Ing' Marco Antonio Camou Loera

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• Ing. Marco Antonio Camou Loera

Undersecretary of Agriculture
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Update regarding the Committee for Agricultural
Water Negotiations in Sonora.

• June 20, 2008

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Background

• During the February the 20th meeting, the
  Mexican part considered convenient the following,
  previous to the formation of the Consejo de
  Agronegocios
• To strengthen the efforts oriented to guarantee
  the water availability and its use for
  agriculture
• To rearrange the irrigation areas according with
  the availability of water sources.
• To strengthen the actions related with water
  negotiations and infrastructure, to increase
  efficiency in the use and handling of water,
  looking for,
• The conservation of water both in quantity and
  quality with the smallest impact on the
  environment.

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Background

• We can mention the following as the main water
  problems in the State of Sonora
• Deficient and insufficient knowledge of
  hydrological systems.
• Deficient and insufficient knowledge of the
  rights and obligations of the water users.
• Deficient governmental coordination
• Deficient use and handling of water in areas
  under irrigation.
• Over exploitation of aquifers.
• Insufficient budget assigned to the sector.
• Deficient and insufficient measuring
  infrastructure.
• Insufficient control of alloted volumes.
• Damages due to floods and droughts.

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Background

• For the Sonoran growers, interacting with
  producers from Arizona represents oportunities
  for
• The exchange of experiences to strengthen the
  knowledge and technical innovations to increase
  efficiency in the use and handling of water in
  agriculture.
• The exchange of experiences to strengthen
  knowledge and technological innovations on crop
  production and commercialization.
• Rising the financial viability of agriculture in
  Sonora.

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An independent organization, with legal
personality and its own administration, formed as
a Civil Association.It will be formed with
representatives from the agricultural water users
in Irrigation Districts and Irrigation Units,
from the business sector and from faculty and
research members recognized in the area. Its
members will beProducers designated by the
agricultural water users associations
(Asociaciones Civiles de Usuarios y Sociedades de
Responsabilidad Limitada)Institutions
representatives of grower organizations (AOANS y
AOASS), from faculty and researchers.
Comité para la Gestión del Agua en la
Agricultura del Estado de Sonora, A.C. (CGAAES)
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General Objective

• To promote and support the necessary strategic
  changes, to attain the sustainable use of water
  in agriculture in the State of Sonora.

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Specific Objectives

• To analyze and propose a strategy to improve the
  level of compliance of water regulations.
• To analyze and propose a strategy to strengthen
  the institutions involved in the administration
  of water in agriculture.
• To analyze and propose a strategy to enhance the
  financial viability of agriculture in the State
  of Sonora.
• To analyze and propose a strategy to spread the
  knowledge on how to operate the hydrological
  systems in the State.
• To determine, to propose and to procure
  construction programs and actions to increase the
  eficiency in the use and handling of water.

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Update

• A program was made to meet with representatives
  of water users associations, in order to inform
  them and to agree on the formation of the Comité
  de Gestión del Agua (CGAAES).
• On April 18th, during the first meetting with
  representatives of the Irrigation District 041,
  Río Yaqui, it was agreed to integrate the CGAAES.

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2nd. Meeting Navojoa, Son., June 6, 2008.
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2nd. Meeting Navojoa, Son., June 6, 2008.

• Meeting with representatives from
• Water Users Associations of the Irrigation
  Districts in the Mayo Valley
• Irrigation Modules in the Fuerte-Mayo Region
• Grower Associations in these farming regions,
• Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora.

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Water users agreed upon the integration of the
Comité de Gestión del Agua para la Agricultura en
Sonora.
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Follow up

• There is a meeting scheduled in the near future
  with representatives of the Irrigation Modules in
  the Guaymas-Empalme Irrigation District 084.
• Right after that with the Water Users Association
  of the Irrigation District 051, Costa de
  Hermosillo.
• And ending with meetings in the remaining
  Irrigation Districts in the State.

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Thank you!!!