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“The voice of our communities”

Getting to Know the Community: The First Step to a Successful Water Project.

Carolina Pittella – Project Manager at Agua Segura

When it comes to water projects in rural areas, the challenge isn’t so much about the “what” but the “how.” In my experience, understanding the community and the local water resources is the first and most critical step to developing an effective action plan. Listening to people, learning about their customs and needs allows us to create realistic, sustainable projects that truly make a difference in their lives.

I always start by involving local teams as key partners in the process. They are the first to point out the limitations and challenges we’ll need to tackle. Although it can seem overwhelming at first, this is when the right questions emerge, and the true scope of the project begins to take shape. These teams have an unmatched understanding of the local climate, the best times to work, the local suppliers, and the logistics—like road conditions and costs—that can make or break a project. Paying attention to these factors can significantly improve the project’s success and optimize resources.

Along with local teams, foundations that have been working in the area for years are invaluable partners. Not only do they understand the community’s specific needs, but they also help facilitate initial contacts and adjust the project’s scope when necessary. Building strong relationships with these foundations opens doors to faster and more efficient solutions. Entering a community with a trusted local partner by your side makes it easier to navigate future challenges.

Another crucial element in planning is choosing the right communication channel for each team. Not everyone communicates or processes information the same way. Figuring out whether a call, video call, message, or email is the best option helps keep the workflow efficient and effective. It’s also important to adjust communication frequency based on everyone’s availability, and when needed, to make in-person visits to strengthen relationships and ensure the project stays on track.

Ultimately, a project in a rural community will only succeed if we truly understand the local context and build strong partnerships with those who know the area best. In this way, teamwork becomes the key to bringing safe water to those who need it most.

How to Improve Irrigation Efficiency in Collaboration with Farmers

Esther Camacho Guerrero – Director of the Regenera Bajío Program, Nuup.

In Mexico, as in many other countries, the agricultural sector is one of the largest water consumers, accounting for 67.52% of total water use. This makes sustainable water management essential to ensure food security and preserve the country’s water resources.

Currently, small-scale agriculture, which covers almost 72% of the territory, predominantly relies on gravity irrigation systems (also known as furrow or flood irrigation), which have low efficiency rates, ranging between 20% and 40%. Through our fieldwork with farmers, we’ve demonstrated that it is possible to increase these efficiencies up to 80%, with an effective cost-benefit ratio.

The optimization of irrigation in agriculture largely depends on the human factor, which is key to achieving significant and sustainable long-term water savings. Collaboration between technical knowledge and the farmer’s experience is crucial: while scientific tools and methods provide technical solutions, their effective implementation depends on the farmer’s commitment and ability to adapt these solutions to local conditions.

Aware of the unique characteristics of Mexican farmlands, we have developed an intervention framework focused on improving irrigation efficiencies by providing personalized technical advice to each farmer. This individualized approach allows us to deeply understand the initial conditions, such as the specific characteristics of the land, the available irrigation infrastructure, and the specific needs of the crops. In this way, we can propose tailored improvements that not only increase irrigation efficiency and reduce water consumption, especially groundwater, but also prevent pests and diseases and improve crop yields.

The methodology starts by thoroughly understanding the farmers’ usual irrigation practices: how, how much, and when do they irrigate? Why do they do it that way? This analysis, along with field measurements, allows us to offer customized recommendations that optimize irrigation within their plots.

After more than two years of close work with farmers, we’ve noticed that many still follow habits passed down through generations, which are not always the most appropriate for sustainable resource management. Changing these habits is not easy, which is why establishing trust from the outset is essential. We encourage active farmer participation throughout the process, considering their input on proposed improvements, assisting them with implementation, and supporting them in recording field data. Moreover, we seek complementary resources to improve irrigation infrastructure and offer comprehensive advice that goes beyond efficient water use, also addressing productive and commercial aspects.

Another key aspect of our methodology is returning the information collected during each production cycle to the farmers, enabling them to observe and analyze the benefits and impacts of improved irrigation practices. This not only promotes greater awareness of responsible water use but also improves decision-making in their irrigation units, empowering farmers to take responsibility for their limited resources.

