en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Mexican federal government will invest over 4.2 billion pesos to upgrade irrigation infrastructure in Irrigation Districts 025 and 026 in the state of Tamaulipas, aiming to improve agricultural water efficiency. State Governor Américo Villarreal stated that the project covers nearly 300,000 hectares, making it the largest of its kind in Mexico.
The funds will primarily be used to repair main and secondary canals, upgrade gates, improve water conveyance facilities, and promote water-saving irrigation technologies to reduce water losses from seepage and evaporation. Authorities expect the modernization to enhance agricultural production while improving water supply in urban areas.
In the series "Productive Water," Villarreal described this as a major opportunity for the state's growth and development. He noted that Tamaulipas, with its geographical conditions, climate, and infrastructure, has the potential to re-emerge as one of Mexico's primary grain-producing regions.
Historically known as "Mexico's breadbasket" due to abundant corn production in its northern irrigation districts, Tamaulipas has faced prolonged drought, prompting producers to shift to less water-intensive crops like sorghum. Villarreal stated that modernizing the irrigation system will allow the state to gradually restore production capacity and diversify into higher-value crops. The state is promoting new agricultural-related industrial chains, having signed contracts for a factory to produce biofuels from sorghum, and increasing the planting area of white sorghum to produce sorghum flour and enter the sorghum tortilla market. This strategy, supported by the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, encompasses strengthening water infrastructure and securing water rights.
In addition to agricultural irrigation, Tamaulipas is advancing urban water supply projects. The second pipeline of the Guadalupe Victoria Aqueduct is approximately 65% complete, which will double the water supply capacity for Ciudad Victoria. The federal government has also supported negotiations related to the 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty, aimed at strengthening water resource supply in the border region. The state aims to establish a model where water is first used for human consumption, while treated wastewater is allocated to agricultural, livestock, and industrial activities under sustainable management practices.
In environmental management, Tamaulipas is one of seven Mexican states to submit a second voluntary subnational review reporting progress on the UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. The state has established a civil protection command for the rainy and tropical cyclone seasons, coordinating with Mexico's National Civil Protection Coordination agency, municipalities, and federal entities. Additionally, the government has launched the "Climate Tamaulipas" digital platform, providing real-time meteorological information generated by monitoring stations across the state, preventive alerts, and georeferenced locations of temporary shelters.
