Mexican agriculture is going through a serious water crisis, with Mexico being ranked as the second country with the highest water stress in Latin America.
According to José Antonio Tiburcio, Director of Innovation and Small Farmers for Bayer Mexico, the lack of water represents a crucial challenge for food security.
“Just in 2024, Mexico experienced its driest year, with 163 municipalities in extreme drought and reservoirs at 54% of their capacity. Under these conditions, it is difficult to maintain food production,” he explained.
## AI and Big Data as Allies in the Field
Given this scenario, artificial intelligence (AI), Big Data, and the Internet of Things (IoT) have become key tools to improve agricultural efficiency.
Thanks to these technologies, a reduction in water consumption of up to 30% has been achieved, especially in crops like corn, watermelon, and melon.
The use of real-time data and automation allows to:
– **Optimize irrigation** in crops with water systems.
– **Adapt agricultural strategies** to water availability.
– **Reduce losses** due to droughts and improve productivity.
## Mexico Facing the Risk of Extreme Drought Due to the Water Crisis
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ([OECD](https://www.oecd.org/en.html)), Mexico is among the 30 countries at highest risk of extreme drought by 2025.
Therefore, farmers have started to incorporate automated methods, as traditional systems are not sufficient in the face of water scarcity.
## Less Water, Greater Production
In 2024, farmers planted 21 million hectares in Mexico, of which 14.5 million depend on seasonal rainfall and only 6.5 million have irrigation systems, according to the National Agricultural Council.
The AI applications developed by Bayer have allowed significant water savings without affecting crop yields:
– Crops like corn, watermelon, melon, nuts, and citrus have optimized their water consumption.
– Improvements in agricultural production have been achieved compared to traditional methods.
– The accumulated water savings have reached 5.7 million cubic meters per crop cycle.
## A More Sustainable Agricultural Future
For Tiburcio, the adoption of new technologies is essential to make agriculture more efficient and environmentally responsible.
“The agriculture of the future must innovate and apply science for the benefit of farmers and the planet,” highlighted the Bayer executive.
However, in Mexico, less than 15% of the agricultural sector has implemented digital technologies, mainly due to:
– Lack of capital.
– Low digital literacy.
– Limited government incentives for sector modernization.
## A Call for Digitalization of Agriculture
To address this issue, Tiburcio called for collaboration between companies, government, and civil society to accelerate the digital transformation of agriculture.
“If we don’t digitalize the field, Mexico risks increasing its water stress and losing its ability to produce its own food,” he warned.
Technology emerges as a key response to address the water crisis, and its adoption could define the future of food security in the country.
*Cover Photo: Luz Noticias*
