Aviação agrícola e o meio ambiente: panorama nacional

Abstract

The pesticides’ application by aircraft is an increasingly frequent operation in Brazil, presenting, however, controversial points related to the occurrence of accidents, environment and human health. Considering these aspects, this study aims to elucidate how agrochemicals’ aerial application occurs and to analyze, critically, its advantages, risks and polemic. The research method adopted is the descriptive one with a qualitative approach, supported in literature review about aero-agricultural operations and their development, advantages and challenges, in addition to exposing the Brazilian panorama concerned to agricultural aviation market. Brazil registers the second largest fleet of agricultural aircraft in the world, and the sector registers growth in 2020, even during the pandemic crisis caused by the new coronavirus. In this sense, the activity was considered essential by Federal Government. Advantages of aerial application of agricultural chemicals include speed of application; absence of direct damage to the culture; possibility of operation in any terrain condition; vector transport reduction during applications; less water used and less CO2 emissions; and incentive and employment of specialized labor. It is relevant to point out that agricultural aviation does not completely replace terrestrial spraying, being complementary, and requires more responsibility in its use so that all these advantages are, in fact, obtained. On the other hand, we cannot ignore that, with the increase of agricultural inputs, there is also a growing wave of problems related to the environment and the aerial spraying of pesticides, such as soils, waters, animals and rural populations contamination, which can be mitigated by conscious’ use of techniques and advanced technologies. Air applications, thus, prove to have great importance for domestic and international economy, as they contribute to the productivity of the agricultural and air sectors. However, the method must consider the sustainability criteria in order to not aggravate contamination by pesticides, so that the environment – including human and natural aspects – does not suffer even more with the consequences of these products’ using.