Around the world, food systems are under pressure as climate change intensifies droughts and water scarcity becomes the new normal. In northern Mexico, this reality is especially stark: aquifer overexploitation and declining river flows have turned the region into a symbol of water stress. Inefficient irrigation wastes millions of cubic meters each year, while farmers struggle with stagnant yields and rising costs. Wheat, a cornerstone of Mexico’s food security, stands at the center of this challenge. Without immediate action, both agricultural viability and the stability of national food supplies are at risk.
The Wheat Project Modernization: Growing More with Less Water emerges as a visionary and concrete response to this global challenge. Its strategic objective is to transform 5,000 hectares of wheat currently irrigated by furrows, barely 50% efficient, into a system based on central pivot pressurized irrigation, reaching 75% efficiency. This shift will generate annual savings of 15 million m³ of water, enough to supply more than 200,000 people for a year. But the benefits go beyond water: productivity will increase from 6 to 8 tons per hectare, a 33% yield boost that will raise total annual production from 30,000 to 40,000 tons. This transformation not only guarantees more food with less water but also significantly reduces the water footprint of Mexican wheat and strengthens the resilience of the entire value chain.
The project takes place in some of Mexico’s most pressured basins , Yaqui, Conchos, Fuerte, and Colorado, where agricultural, urban, and industrial demand demands bold, visionary solutions. Its raison d’être is grounded in the urgent need to reduce aquifer overexploitation, combat soil salinization, and ensure sustainable production in key regions for the country. The initiative brings together associated growers, irrigation technology providers, basin authorities, and external verifiers to ensure full physical and digital traceability of the benefits.
Aligned with the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA 2.0) methodology, the project fulfills the principles of additionality —since savings would not occur without this modernization—, traceability —through flow measurements and digital performance indicators, and intentionality , with the explicit purpose of reducing pressure on critical basins and improving agricultural efficiency. This approach connects directly with the global Water Positive strategy, positioning the initiative as a benchmark for water sustainability and regenerative agriculture.
What this project changes is the paradigm of wheat production itself: from a resource-intensive and depleting model to one that is efficient, resilient, and aligned with the SDGs. The message is clear: in a world where every drop counts, this project transforms the threat of scarcity into an opportunity for leadership, competitiveness, and food security for Mexico.
The technical and strategic opportunity arises in a context where inefficient furrow irrigation is no longer sustainable. Today, more than 45 million m³ of water are applied annually on these 5,000 hectares to produce only 6 tons per hectare. Pressure on aquifers, evaporation losses, and growing competition for water with cities and industries have made this model unviable. Modernization through central pivot systems radically transforms this scenario: reducing applied water by 33% and increasing productivity by the same proportion. This dual benefit, water efficiency and increased yields, makes the project a flagship case of climate resilience and food security.
In the short term, the benefits are immediate: 15 million m³ of water saved per year, lower pumping costs, and a substantial increase in wheat production. In the medium term, the impact is reflected in restored farmer profitability, reduced pressure on critical basins, and improved soil quality by reducing salinization risks. In the long term, the project strengthens Mexico’s food security, stabilizes the supply of raw materials for milling, and sets a precedent of innovation replicable in other strategic crops.
Multiple stakeholders play a role: growers as direct implementers; irrigation technology providers supplying state-of-the-art solutions; CONAGUA and local water user associations as guarantors of basin governance; and external verifiers ensuring results are rigorously measured and reported. This ecosystem enables the model to be replicated in other agricultural basins across Mexico and Latin America, where irrigation modernization is the only viable path to sustain production without collapsing water resources.
The time to act is now. Companies with ESG commitments, decarbonization goals, and sustainable sourcing objectives will find in this project a platform to achieve their targets, enhance their reputation, and differentiate competitively. The narrative is powerful: leading the transition to water-efficient agriculture is not just an operational advantage, it is an opportunity to become a protagonist of the transformation the world needs.
The core solution is migrating from furrow irrigation to automated central pivot systems, complemented by soil moisture sensors and weather stations to optimize irrigation scheduling. This technology was chosen after evaluating alternatives such as surface drip irrigation, which, although efficient, is less viable for large areas due to costs and maintenance. The installed capacity will cover 5,000 hectares, with an expected 75% efficiency rate.
The technical justification is solid: this transition addresses the over-application of water (45 million m³ annually), reduces aquifer stress, and limits soil salinization, ensuring agricultural sustainability. Strategically, it strengthens the supply chain and demonstrates leadership in the Water Positive strategy.