We are convinced that education and awareness in the communities where we implement our projects are crucial to addressing water stress. Through group workshops, we provide updated information on water challenges, best practices for efficient use, and farmers’ rights and responsibilities. This fosters deeper reflection on the environmental consequences of conventional agriculture, promoting a sustainable approach tailored to current challenges.

Dvigi: Ultrafiltration Technology for a Healthier and More Sustainable Future

Gisella Djenderedjian – General Manager of Dvigi.

Access to safe drinking water remains a crucial global challenge. More than 2.2 billion people lack access to clean water, which has devastating consequences, especially in rural communities. According to the World Health Organization, over 485,000 people die each year from diarrheal diseases linked to contaminated water consumption. The lack of potable water particularly affects women and children, who are often responsible for collecting water in many regions. This task not only exposes them to physical risks and health issues but also takes away educational and employment opportunities, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and inequality.

In response to this reality, technology has become a key tool in improving access to safe water. Ultrafiltration systems have proven to be an effective and accessible solution, capable of removing bacteria, viruses, and sediments from water, providing a reliable source of drinking water. These filters are easy to install and maintain, making them ideal for areas where water infrastructure is limited or non-existent. Gisella Djenderedjian, General Manager of Dvigi, highlights the effectiveness of these systems: ‘Our purifiers combine ultrafiltration technology with activated carbon and sediment filters, removing impurities and improving the taste of water while retaining essential minerals. We want to be part of the solution to the global water crisis by offering technology that positively impacts people’s health and well-being.’

Beyond their efficiency, these filters are a sustainable option. ‘Our commitment is to improve the quality of life in regions that need it most, using sustainable technology to transform water access,’ Djenderedjian adds. At Agua Segura, we work to implement these systems in rural communities, where they provide an efficient and economical solution for access to safe drinking water. At the same time, we conduct awareness workshops in vulnerable areas, promoting the importance of hygiene habits and proper use of these filters, ensuring their durability and long-term effectiveness. With each project, we not only improve the health and well-being of individuals but also help create opportunities for development and empowerment in the most underserved communities.

Making the Invisible Visible

Manuel Sauri – CEO of Agua Segura

When we think about the importance of water for our lives and development, we likely picture rivers, seas, and lakes that provide us with nourishment, energy, and recreation. If we delve a bit deeper, we might also reflect on the significance of wetlands and ecosystems that help mitigate the effects of climate change, contributing their biodiversity and richness. However, there’s a place where nearly all of the planet’s liquid freshwater is found: beneath the earth. Groundwater is crucial to human society, and its protection and sustainable management are the foundation of any development strategy.

Access to safe water is a basic human right. We only need to recall the “water cycle” we learned in school to understand that what we do on the surface directly affects what happens below. If the water cycle doesn’t function properly, terrestrial ecosystems can’t sustain themselves, leading to climate variations that impact the levels of rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans. Groundwater is the backbone of drinking water supplies, sanitation systems, agriculture, industry, and ecosystems. If, for example, it’s depleted due to excessive irrigation pumping or contaminated by pesticides or hazardous substances, the availability of this essential public good for human life is severely compromised. This, in turn, triggers a chain of challenges, including the degradation of productive soils and the wealth they generate daily. Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater resources worldwide, and the ability to feed the growing global population depends heavily on this resource and the health of the land we cultivate, irrigate, and harvest.

According to the UN, to feed a global population that could reach 9 billion by 2050, food production must increase by 60%, and today, 40% of all irrigation water comes from aquifers. Therefore, to prevent groundwater depletion, sustainable policies must be adopted that provide information on its location, availability, and condition; focus on efficient resource management; and protect its quality to preserve its diverse functionality, adding value to the human and productive development of any community. Groundwater knows no borders, and a global, collaborative, and long-term perspective is necessary to address the challenges we face.

Another critical aspect is the importance of ecosystems in creating safe environments for life on the planet. Groundwater protects our coasts from seawater intrusion and plays a key role in mitigating climate change by safeguarding ecosystems such as wetlands and rivers. The water crisis has also exacerbated the aridity of some regions that now rely almost exclusively on groundwater for survival.

We’re talking about a hidden treasure beneath our feet that we must care for, monitor, and manage with great responsibility. It’s about making the invisible visible—the infinite value of our groundwater.

