SUSTAINABLE WATER MANAGEMENT IN NORTHERN MEXICO: THE INVOLVEMENT OF ALL SECTORS TO PROTECT THIS NATURAL RESOURCE

The concern about water resources in terms of quantity and quality has increased internationally. The State of Chihuahua, which is located in northern Mexico, has not escaped this problem, and in fact, water issues are at the top of the agenda because the State has arid and semiarid environments. For this reason, all sectors participated in a water forum during the 2012 Agro Expo with the objective of motivating academics and researchers, as well as other public and private institutions to promote a water culture and environmental awareness. The objective of this paper is to present the foundations, proposals and results focused on this call, which culminated with the signing of a landmark agreement in Mexico by all producer systems that make up Chihuahua´s agricultural sector. This action has four main purposes: 1) to raise awareness and knowledge among all sectors about the value of this natural resource and its importance to Chihuahua; 2) to encourage research to promote conservation of the resource and the search for new water saving strategies, taking into account the need for long-term water quality; 3) to promote the generation of future industry leaders with a broad knowledge of water issues; and 4) to develop teamwork for creating feasible projects.