Mexican agriculture at a crossroads; combating water and labor shortages

In this installment of the Agronometrics in Charts series, Sarah Ilyas studies the state of Mexican agriculture. Each week, the series examines a different horticultural commodity, focusing on a specific origin or topic, and visualizing the market factors driving change. Water scarcity in Mexico has become a national crisis, driven by prolonged drought, climate change, and poor water management. This challenge is hitting the agricultural sector hard, especially in the states of Sonora and Sinaloa, where reservoirs are at only 20-30% of capacity. The shortage has forced many farmers to reduce planting, leading to a 5% decline in U.S. imports of Mexican fruits and vegetables during the 2023-24 season. The looming “Day Zero”—when water resources become irreversibly scarce—looms over the nation. The crisis stems from a combination of unequal access to water, pollution, and the accelerating effects of climate change. With 76% of Mexico’s water devoted to agriculture, the sector’s ...