Water: The New Gold Rush (and How to Avoid Running Dry)

As the world gathers at the 3rd Inter-American Congress on Water, Soil, and Agrobiodiversity (CIASA) 2024 in Mexico City, the urgency of a new approach to water consumption and supply has never been clearer. Experts, researchers, and policymakers alike are calling for a transformative shift in how societies manage their most essential resources: water, soil, and agrobiodiversity.

In a world racing toward a projected population of 9.9 billion by 2050, the question is not just how to increase water supply but how to fundamentally rethink our consumption models. This paradigm shift is essential to ensure the availability of water and food in the face of climate change, environmental degradation, and an ever-increasing demand for resources.

Víctor Villalobos Arámbula, Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development, set the tone at CIASA 2024 with a powerful message: “The problem of the sufficiency and availability of drinking water for the present and future of societies does not lie in guaranteeing the supply of the liquid, but in changing the model of consumption and supply.” This perspective reflects a growing consensus among specialists that traditional approaches to water management are insufficient in the face of today's challenges.

The congress brings together over 1,000 participants from 20 countries, including producers, researchers, and government officials, to foster dialogue and action on sustainable resource management. As Villalobos noted, 95% of the world's food is produced on arable land, underscoring the critical need for agriculture to evolve into more sustainable and resilient systems.

The focus of CIASA 2024 extends beyond water; it encompasses the intricate relationship between soil, water, and living organisms—a triad that forms the foundation of agri-food systems worldwide. These systems are increasingly under threat from climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity, and the loss of agrobiodiversity.

Luis Ángel Rodríguez del Bosque, head of the National Institute of Forestry, Agriculture, and Livestock Research (INIFAP), emphasized the importance of a holistic approach. “We seek to contribute to the well-being of the population through the dissemination of scientific and technological knowledge and its interrelation with water, soil, and agrobiodiversity resources,” he explained.

This integrated approach aims to develop more resilient agricultural practices that can adapt to environmental changes while preserving biodiversity—a critical buffer against pest outbreaks and diseases.

A Confluence of Knowledge

CIASA is not just a platform for academic exchange; it is a dynamic space where science, technology, and traditional knowledge intersect. The event showcases 143 scientific works, presenting cutting-edge research alongside traditional practices that have sustained agricultural communities for centuries. This blend of old and new offers a promising path forward, as communities can adapt modern innovations to local contexts.

The congress serves as a meeting point for a diverse array of stakeholders, including producers, industrialists, entrepreneurs, technicians, researchers, professors, students, and government officials. This broad representation is essential for fostering cross-sector collaboration and ensuring that solutions are practical, scalable, and inclusive.

While increasing water supply through technological means—such as desalination, improved irrigation, or enhanced rainwater harvesting—remains important, it is the consumption side of the equation that requires immediate attention. This shift involves rethinking how water is used, not just in agriculture but across all sectors of society.

Specialists advocate for water-efficient agricultural practices, such as precision farming, crop rotation, and soil moisture management. These methods help optimize water use, reduce waste, and improve crop yields. Additionally, the preservation of agrobiodiversity—by growing a diverse range of crops—can enhance ecosystem resilience, making agricultural systems less vulnerable to climate-induced stresses.

Moreover, the conversation is expanding to include urban water management, industrial water use, and the role of individual consumption patterns. The recognition that every drop counts is not just a slogan; it’s a principle that must guide policy, industry practices, and everyday behavior.

The Future of Water

CIASA 2024 underscores the need for a collaborative approach to water and soil management. No single country, institution, or technology can solve these complex challenges alone. Instead, the congress highlights the importance of international cooperation, shared knowledge, and collective action.

The exchange of ideas among the 20 participating countries reveals a tapestry of strategies that are being tested and implemented worldwide. From water-smart agriculture in arid regions to the restoration of degraded soils in tropical zones, the stories shared at CIASA are a testament to human ingenuity and resilience.

The road ahead requires embracing both technological advances and sustainable practices rooted in local knowledge. For instance, the integration of data analytics and remote sensing in water management allows for real-time monitoring of water use, helping farmers make informed decisions. Simultaneously, traditional irrigation techniques, like those practiced by indigenous communities, offer valuable lessons in water conservation and land stewardship.

The CIASA congress is a call to action for all sectors of society. As the world approaches the 2050 milestone, the need for sustainable and resilient agriculture has never been more urgent. The shift in water consumption models is not merely about adapting to scarcity; it’s about reimagining our relationship with one of Earth’s most precious resources.

A New Normal for Water Security

Rosario Sánchez Flores, a researcher at the Water Resources Institute of Texas A&M University, set the stage on the first day of CIASA 2024 with her keynote lecture, “Water Security in the New Normal.” She highlighted a staggering reality: while the global population has been steadily growing, the demand for drinking water has more than doubled the population growth rate since the start of the century. This explosive demand has resulted in one-fifth of the world’s population living in areas with severe water shortages, one-quarter experiencing supply cuts, and a shocking 2.2 billion people lacking access to safe drinking water altogether.

“The water crisis we face today is not due to a lack of water,” Sánchez Flores emphasized. “It is a crisis of poor management, unsustainable consumption habits, and outdated governance models that prioritize productivity over sustainability.” The problem, she argued, lies not beneath our feet but in our hands: urban sprawl, inefficient water use, and flawed policies have conspired to turn abundance into scarcity.

