AI vs. Drought: What's Stalling Agriculture’s Tech Transition?

In over 10,000 years of agricultural history, we now have more data than ever for decision-making, coupled with technological advancements that provide tools to precisely quantify any resource used in the field. Implementing AI in crops opens a range of opportunities to optimize every input, especially one of the most limited resources: water. So, if the tools are out there, what is causing us to lose the battle against droughts in a country where around 76% of total water consumption is allocated to the agricultural sector, and more than half of the national territory is not sustainable regarding water resources?

Globally, agriculture accounts for more than 70% of water use, and in Mexico, it's 67.8%. Before the revolution brought by the integration of AI and big data into all sectors, one of the main challenges in agriculture was the real-time collection of data for assertive decision-making to optimize all inputs and processes used. Now, we have an abundance of options to achieve this goal. However, the technological offerings fall short because the initial cost, technical inexperience, and installation requirements of these technologies are still issues to be resolved in the reality of the fields. Systematic transition poses a challenge, especially for small farmers, who make up more than 80% of the world's supply.

According to data from the World Resources Institute, Mexico ranks 26th out of 164 countries projected to experience the highest water stress by 2050. A large part of the water crisis we face is due to the waste that exists in its distribution rather than the supply capacity. With the application of the right technology, we can identify where and how to prevent this waste in any area. This is highly relevant since approximately 60% of the water allocated to crops is wasted.

Data from CONAGUA reveals significant disparities in water usage distribution across Mexico, with varying percentages assigned to different types of usage. Sinaloa is the foremost consumer, accounting for 10.6% of the national total, with 93% dedicated exclusively to agricultural purposes. Additionally, six other states collectively contribute to nearly half of the water consumption: Sonora (8.0%), Veracruz (6.7%), Michoacan (6.3%), Chihuahua (6.0%), Jalisco (5.6%), and Guerrero (5.0%). In contrast, Mexico City, Baja California Sur, and Tlaxcala present the lowest rates of water consumption nationally, registering at 0.7%, 0.5%, and 0.3%, respectively. A unique trend is observed in Guerrero, where water usage predominantly serves the operation of thermoelectric plants, constituting 69.2% of the state's water consumption and 3.5% of the national total.

The water stress our country is experiencing requires drastic and rapid measures. However, most Mexican fields lack one of the most essential requirements for the functioning of cutting-edge technologies: internet access. Despite the technological offerings on the table, it seems easy to forget that one of the sectors most urgently needing a successful technological transition is one that has been stagnant for a long time. Beyond internet access, many small farmers' fields, which make up around 80% of agriculture and where 4 out of 10 farmers are over 60 years old, face complications with electricity supply.

The complexity of solutions and the acceptability of using technologies for land managers could pose a challenge where, for the most part, their training has been empirical. On the other hand, production and labor costs have also been rising, especially in the last two years when supply logistics faced international disruptions. We are decades behind in the innovation debt we owe to the agricultural sector. This is where the most water resources are used nationally; wasting more than half, technological innovation should be a priority in all decision-making forums. We are facing an interdisciplinary issue for the creation of effective policies, research and development programs, education and training initiatives, and investment projects that promote sustainability in agriculture.

Between 720 and 811 million individuals are estimated to have experienced food insecurity. The agricultural sector is encountering significant challenges, including issues with surveillance and monitoring systems related to climate, energy, water, fields, labor, costs, fertilizers, and diseases. When discussing the implementation of big dData and artificial intelligence in Mexican agriculture, we must consider that many of our fields do not have the most basic services, such as drainage systems and electricity supply. Therefore, to be able to optimize resources fully, we must consider everything from the most basic to the most complex and cutting-edge systems. 

The implementation of artificial intelligence and big data is urgently needed in Mexican fields to optimize water resources, which currently suffer significant losses. However, the modernization debt we owe to the rural sector will require substantial financing channels to become a reality. The widespread implementation and utilization of intelligent agricultural technologies in developing nations face several significant barriers. These include insufficient funding for initial investments, limited awareness of contemporary agricultural technologies and methodologies, constrained technical capacities, and restricted access to information outlets on agricultural technologies. Additionally, cultural influences, biases, and entrenched traditional farming practices contribute to resistance toward adopting intelligent agricultural technologies.