Mexico has the conditions to become a world power in technical and sustainable agriculture, particularly in the development of protected horticulture, authorities, investors and specialists agreed during the presentation of the GreenTech Americas event, which will be held from March 24 to 26 in Querétaro.
During the announcement, the coordinator of the Economic Wellbeing Corridor of the Ministry of Economy in Querétaro, César Guti, stated that the country has natural, technological and public policy conditions to strengthen this strategic sector.
“It has the conditions to be one of the world powers in this matter,” said the official, after highlighting that the promotion of agricultural innovation is part of Plan Mexico.
The official stressed that the modernization of the countryside is key to moving towards food security, improving productivity and facing the challenges of climate change. He highlighted that cooperation between government, companies and universities – which he called the “triple helix” – will be essential to promote technological solutions that transform agricultural production.
Specialists agreed that protected agriculture, based on greenhouses, hydroponic systems and monitoring technology, will be decisive in facing climate and productivity challenges.
From the academic field, researcher Eliza Dexter explained that in the last decade protected horticulture has increased its production by 50 percent in Mexico, although she warned that the growth of the sector also implies social, economic and environmental challenges.
The greenhouse operation specialist, Alejandro Ávila, explained that practically any type of agricultural production can incorporate technology to improve its results.
He explained that the use of sensors, smart irrigation systems and data analysis tools allows optimizing water consumption and improving production efficiency.
Alejandro Trueba, founding partner of HarvCrest Capital, highlighted that world population growth will force food production to increase between 50 and 60 percent by 2050, according to UN estimates.