Sánchez Flores’s analysis of the water crisis dismantles common misconceptions. The planet has plenty of water, but it is increasingly locked up in mismanagement and misuse. As cities expand haphazardly, green spaces shrink, and permeable surfaces disappear, preventing rainwater from replenishing aquifers. Industrial and agricultural activities continue to guzzle and pollute water at unsustainable rates, while governance models cling to outdated frameworks that fail to prioritize conservation.

The keynote set the tone for a congress dedicated to exploring innovative approaches to water management in a rapidly changing world. CIASA 2024 aims to reimagine how we interact with water—not just by plugging leaks or boosting supply but by overhauling the entire system from the ground up.

CIASA’s Program Highlights

The congress spans three days of thought-provoking seminars, conversations, and lectures designed to inspire actionable change. The agenda reflects a multidisciplinary approach, with sessions focusing on cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and practical success stories from the field. Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:

Seminars: AI Meets Agrobiodiversity and Water Management

Two seminars anchor the event, both tackling critical aspects of sustainability. The first explores actionable steps that can be implemented today to protect water, soil, and agrobiodiversity resources. This session aims to generate practical solutions, emphasizing the need to balance productivity with long-term resource health.

The second seminar ventures into the realm of AI, examining how emerging technologies can revolutionize water management and resource allocation. From predictive analytics that help optimize irrigation to machine learning models that monitor soil health in real-time, AI promises to transform our approach to resource management. The session will provide a glimpse into the not-so-distant future where algorithms and data-driven decisions can alleviate some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture and beyond.

Conversations: From the Field to the Policy Table

CIASA 2024 also features three pivotal conversations, each with a unique focus:

1. Success Stories from Producers: A panel of producers will share real-world success stories, highlighting innovations that have improved water efficiency, soil health, and biodiversity. These stories serve as proof that change is not just possible but already underway. One can expect to hear about novel irrigation techniques, regenerative farming practices, and collaborative efforts that bridge the gap between traditional knowledge and modern technology.
2. The Agribusiness Vision: This conversation will explore the intersection of agribusiness and resource management, addressing the often conflicting interests of economic growth and environmental stewardship. It’s a space for industry leaders to discuss the role of agribusiness in driving sustainable practices and the economic implications of shifting toward more eco-friendly models.
3. Governance Actions from Brazil, Chile, and Mexico: Officials from these countries will present governance actions and policies aimed at improving the management of natural resources. This session promises a deep dive into regional strategies, highlighting how different governance models can address—or exacerbate—water scarcity, soil degradation, and biodiversity loss.

Keynote Lectures: Unpacking the New Normal

The congress features several keynote lectures from leading experts, each focusing on a critical aspect of the new normal:

• Water Security in the New Normal: Sánchez Flores’s lecture sets the stage, detailing how urban development and consumption habits are reshaping the water landscape.
• Agrobiodiversity and Its Multiple Facets: This talk will explore the importance of maintaining diverse agricultural systems as a buffer against climate change, pests, and diseases. The speaker will delve into how agrobiodiversity acts as an insurance policy for food security, providing a resilient framework in an unpredictable world.
• Carbon Sequestration and Management of Agrosilvopastoral Soils: A deep dive into how integrated farming systems that combine agriculture, forestry, and livestock can play a pivotal role in sequestering carbon and mitigating climate change. This approach not only improves soil health but also boosts biodiversity, making it a triple win for the environment, farmers, and society.

The Irony of Progress

As CIASA 2024 unfolds, one can’t help but sense an irony lurking beneath the surface: the very innovations and progress that have propelled humanity forward are now forcing us to rethink everything. Urban sprawl, technological advances, and the relentless drive for increased productivity have created a new landscape—one where the abundance of water is overshadowed by our inability to manage it wisely.

We’ve paved over our natural water systems, treating the environment as a machine to be optimized rather than a complex web of interdependencies. Now, faced with the consequences, the same ingenuity that caused the problem is being harnessed to solve it. It’s a quirky twist of fate that the water crisis is, at its core, a crisis of human behavior—one that requires not just technological solutions but a profound cultural shift.

CIASA 2024 is a call to action. As Rosario Sánchez Flores and other experts have made clear, the path to water security lies not in simply finding more water but in fundamentally rethinking our approach to this precious resource. The answer is a blend of technology, traditional wisdom, and bold governance that prioritizes sustainability over short-term gains.

In the end, water security in the new normal demands that we ask ourselves not just how much water we have, but how wisely we use it. The future of our planet’s most vital resource—and by extension, our own survival—depends on our willingness to embrace a new ethic of water stewardship. As the congress attendees return home, the challenge will be to turn the insights and ideas shared at CIASA into tangible actions that ensure water flows not just for us, but for generations to come.

Source: Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural. “Cambiar el modelo de consumo y abasto de agua para garantizar disponibilidad, demandan especialistas.” gob.mx, http://www.gob.mx/agricultura/prensa/cambiar-el-modelo-de-consumo-y-abasto-de-agua-para-garantizar-disponibilidad-demandan-especialistas?idiom=es. Accessed 4 Sept. 2024.