Mississippi State University is partnering with tech giant Amazon and leading agricultural technology company Arable to help Delta farmers conserve water and save money in the process.
The Mississippi Delta initiative is one of more than 30 worldwide projects Amazon has announced for its campaign to contribute more water to the environment than the company consumes by 2030.
Due to land use changes, agricultural production, and climate variability, the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVA), which supplies water to approximately 7 million acres of farmland across several states, has experienced a significant decline in water levels since the 1970s. Arable’s technology will be used as part of a water replenishment project to enable more sustainable use of a local resource that is critical for the region’s survival.
“The concern is more water is being pumped out than replenished,” said Drew Gholson, a scientist with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and an irrigation specialist with the Mississippi State Extension Service. “We want to ensure this valuable resource is available for growers to maintain their yields during low rainfall or drought periods.”
Gholson and his colleagues conduct ongoing research to identify the most effective methods and tools for irrigation conservation. The university’s Master Irrigator Program provides advanced training in irrigation and water management practices through a team of experts and extension specialists who help growers use resources more efficiently.
The partnership with Amazon is Mississippi State’s most recent effort to facilitate better irrigation application on farms that draw water from the MRVA. With funding and oversight from Amazon, Arable’s advanced AI-based irrigation tools will be distributed to participating growers in Sharkey, Issaquena, Yazoo, and Warren counties.
Participants enrolled in the 10-year program will receive the tools from Arable at no cost, and training and technical support from Mississippi State scientists who are working with the agriculture technology business’s system onsite at the university’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville.
“This AI-enabled technology transforms how farmers interact with their land and water resources,” Arable CEO Jim Ethington said. “By providing data-driven insights directly to farmers’ phones, we’re empowering them to make more precise water decisions.”
Officials with Amazon and Arable estimate that these tools will reduce agricultural water usage in the MRVA by 150 million gallons per year over the anticipated 10,000 acres from participating farms. Gholson believes this will save growers between 15 and 25% of their average annual water usage.
Nationally, Mississippi ranks No. 1 for adoption of soil moisture sensors for scheduling irrigation, but the latest project will introduce even more growers to the benefits of using some of the most advanced tools available while conserving a natural resource.
Arable’s tools are expected to be made available to a wider audience through subscription and leasing programs in the future.
