Cargill and Goanna Ag pilot irrigation efficiency technology on Mississippi Delta cotton fields

Date:08-16-2024

Cargill is partnering with Australian company Goanna Ag on a new pilot project focused on advancing irrigation efficiency on cotton fields in the Mississippi Delta. The project will introduce a state-of-the art technology that aims to transform how and when farmers water their fields, optimizing crop yields, reducing water withdrawals and lowering operational costs. The program is initially available to a select number of cotton growers in Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi.

″Major retail brands have set goals related to water and are increasingly looking to supply chain partners like Cargill for data-backed sustainability solutions. This pilot project underscores Cargill’s commitment to helping our customers meet those ambitions to advance sustainable agriculture and water conservation,″ said Matt Dunbar, managing director of Cargill’s cotton business. ″By integrating advanced irrigation technology, we aim to bolster the resilience of cotton farming in the Mississippi Delta while conserving one of our most precious resources—water.″

Goanna Ag, a leader in on-farm irrigation management operating in Australia and the U.S., brings over 20 years of experience and data driven insights to the project.  The Goanna Ag GoField^® technology solution leverages field sensors, satellite imagery, weather forecasts, and crop data to enable precise irrigation. This innovative approach helps farmers optimize their water use, contributing to both increased crop yields and significant water conservation.

Participants in the pilot receive installation of the GoannaAg GoField^® technology and personalized training to optimize irrigation timing tailored to their specific soil and crop conditions.

″Goanna Ag’s proven methodologies and easy to use tools can help cotton growers improve water-use efficiency, boosting crop yields, essentially delivering more crop per drop,″ said Derek Brazda, vice president, U.S. sales and operations, GoannaAg. ″Through our partnership with Cargill we are thrilled to offer program participants with solutions to improve water-use efficiency, reduce costs and promote long-term, sustainable outcomes.″

Pilot Program Supports Cargill’s Global Water Ambition

This pilot project aligns with Cargill’s global water ambition to enable restoration of 600 billion liters of water and reduction of 5,000 metric tons of water pollutants in water-stressed regions by 2030.

The Mississippi Delta region–home to the third largest area of irrigated cropland in the U.S.—is experiencing a significant decline in groundwater-levels, which poses a threat to water availability in the region, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. With more precise irrigation scheduling, this project is expected to maximize farmer yields while reducing the pressure on aquifer resources.

With approximately 70% of the world's freshwater withdrawals used for agriculture[ii], innovative partnerships and solutions are critical to producing food sustainably and meeting the demands of a growing global population.