EMBRAPA’s scientific and research expertise and ManejeBem’s digital innovation capabilities

ManejeBem is a Brazilian agri-tech company that devel
ops digital advisory and management solutions for livestock producers, focusing on sustainable pig and poultry farming through mobile, AI-enabled, and remote extension technologies.

EMBRAPA and ManejeBem are collaborating in Brazil to advance sustainable livestock production through digital agriculture and technical assistance tools for family farmers. Their partnership, led through EMBRAPA’s Swine and Poultry Unit, focuses on developing digital platforms such as “ManejeChat” and the “EcoPiggy” application to support pig and poultry producers with real-time technical guidance, environmental management, animal welfare practices, and production monitoring. 

The initiative aims to improve sustainability and compliance in livestock systems while reducing environmental risks linked to waste management in pig farming.

The collaboration combines EMBRAPA’s scientific and research expertise with ManejeBem’s digital innovation capabilities to strengthen remote agricultural extension services and climate-smart farming solutions. Through mobile and WhatsApp-integrated tools, farmers can access advisory services on animal health, nutrition, bio-inputs, waste utilization, and sustainable production practices, even in low-connectivity rural areas. 

The partnership has also expanded into broader discussions on precision agriculture, ESG innovation (Environmental, Social, and Governance principles),
and international cooperation involving Brazil, the UK, Ghana, and Nigeria, positioning the initiative as a model for inclusive digital agriculture and sustainable rural development. - see: Digital Agri-Tech Africa- Brazil Ecosystem Engagement (DATA-BEE) (2025, 23 p.)

• DATA-BEE is one of 12 scoping projects in the Innovate UK Climate-Smart Agriculture Partnership, within the theme of Digital Agriculture and Precision Farming. These projects aim to building knowledge, networks and collaboration ideas between the UK, Brazil and Africa. 
• DATA-BEE focuses on identifying opportunities for collaboration and understanding the specific challenges in adopting digital agriculture and precision farming technologies in Ghana and Nigeria. The project aims to bridge agricultural systems between Africa and Brazil, leveraging the latter’s advanced precision farming techniques to address climate-related challenges and improve food security in West Africa. 

The ecosystem networks built by DATA-BEE directly paved the way for larger innovation phases:

• Climate-Smart Maize Initiative: A collaborative project funded as a direct output of DATA-BEE's cross-border missions, deploying advanced crop inputs like R-Leaf to lower chemical fertilizer requirements.
• Dissemination Hubs: Operating continuous on-the-ground training, forums, and market access workshops alongside entities like the British High Commission to scale tech distribution.

Successful adoption of agri-tech requires strong farmer engagement through training programs, extension services, and digital literacy initiatives. Localised knowledge transfer, delivered through both digital platforms and community-based extension officers, will help farmers maximise the benefits of new technologies. Strengthening cooperatives and farmer networks can also enhance collective bargaining power and market access. (page 21)

 

Possible synergies

Collaboration between EMBRAPA, ManejeBem, and Access Agriculture could expand the reach of sustainable livestock and climate-smart agriculture knowledge to smallholder farmers through multilingual farmer-to-farmer training videos and digital extension platforms.

• The partnership could combine EMBRAPA’s scientific research, ManejeBem’s digital advisory technologies, and Access Agriculture’s grassroots extension methodologies to create inclusive digital learning ecosystems for farmers with limited connectivity and literacy levels.
• Joint collaboration could support capacity building for extension agents, youth agripreneurs, and farmer organizations by integrating interactive advisory tools, mobile applications, and practical training content tailored to local production systems.
• The partnership could strengthen South–South cooperation by facilitating knowledge exchange between Brazil, Africa, and other regions on sustainable livestock production, agroecology, digital agriculture, and resilient food systems.
• Access Agriculture’s extensive experience in rural communication and local-language video dissemination could help EMBRAPA and ManejeBem scale adoption of good practices in pig and poultry management, animal health, waste management, and biosecurity across Africa and Latin America.