Calera Aquifer | Grupo Modelo

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Welcome to the Calera Aquifer, located in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. The state of Zacatecas has 34 aquifers, 15 are in deficit and 11 of them have been overexploited, including the Calera Aquifer.

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Conservation Agriculture

Conservation Agriculture is a sustainable way of working the land that conserves soil and water. By improving the structure and properties of the soil, as well as its biodiversity and fertility, it is a recommended system to recover the productivity of degraded soils and to reduce the production costs of farmers.

Conservation agriculture considers a set of practices and systems aimed at preserving natural resources in a sustainable way over time and in accordance with the sociocultural context. Conservation, organic, regenerative and agroecological agriculture can be considered forms of sustainable agriculture.

Conservation agriculture is based on three principles:

Crop rotation
minimum tillage
maximum coverage

Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation is a practice that distributes the liquid drop by drop directly to the roots of the plants directly to the area of influence through a system of pipes and emitters (drippers), which increase productivity and yield per unit area. . This technique is the most important innovation in agriculture in recent years and its main benefit is saving water.

Among the main benefits of this drip irrigation system are:

Saving between 40-50% of water vs. rolled irrigation
Obtaining higher yields and healthier crops
Fertilizer dose adjustment according to crop demand
By keeping doses small and aligned with rainfall patterns
Consistent increase in crop quality

Testimonials

Benefits of the Aguas Firmes credit:

Interest rate of 12% per year (the lowest in the market)
Without mortgage guarantee for credits below $400,000.00
Flexible terms (3 - 4 years)
No need for complex files
No commission for opening
Only 10% liquid guarantee
Consulting and technical training

We are committed to access to financing

A) In collaboration with FIRA, we have an accessible and reliable system that allows farmers to finance sustainable activities and protect themselves against risks.

We offer a portfolio of investment concepts: working capital, environmentally sustainable agriculture, efficient water use, energy efficiency, renewable energies, regenerative management, and insurance.
We provide a tiered rate rebate: upon repayment of the loan, a rebate of between 1.5% and 4% of the total loan amount is applied.

B) In addition, we will support you with advice from a financial education perspective so that you can make the best decision. In partnership with Sparkassenstiftung (SPK), we hold workshops that support decision-making, responsible use of credit, and the capacity for saving, planning, and investing in the agricultural sector.

Components:

Adapted to the educational level and local context
Practical focus: savings, budgeting, credit, insurance
Training of local facilitators (promoters, technicians, and leaders)
Financial simulators and digital materials
Tools to plan and understand risk, plus follow-up after training

C) Support in the development of productive projects with positive environmental impact and financial viability:

Identification of sustainable value chains:

Agroecology, bio-inputs, efficient irrigation, regenerative production, etc.

Shared productive investment:

Seed capital with a co-investment model (70–30 or another proportion).

Strengthening of technical capacities:

Technical assistance for implementation, monitoring, and scaling.

Value-added markets:

Linkages with buyer companies (cause-related purchasing, fair trade, green certifications, etc.).

Sustainability:

Profitability and environmental sustainability assessments.
Technical and financial monitoring systems.

What do I need to access credit?

To participate in the firm water program as accredited, you only need:

That your well and plots are within the Calera aquifer
Need to technify or reactivate your irrigation system
Comply with documentation for credit
Have two guarantees that comply with the same documentation

Steps to be accredited in Aguas Firmes

Leave us your information in the "JOIN HERE" section so that one of our specialists can contact you
Obtain a quote from one of the suppliers of the Aguas Firmes program, according to the needs of the irrigation system
Gather the documents for your file
Signature of credit agreement in the financial indicated by Aguas Firmes
Once the irrigation system is installed, receive the corresponding training for its management
Sign the work closure form and voluntary agreement

When you contact us, we will give you the list of documents you need
If you want to know our privacy notice about the use of your data, click here.

Testimonials

Reforestation

Nature-Based Solutions are mainly based on the rehabilitation of degraded sites that in turn allow water to be captured, stored and infiltrated into the aquifer through the following actions:

Reforestation is the assisted establishment of vegetation that is carried out with native species and adapted to the land, thus reducing the impact of soil erosion and increasing water infiltration into the

34,295 plants reforested to date

Conservation Works

Conservation works are structures that help protect soil and water in natural or agricultural areas.
These works are strategically placed to retain soil so that rainwater slowly infiltrates the subsoil, rather than running off and being lost.

Currently, 12 Nature-based Solutions projects have been established in the Calera Aquifer. Some examples are:

Testimonials

Collective Governance

Governance seeks that the key actors in the sustainable management of the aquifer have a space for coordination and the creation of instruments that help guarantee the efficient use of water such as voluntary agreements, regulation of the aquifer, among other examples.

voluntary pact

The voluntary pact consists of 13 points and is signed by the agricultural producer where it expresses its commitment to the preservation and care of water through sustainable agriculture.
The regulation of the aquifer will be defined based on the agreements with the different actors that are part of the aquifer for its care and preservation.

WATER CULTURE

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What is monitoring and evaluation?

Hydrological monitoring will be carried out in order to measure the impact of the interventions.
At the aquifer level, a monitoring network will be established to access information on groundwater levels and a hydrological model to determine infiltration.

Base line

The "BASE LINE" refers to the current situation of the groundwater extraction level of each producer, and that will be the point of comparison to evaluate the variation in the extraction that will be carried out by the producers with the adoption of the interventions. promoted by the project (Conservation Agriculture and Irrigation Technification) in order to generate savings in the Calera aquifer for the benefit of its sustainability.