The benefits are quantifiable: 15 million m³ saved annually, 10,000 additional tons of wheat, lower energy use for pumping, and reduced agrochemical runoff into water bodies. Socially, the project reinforces food security and rural community stability. Economically, it boosts profitability and opens access to sustainability certifications and green financing.
Operational risks include pivot failures or energy supply variations, mitigated through redundant systems, predictive maintenance, and supplier agreements. Environmental risks focus on climate variability and extreme droughts, addressed with contingency plans, shared governance with user associations, and permanent monitoring. The project secures long-term resilience through a combination of efficient infrastructure, adaptive management, and preventive protocols against critical failures.
Replicability is broad: it can be scaled to other high-water-demand crops (corn, cotton, alfalfa) and across agricultural regions of Mexico and Latin America. Technical and regulatory conditions favoring it include water stress, irrigation modernization incentives, and regulatory frameworks prioritizing efficiency. Strategic allies such as water authorities, technology providers, and anchor buyers facilitate expansion, consolidating a competitive and transformative model for the agriculture of the future.
The project will be implemented under a phased approach between 2025 and 2028, modernizing 1,250 hectares annually until all 5,000 are covered. This strategy allows for progressive learning, intermediate result validation, and technical adjustments before full expansion. The initial phase includes baseline assessment, measuring current efficiency, water consumption, and yields, followed by detailed design and installation of central pivots and monitoring systems. Once installed, commissioning and a technical validation period will precede continuous operation.
Core technologies include automated high-efficiency pivots, IoT soil moisture sensors, and local weather stations. The solution was selected for its ability to cover large areas at lower maintenance costs compared to alternatives like drip irrigation. The system integrates flow meters, automated valves, quality probes, and SCADA-based digital connectivity for real-time reporting. The nominal capacity is 45 million m³ applied water, with projected 75% efficiency, delivering the expected 15 million m³ annual savings.
The baseline considers current use of 45 million m³ of water for 5,000 hectares yielding 6 tons/ha. Key indicators include water applied per hectare, grain yield per hectare, application efficiency (%), and energy consumption per ton produced. These data will be continuously measured using IoT sensors, external audits, and laboratory analyses, with quarterly reports and annual independent validation.
Traceability is ensured through georeferencing of each pivot, digital reporting on a centralized platform, and external validation under VWBA methodology. The system issues alerts in case of pressure, flow, or water quality deviations, enabling immediate response. Governance involves growers as field operators, technology providers for maintenance, and external verifiers for validation.
The maintenance plan includes quarterly preventive inspections, predictive replacement of critical parts, and contingency protocols in case of electrical or hydraulic failures. Continuous improvement relies on data feedback, irrigation scheduling adjustments, and periodic technological upgrades. This ensures that benefits, water savings, higher productivity, and reduced basin stress, are sustained over time and transparently auditable.
The project involves the comprehensive modernization of 5,000 hectares of wheat through the replacement of furrow irrigation systems with automated central pivots, complemented by IoT soil moisture sensors and weather stations. Technically, the process covers baseline assessment, design, installation, commissioning, and continuous operation with digital traceability. The intervention complies with international standards of water efficiency, agricultural water quality, and the VWBA 2.0 methodology.
Its relevance lies in directly addressing aquifer overexploitation and water inefficiency in a region critical to Mexico’s food security. Compared to the baseline of 45 million m³ applied at 50% efficiency, the project introduces a structural change that saves 15 million m³ annually and increases wheat production by 10,000 tons. This contrast highlights the scale of the environmental, social, and economic benefits.
Concrete results are clear: 15 million m³ saved annually, 10,000 additional tons of wheat produced, lower energy consumption for pumping, reduced agrochemical runoff, and soils more resilient to salinization. Strategically, the project strengthens the Water Positive roadmap, improves ESG positioning, and reinforces social license to operate in highly stressed basins.
From a market perspective, modernization not only ensures a stable raw material supply but also opens access to green financing, sustainability certifications, and differentiated reputation with clients and investors. Replicability potential is high: this model can be applied to other high-water-use crops in Mexico and Latin America, scaling its impact regionally.
The final expected impact is multiple: tangible contribution to the water balance of critical basins, enhanced resilience to climate change, economic stability for farmers, and reinforced national food security. The message is compelling: growers not only produce wheat, they regenerate water, protect ecosystems, and lead the transition toward agriculture aligned with planetary boundaries.
