SICLAUy – agricultural logistics control information system of Uruguay

Abstract

The production of watermelons in Rivera, Uruguay, accounts for 95% of the national output and is a key pillar of the department's economy. However, its border location exposes producers to unfair competition due to the irregular entry of products without traceability, affecting their competitiveness. To address this problem, the Rivera Departmental Administration (IDR), together with the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP) and the National Customs Directorate, implemented a control protocol based on physical transport documents. Nevertheless, the reliance on paper documentation hinders oversight and creates operational inefficiencies. This study analyzes the development and implementation of the Agricultural Logistics Control Information System of Uruguay, a digital platform designed to improve traceability and optimize the control of agricultural transport. The methodology used combines interviews with key IDR stakeholder, documentary analysis of current regulations, and the application of the Rapid Application Development (RAD) approach for agile development. The system was developed using PHP 8.3 and Laravel 11, with FilamentPHP employed for generating interfaces and MySQL 8.4.2 for data management, ensuring data integrity through ACID properties. Key functionalities were incorporated, including the management of harvests and crops, inspection records, automated issuance of electronic transport documents, real-time enroute control, and an automated accounting model. Additionally, the system features a role-based access control model (Inspector, Producer, Police, and Administrator) and an auditing module to record changes in the database. Validated by the IDR, its implementation is scheduled for the 2025/2026 harvest, with future optimizations planned based on field use. Its scalable architecture allows for the incorporation of new crops without structural changes. In the future, the integration of a digital field notebook and predictive analysis tools is projected. The results of this work demonstrate that digitizing the agricultural oversight process can improve efficiency, reduce commercial fraud, and optimize logistics management in border regions. Moreover, the system presents a replicable model for other productive sectors that require enhanced traceability and control in agricultural distribution.