AgriHub launched, this Thursday (25), the second edition of the Rural Producer Innovation Profile Report of Mato Grosso. The study outlines the innovation profile of producers and presents an updated overview of the level of technological maturity in the field. The new survey reveals that, although almost half of the producers are already considered innovative, digitalization still represents the main challenge for the advancement of innovation in the state. Conducted by AgriHub in partnership with the National Rural Learning Service of Mato Grosso (Senar MT), the study analyzed more than 82,000 data points, collected from 1,403 rural producers in 75 municipalities. According to Érika Segóvia, manager of AgriHub, the report uses a methodology based on three pillars: Digitalization, which assesses connectivity and the use of management tools; Technology Adoption, related to the willingness to test new solutions; and Influence, which measures the engagement of producers in unions, cooperatives and relationship networks. The results show that Mato Grosso has 45% of producers classified as innovative or highly innovative. However, the Digitalization Index reached only 28 points, below the indicators of Influence (41) and Technology Adoption (40), highlighting that access to connectivity and digital tools still limits technological advancement on rural properties. For the manager of AgriHub, the survey reinforces that innovation goes beyond the adoption of new technologies and depends on understanding the profile of each rural producer. "The second edition of the report expands our ability to understand how innovation happens in the field. For a long time, it was believed that the main challenge of innovation was convincing rural producers to adopt new technologies. The data shows just the opposite. Producers recognize the value of innovation. Our challenge now is to create the conditions for it to happen faster, more safely, and more accessibly. This allows us to develop more assertive actions to connect solutions to the real needs of the field," she emphasizes.
The five innovation profiles
The study classifies rural producers into five personas, according to their level of technological maturity. The largest group is made up of Conservatives, representing 39.4% of those interviewed. These producers recognize the benefits of innovation but prefer to adopt technologies that are already established and have proven results. Next are the Pragmatists, with 31% of the sample. This profile prioritizes solutions that bring direct productivity gains and cost reduction, adopting technologies focused on operational efficiency. Skeptics represent 18.1% of producers and still show greater resistance to innovation, mainly due to limitations in infrastructure and connectivity. Visionaries account for 9.1% of the total and tend to anticipate trends, test new solutions, and act as regional influencers. At the most advanced end are the Enthusiasts, representing 2.4% of the sample. These are highly digitized producers who use advanced tools, participate in the development of new technologies, and transform their properties into experimental environments.
The producer profile in the regions
The survey also shows that innovation occurs heterogeneously in Mato Grosso. While some regions concentrate producers more inclined to experimentation and adoption of new technologies, others still face challenges mainly related to digital infrastructure, connectivity, and access to the innovation ecosystem. According to Érika, Region III was identified as the most innovative in the state, bringing together a strong presence of producers classified as Visionaries and Enthusiasts, generally linked to large properties and higher levels of education. The report also indicates that regions V and IX stand out, both with a high participation of producers with an innovative profile. At the other end, Region I showed a predominance of producers classified as Skeptics, mainly reflecting limitations in digital infrastructure and connectivity. Region VI concentrates a greater number of Conservative producers, in addition to having a predominance of small properties. Among the municipalities with the highest innovation rates are Primavera do Leste, Guiratinga, Bom Jesus do Araguaia, and Sorriso. “The research also revealed the profile of the participants: 59% own properties with less than 50 hectares, half are involved in livestock farming, 34% in agriculture, and 16% develop integrated agricultural and livestock activities. Another highlight is that about a third of those interviewed are women rural producers,” says the manager of AgriHub. For Érika, the study aims to guide the next steps in the digital transformation of agriculture in Mato Grosso, offering subsidies for public policies, training programs, and the development of technological solutions more aligned with the needs of producers, in addition to mapping the current scenario of rural innovation.
This text was translated by machine from Brazilian Portuguese.