Mexico

The InterAmerican Development Bank´s Sustainable Infrastructure Framework aims to help foster shared understanding of the key dimensions and attributes of sustainable infrastructure. The IDB Framework was adapted to Mexico after a thorough analysis of Mexico’s national development strategy and infrastructure investment priorities, in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

In Guanajuato, Mexico agriculture accounts for about 84% of water rights. Significant growth in agricultural production and use of groundwater wells have led to a 2 metre annual decrease in groundwater levels. Improving agricultural irrigation practices has the potential to address agricultural water inefficiencies for water-stressed regions like Guanajuato. MWS is a collaborative approach to improve economic outcomes for farmers, create resilient supply chains, and increase water efficiency by using ‘pay for performance’ to accelerate sustainable agriculture practices in water-stressed regions.

Due to decreasing aquifer water level (280 million m3 per year), Veolia Water Technologies (Veolia) partnered with The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and local municipality to propose the establishment of a water fund to finance changes to local water-catchment and uses. As a result, Livelihoods Funds created a project to support vulnerable farmers in Aguascalientes to invest in drip irrigation equipment to enhance farm resilience. Changing to a drip irrigation system showed a 50% - 70% decrease in water consumption by farmers. If the 5,000 local family farmers in the water catchment area adopted this system through the new fund, this results in approximately 65% reduction of the annual aquifer deficit.