Every day a paradox becomes sharper: in the 21st century, while humanity advances in science and technology, the world approaches a 40% global freshwater deficit by 2030. The semi-arid region of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, is a clear reflection of this tension: territories without surface water sources where survival depends on innovating or giving up. In this agricultural market, more than 60% of small farmers depend on saline wells and subsistence crops, generating low productivity and high socio-economic vulnerability. SweetSea emerges here, with 13.8 m³ per day of mineralized freshwater equivalent to the basic consumption of more than 90 families daily, destined to create higher-value and resilient food.
The project’s strategic objective is twofold: to ensure immediate food security through a demonstration vegetable garden and, at the same time, to establish cashew as a perennial crop that diversifies income and regenerates soils. Its raison d’être is clear: to transform scarcity into tangible abundance, showing that even with minimal resources it is possible to open new agricultural value chains, reduce pressure on overexploited aquifers, and offer a replicable example in other semi-arid regions of the planet.
SweetSea 2 is located in the municipality of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), in critical semi-arid coordinates where the absence of surface water demands disruptive solutions. The actors involved include the local agricultural operator, irrigation and fertigation technology providers, a financial structurer ensuring long-term viability, and external verification entities auditing volumetric benefits under VWBA 2.0.
The project stands as an agricultural and technological showcase within the Water Positive strategy, complying with the principles of additionality (the water produced did not exist in the basin), traceability (each m³ has physical and digital tracking), and intentionality (the volume is allocated to address a real water challenge). It is not limited to producing water: it changes the logic of scarcity, turns deserts into gardens, and vulnerability into future, proving that with vision and courage it is possible to lead a regenerative development model aligned with Agenda 2030.
The challenge is to transform a limited flow, 13,800 liters per day, into the greatest possible agricultural, economic, and social impact. The concrete solution is the implementation of a demonstration vegetable garden of 2,500 to 4,500 m² and the establishment of 3 to 4 hectares of cashew (Anacardium occidentale) through drip irrigation and precision fertigation technologies. This volume is equivalent to the basic water supply for more than 90 households per day, highlighting the potential for change when strategically applied to agricultural production. Immediate benefits include food security, crop diversification, rural employment generation, reduced pressure on saline aquifers, and lower dependence on chemical inputs thanks to the natural mineral content of the water.
Beyond initial impacts, in the short term the project improves water efficiency and provides fresh food for the local market; in the medium term, it consolidates a model of agricultural diversification with perennial cashew crops that provide economic resilience; and in the long term, it transforms perceptions of productive viability in the semi-arid, showing that even with moderate flows it is possible to build sustainable food security. The region’s current problem, structural water scarcity, overexploitation of saline wells, low productivity, and climate vulnerability, is aggravated by structural factors such as lack of infrastructure, limited investment in efficient technologies, and the absence of regulatory frameworks guaranteeing equitable use. SweetSea 2 addresses these gaps with technological innovation, digital traceability, and public-private articulation.
The project is made possible by the articulation of a local agricultural operator, irrigation and fertigation technology providers, strategic financing partners, and external verification entities ensuring traceability under VWBA 2.0. Its replicability is based on the fact that any semi-arid region with access to moderate flows can reproduce this model and generate resilience. Acting now is key, as climate change intensifies drought and increases community vulnerability. Companies with ESG commitments in the food, retail, or energy sectors can lead this solution and gain visibility, competitive differentiation, and alignment with emerging regulations, consolidating themselves as central actors in the transition to regenerative and Water Positive agriculture.
The technical implementation is structured around drip irrigation and precision fertigation, applied in two fronts: a vegetable garden with short-cycle, high-rotation crops (lettuce, arugula, cilantro, carrot, beetroot, cherry tomato, and bell pepper), and a perennial cashew orchard under an 8 x 8 m framework with 156 plants/ha. Alternatives such as sprinkler irrigation or treated saline water use were evaluated but discarded due to lower efficiency and higher salinization risk; drip irrigation with mineralized water ensures application efficiency greater than 90%. The operational capacity corresponds to 13.8 m³/day, sufficient for 2,500–4,500 m² of garden and 3–4 ha of cashew, directly benefiting rural communities with fresh food and economic resilience. The solution is hybrid, combining gray infrastructure (irrigation systems, tanks) with digital traceability and adaptive management.
Quantifiable benefits include recovery of productive flow (13.8 m³/day applied with efficiency above 90%), reduced chemical use due to the water’s mineral contribution, and over 50% improvement in agricultural productivity compared to the current subsistence system. Additionally, reduced emissions from synthetic fertilizers, increased food security, and stable rural employment are expected.
