification proposal reveals a predominance of technologies aimed at quantifying, controlling, and managing processes and resources, highlighting the importance of data generation and information management for decision-making. These tools are primarily geared towards improving economic and productive efficiency, aiming at process control or traceability. It is noteworthy that these tools originate from various sources, including public entities, public-private organizations, and predominantly private companies. This reflects the country’s strategic orientation towards adopting responsible and sustainable practices driven by a demanding global market.