The sugar-energy sector plays a crucial role in the global economy, providing food and energy. However, one of the main challenges faced by sugarcane producers and suppliers has been labor on the properties. The sugarcane management stages, for the most part, are historically labor intensive. In every production process, issues related to the quality of work are the object of producers' full attention.

From planting, pest management or even administrative management, all of these steps depend on people. In this context, the development of technologies to improve work in the field must be a focus of the sector and government investments. Several years ago, mechanized harvesting showed this path, however, we have a lot to do in other activities related to culture. Mechanized planting, for example, after regression in 2017/2018 due to operational problems and poor performance, has once again been widely adopted by producers and is improving every day. However, many challenges remain to boost activity.

The operational difficulty, the high use of seedlings, the impacts on sprouting and the low quality of operations have been technical barriers to advancing this transformation. An incorrect or low-quality activity directly affects the productivity and establishment of the entire sugarcane field for the next 5 years. If that wasn't enough, areas with rugged terrain have also been a major challenge for the activity.

Automated planter machines could significantly increase planting efficiency, reducing the need for manual labor and increasing seeding accuracy and uniformity. However, in order to move into a robotic world and replace repetitive tasks with machines, we need an environment for technology development in Brazil, for this to happen.

It is necessary to invest in several areas. One of them is the development of robotization programs in the field, autonomous vehicles and cutting-edge technology. After that, training and training that covers not only agricultural techniques, but also aspects such as workplace safety, proper use of equipment and good agricultural practices. Not only the sugar-energy sector, but all sectors of agriculture suffer from this.

Much progress has been made in digital technologies for operations control and data management, but in hardware, technology research in the field is carried out directly within companies and often takes a long time to reach the field or, when they do arrive, they require many settings.

These technologies can help producers optimize the use of inputs, reduce waste and increase productivity, while providing a better quality of life for workers. Not only in sugarcane planting, but in every activity. Without guidelines and substantial investments in this regard, we will certainly adopt what is carried out in research in other countries with a climate that has suffered, such as the United States, Germany, Japan or even Italy, paying more and requiring the same adjustments.

The development of technologies to improve mechanized planting and the use of labor are fundamental to boosting the sustainability and competitiveness of the sugar-energy sector. By investing in innovation and training, producers can not only reduce operating costs and increase efficiency, but also promote the economic and social development of rural areas. Thus, agriculture of the future will be more sustainable, efficient and inclusive, benefiting both producers and society as a whole.