Introduction
I recently had the opportunity to participate in the International Agricultural Congress (CIA2025) held in Guadalajara, Jalisco. The event brought together students, farmers, academics, agribusiness entrepreneurs, and public sector representatives from various states across Mexico. I was part of a panel discussion titled “Corn and Water: Will They Be Enough?” alongside my friend Francisco Mayorga, a title that immediately sparked debate.
The Water and Corn Conundrum
There is clear evidence that the availability of both corn and water is insufficient in current times, and this situation is expected to persist due to factors like climate uncertainty. This reality underscores the urgent need to reduce the high environmental cost of food production as population growth increases demand for food, while natural resources required for production are finite—primarily water, agricultural soils, and agrobiodiversity.
The total amount of water on Earth remains constant, but the growing global population increases demand for this vital resource in agriculture, urban areas, and industry, including energy generation. Mexico, along with Australia, Arab countries, Peru, and Italy, is among the nations projected to face the highest water stress levels by 2050. In Mexico, per capita water availability has decreased from 10,000 cubic meters in 1960 to 4,000 in 2014 and is expected to fall below 2,000 by 2030, coinciding with a population of 130 million. In 2020, INEGI reported that one-third of Mexican households lacked access to potable water due to the rapid growth in water demand outpacing population growth.
Globally, water use is primarily directed towards agriculture, urban areas, and industry. Agriculture accounts for 75% of freshwater use worldwide, including Mexico. However, in Mexican agriculture, 40% of water for irrigation is wasted due to insufficient investments in technology, evaporation, and poor agricultural practices. Moreover, Mexico ranks fourth globally in groundwater extraction.
Water Footprint and Agricultural Efficiency
The water footprint (HH) is a multidimensional indicator of freshwater use applied to national agro-productivity. Here are some data points: producing 1 kg of beef requires 24,415 liters (l) of water; 1 kg of cucumber needs 2,495 l; 1 kg of cheese requires 3,178 l; 1 kg of tomato needs 214 l, and 1 kg of corn requires 1,222 l of water. The question remains: can we produce more food with less water? The answer is yes, but only if we implement appropriate irrigation technology and proper soil management.
It is crucial to raise awareness among farmers that productivity can be maintained or even increased by adopting good agricultural practices and measuring productivity not just in terms of tons per hectare but also water consumption. Water footprint measurement practices conducted by SADER in Michoacán fields during the previous administration demonstrated that water can be saved without reducing yields.
Mexico’s Irrigated Agricultural Land
Mexico’s agricultural frontier is 22 million hectares, with 6.6 million hectares being irrigated (30%). However, 75% of this irrigated land uses the inefficient “surface gravity flow” method, which results in 40% water loss due to evaporation and infiltration.
Irrigated land produces 45% of Mexico’s food. If there is insufficient water availability in reservoirs or groundwater—for example, due to prolonged droughts—the availability of food in this 45% percentage is at risk.
Of the 6.6 million irrigated hectares, 1.6 million are highly technological, employing drip irrigation, micro-irrigation, and micro-sprinklers. Recognizing the limited technological area, the government plans to add 200,000 hectares of such infrastructure by the end of its term, freeing up 2,800 billion cubic meters of water that can be redirected to other needs, such as urban centers.
Non-Irrigated Agricultural Land
In non-irrigated agricultural land (dry farming), water availability and subsequent crop yields depend mainly on rainfall. This situation disproportionately affects poorer producers.
Mexico’s Corn Production: A Barometer of Productivity
Mexico’s corn production serves as an indicator of various productive capacities. On average, Mexicans consume 46.4 million tons of corn annually, produce 23.1 million tons, and import 23.6 million tons—mainly from the United States—to meet demand. By importing such large volumes of grain, we implicitly acquire hundreds of billions of liters of water, a significant figure given the circumstances.
Addressing Water Scarcity
While rectifying insufficient water availability due to prolonged droughts is challenging, we can change how we manage water resources by implementing good agricultural practices, increasing technological irrigation, raising producer awareness about water conservation, preserving forest cover, and promoting carbon sequestration through proper soil management.
Key Questions and Answers
- What are the main water-related challenges facing Mexican agriculture? Insufficient water availability and climate uncertainty pose significant challenges. Additionally, poor agricultural practices lead to substantial water waste.
- How does Mexico’s water situation compare to other countries? Mexico, along with Australia, Arab countries, Peru, and Italy, is projected to face the highest water stress levels by 2050.
- What is the water footprint, and why is it important for agriculture? The water footprint (HH) measures freshwater use in agro-productivity. It helps identify opportunities for water conservation and efficient resource management.
- What percentage of Mexico’s agricultural land is irrigated, and how efficient is its use? 30% of Mexico’s agricultural land is irrigated, but 75% employs inefficient surface gravity flow methods, resulting in 40% water loss.
- How can we improve water use efficiency in Mexican agriculture? Implementing appropriate irrigation technology, promoting good agricultural practices, and raising producer awareness about water conservation can significantly improve efficiency.