Green Solutions for a Better World

Manuel Sauri – CEO of Agua Segura

When we look at a world map, it might seem like there’s an abundance of water. The vast expanse of blue gives the illusion that water is plentiful and that we’ll never need to worry about its scarcity. However, of the 1,400 million cubic kilometers of water on Earth, only 2.5% is freshwater, and a mere 0.3% of that is readily accessible for human consumption—the rest is either frozen or trapped underground. These figures highlight a stark reality: access to water is uneven, often turning what should be a guaranteed public right into a privilege for some.

The water crisis disproportionately affects vulnerable communities, particularly their children, who suffer from diseases related to the lack of safe water, leading to nearly 1,000 child deaths per day. With climate change increasing water variability and stressing ecosystems, we urgently need new approaches to development and planning that will help us build more resilient and aware societies.

This is where circular economy and nature-based solutions come into play as strategic, timely approaches that should inform our daily actions across all sectors. In the context of the water crisis, the interconnectedness of all system actors is clear, making us all co-responsible for managing this scarce and vital resource. Although this is a global challenge—affecting 400 million people worldwide who face water scarcity—Argentina, for instance, has its own challenges. In our country, we consume nearly 500 liters of water per person per day, while in other countries, the figure doesn’t even reach 150 or 200 liters.

But in the urgent task of caring for the planet, it’s no longer enough to simply preserve, mitigate, or regulate; we also need transformative solutions. This is where nature-based solutions, or “green solutions,” come into play. These involve investing in projects that support the transition to a global well-being economy, promoting partnerships that leave positive, lasting impacts on communities. It’s about reshaping our growth perspective so that the value of positive impact on the world and its people becomes the core of any initiative.

In addressing the water crisis, for example, we can reduce runoff losses by improving the conditions and functionality of watersheds, and foster public-private partnerships to implement water access, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) projects, along with environmental initiatives such as soil restoration, spring protection, and the construction of rainwater harvesting systems. These “green” solutions profoundly transform business logic, generating a positive impact both on communities and within their value chains.

We face a generational challenge: to move toward a world where water, like other resources, is not a privilege but a right. To achieve this, it’s essential that we stay informed and get involved in launching new projects that protect the planet and build a better world every day.

It’s Time to Restore Our Home

Manuel Sauri – CEO of Agua Segura

Ecosystems sustain all forms of life on the planet, providing balanced environments where countless species, including our own, coexist harmoniously. The health of these ecosystems directly influences the well-being of the entire Earth and its inhabitants. This is why the water crisis, global warming, massive deforestation, and soil contamination are urgent concerns for those of us who tirelessly advocate for a global transition toward a sustainable way of life in all its forms.

In many countries, practices that degrade the ecosystems we depend on are considered environmental crimes because they threaten the quality of life in that region, with inevitable ripple effects across the globe. The actions we take today will shape the near future for many people who are already grappling with the consequences of this climate crisis. Protecting and restoring the environments we are part of (and even those we aren’t) is essential to ensuring our own quality of life in a healthy world and to preventing the spread of diseases, climate disasters, and growing inequalities due to the lack of access to public goods.

To illustrate the impact, according to the United Nations, 10 million hectares of forest are deforested every year, an area roughly the size of Iceland. This loss of biodiversity not only affects the species that inhabit these forests but also harms local economies, which suffer from soil degradation, flooding, rising temperatures, and many other issues. Groundwater absorbs the pesticides from these lands, often used in intensive and irresponsible agricultural production, slowly contaminating and depleting a vital resource for the development of individuals and their communities.

However, just as we are all affected by the same climate crisis, we are also called upon to implement solutions that enable us to transition to a more sustainable economy in harmony with nature. We are all part of the solution. At Agua Segura, we lead various projects aimed at providing concrete solutions to the water crisis. We understand that this global issue requires multiple local solutions that positively impact ecosystems, creating a virtuous cycle of growth. We see ourselves as part of an entrepreneurial generation, aware of its transformative potential, and we build partnerships that contribute to a sustainable strategy for everyone.

The challenges ahead call on all of us, as a society, to design more and better projects to protect and restore our planet. Collaboration between the public sector, private sector, and civil society is crucial.

This Earth is our home, and as environmental movements often remind us, there is no Planet B. Let’s care for, activate, and restore today the world we dream of living in for the rest of our lives.