Identified risks include insufficient flow, infrastructure failures, climate variability, social acceptance, and possible saline intrusion. To mitigate these, redundant storage systems, contingency plans, shared governance with local actors, and preventive and predictive maintenance protocols are implemented. Long-term climate resilience is ensured through diversification of sources (new wells), VWBA 2.0 traceability, and hydrological monitoring. Overall, the solution not only addresses a critical technical and environmental problem in the basin but also fully integrates into the Water Positive strategy by complying with the principles of additionality, traceability, and intentionality, offering a scalable and replicable model in other semi-arid regions of the Northeast and worldwide.
The project is implemented under a phased and adaptive scheme, combining technical and social stages to ensure an orderly transition from baseline to continuous operation. The process begins with Phase 1 – Diagnosis and preparation, where baseline data on water availability and quality, soil conditions, and local needs are collected. At this stage, storage tanks are installed, the warehouse is prepared for equipment, and governance agreements are defined with participating actors. The estimated duration of this phase is three months.
Phase 2 – Design and installation includes selection and assembly of the drip irrigation and fertigation system, with a nominal capacity of 13.8 m³/day. Flow meters, pressure sensors, IoT water quality probes, and a SCADA platform for remote control are included. This solution was chosen over alternatives such as sprinkler systems or treated saline water for its higher efficiency (over 90%) and lower salinization risk. This process extends over four months.
Phase 3 – Start-up and validation corresponds to the initial operation of 3,000–4,000 m² of short-cycle garden and 3–4 ha of cashew, with online monitoring of flows, productivity, and soil quality. External validation protocols are applied under VWBA 2.0 methodology. This phase lasts six months, ensuring technical adjustments and social acceptance.
Phase 4 – Continuous operation and scaling foresees drilling additional wells, expanding irrigated area, and consolidating digital traceability. A preventive and corrective maintenance plan is established, with periodic filter cleaning, emitter inspections, and contingency protocols for critical failures (saline intrusion, supply shortages). Performance reports are generated monthly and annually, with external audits verifying results.
KPIs include volume applied (m³/day), irrigated area (ha), productivity (kg/ha), water use efficiency (%), fertilizer reduction (%), and income generated (USD/ha/year). The baseline considers the prior subsistence situation with saline wells and low productivity, against which project scenarios are compared.
Physical traceability is ensured through georeferencing of each plot and flow telemetry, while digital traceability is managed through an IoT platform with automatic alarms and reports in case of deviations. Governance involves the technical operator, community beneficiaries, external verifiers, and regulatory authorities, with differentiated roles in operation, maintenance, and validation.
The monitoring and continuous improvement system includes VWBA/WQBA reporting, technical data feedback, process updates, and potential incorporation of new technologies. In this way, long-term benefits are secured and comparability between with- and without-project scenarios is guaranteed.
SweetSea is conceived as an innovative agricultural intervention that transforms a limited water resource into an integral solution for food security and climate resilience. The main intervention is the implementation of precision fertigation and drip irrigation in two fronts: a high-rotation garden with fresh and nutritious vegetables, and the establishment of cashew as a perennial, drought-resistant crop. The system operates through a phased process that includes capturing 13.8 m³/day of mineralized water, distribution via tanks and drip networks with IoT sensors, and continuous monitoring under a SCADA platform. This hybrid solution (gray and digital infrastructure) complies with international standards such as WHO guidelines for water quality, ISO 14046 water footprint, and Brazilian agricultural irrigation regulations.
The relevance of this solution lies in addressing a structural problem: overexploitation of saline aquifers and low agricultural productivity in the semi-arid. Compared to the baseline situation of reliance on poor-quality wells and subsistence crops, the project introduces water use efficiency above 90%, higher productivity, and income diversification. It is suitable because it adapts to extreme climatic and socially vulnerable contexts, proving that it is possible to farm profitably and sustainably under water stress conditions.
Concrete expected results include efficient application of 5,000 m³/year of water for gardens and 10,000–12,000 m³/year for cashew, improved water quality by reducing the need for chemical fertilizers, and additional benefits such as lower emissions from synthetic inputs, increased agricultural biodiversity, local food security, and job creation. Strategically, it contributes to the Water Positive roadmap by demonstrating additionality, traceability, and intentionality in each cubic meter, and provides tangible ESG benefits: social license to operate, enhanced reputation, and compliance with global commitments such as SBTi, NPWI, SDGs, and ESRS E3.
Its replicability is assured in other semi-arid basins in Brazil, Latin America, and Africa, provided that technical conditions of moderate flow, community acceptance, and institutional support exist. Public-private partnerships with agricultural operators, local governments, and companies with sustainability goals facilitate its expansion and scaling. The final expected impact is a clear contribution to the basin’s water balance through efficiency and reduced pressure on aquifers, community strengthening through employment and food access, and a powerful message to investors and society: the transition to a regenerative economy is built with concrete, measurable, and replicable solutions like SweetSea.
