CropX, a global ag analytics provider and PepsiCo México, an American multinational food, snack and beverage corporation headquartered in the U.S., expand their collaboration to help PepsiCo's Mexican potato farmers reduce water and fertilizer consumption, improve soil health and improve crop yields.
By collaborating with CropX, PepsiCo can now help growers in Latin America improve farm input application efficiency and become environmentally sustainable, providing its growers with CropX's data-driven farm management solutions.
CropX ran pilot tests in partnership with PepsiCo Mexico of the sensors and technological solutions offered by CropX, with the objective of demonstrating reductions in water used for potato production under drip and pivot irrigation. CropX's sensors were deployed across several fields owned by two farmers supplying PepsiCo. The data collected by CropX's sensors was monitored continuously throughout the season and the actionable insights generated by CropX's algorithms helped the farmers make science-based decisions. PepsiCo compared the results of the 'Best Ag Practices 4.0' plots vs. the control group, where the farmers used standard practices. The results were significant – Best Ag Practices plots where CropX tech was used achieved higher yield, while applying 15 percent less water and less fertilizers, compared to the control group. The combined water and fertilizer savings also lowered greenhouse gas emissions.
Servando Valdez, agro director lead for PepsiCo México, said the company believes digital agro technologies will unlock greater value in the farm system and will become a key enabler in the sustainability journey. “We have developed an ambitious digital strategy for México and LATAM aimed at increasing the efficiency across the agro supply chain and reducing the use of resources such as water,” he noted. “In México, the water crisis poses major challenges; that is the reason we are piloting and deploying digital technologies to save water while improving yields.”
Water scarcity in Mexico is severe, and with an ever-increasing demand, combined with the fact that agriculture accounts for almost 78 percent of water use, certain cities in Mexico risk being void of water.
"With PepsiCo using CropX's data-driven soil management platform in large scale we have the opportunity to make a huge impact and to significantly improve water-use inefficiency and soil health for potato production in Mexico," said Matan Rahav, director of business development at CropX. "The collaboration with PepsiCo will help the Mexican potato farming industry become more efficient and sustainable."