CONSERVING SO THAT WATER AND LIFE KEEP THEIR COURSE

Worldwide, we face great challenges such as the preservation of our water resources, increasingly extreme climates, soil degradation, and loss of biodiversity, which is why conserving our ecosystems is vital to ensuring water availability, healthy soils, and a resilient environment.

Mexico, a diversity that makes us responsible.

Mexico, a diversity that makes us responsible

In Mexico we have a natural wealth that is unique in the world. We have every climate and ecosystems that are home to thousands of species, from the desert areas of the north to the rainforests of the southeast. We are one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, which places us before a shared commitment to conserve what gives us identity, food, culture, and well-being.

Every November 27, National Conservation Day reminds us that nature needs actions that arise from work, from community commitment, and from a deep understanding of how our regions function.

At Aguas Firmes, a project created to strengthen water security in Mexico City; Apan, Hidalgo; and Calera, Zacatecas, we understand conservation as a process that begins beneath our feet. It happens not only in forests or reserves, but also in the fields where the decision is made not to burn crop residue, in the trenches that capture rainwater, in the living soils that sustain crops, and in every action that allows water to return to the watersheds and aquifers.

Conserving means:

• Regenerating soils so that they once again store water and hold nutrients.

• Implementing Nature-based Solutions, such as stone barriers, gabion dams, gully head control, and other natural works that reduce erosion and generate biodiversity.

• Infiltrating rainwater to strengthen the aquifers.

• Measuring and monitoring what happens in the territories in order to make better decisions.

• Adopting sustainable agriculture that produces more with less pressure on ecosystems.

  
  

Conservation stops being an ideal and becomes a reality when knowledge, modern techniques, and a shared vision of the future are brought together in communities.

Conservation is collective work.

The German Technical Cooperation – GIZ, Grupo Modelo, and the Mexican Coca-Cola Industry act as facilitators. But the true leadership in conservation is in the hands of those who live in the watersheds, work the land, and make decisions every day, since conservation means recognizing that soil does not regenerate on its own and that lasting commitments, community agreements, constant monitoring, and a vision that transcends generations are required.

National Conservation Day is also an opportunity to recognize what we have achieved and to identify the opportunities we still have, which are part of the impact we seek to drive in each of the locations where Aguas Firmes operates:

• Continuing to strengthen water governance, through multi-stakeholder mechanisms and instruments that make better decisions possible.

• Moving toward more sustainable productive systems that improve both crop yields and water productivity.

• Recovering degraded areas.

• Ensuring that conservation benefits people as much as the environment.

  
  

Conservation does not happen once a year: it is a daily practice that directly influences quality of life, the future of the countryside, and the health of soils. Today at Aguas Firmes, we recognize the commitment of those who are already making a difference, and we renew our conviction to keep working with communities.

Because conserving means securing water, soil, and life.

Tags: Conservation, National Conservation Day