Agriculture consumes 70–75% of the Maipo Basin’s water supply, making precision irrigation a key strategy for improving productivity, reducing water demand, and protecting groundwater. While adoption is growing, financial incentives are needed to expand farmer engagement and achieve large-scale water resilience. This project will focus on signing on farmers in the Maipo Basin to utilize Kilimo precision agriculture technology. The Kilimo team is deploying a Big Data solution—including satellite data, soil moisture tests, and real-time irrigation scheduling—to help farmers optimize water use for orchards, blueberries, and other high-value crops. Pilot analyses show that Kilimo systems improve water efficiency by at least 13%, reducing both pumping costs and carbon emissions, as over 40% of Chile’s electricity comes from fossil fuels. Farmers are eager to scale up this technology to advance sustainable agriculture.
Minor Basin: Maipo River
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Integrated Approach to Improve Irrigation Efficiencies Reservoir Repair
This project will rehabilitate the Unión Chilena Marco N°8 canal reservoir in Curacaví, which currently operates at 30% capacity due to sedimentation. The goal is to recover 70% of the lost water storage to increase irrigation supply for 19 small farmers. Activities include improving access roads, removing sediment with machinery, repairing the reservoir weir, and replacing the valve. Annual maintenance will ensure sustained storage and functionality through sediment removal and weeding (using herbicides with a manual sprayer).