A key benefit of the stack would be the democratization of data use and of (typically expensive) emerging technologies like AI. This would benefit the more than 500 million farmers in the value chain, guiding them towards better decision-making on water in food production and consumption. Key recommendations to develop a minimum viable product: –The stack should account for the diversity of farmers and their goals, assuming a shared interest in profitability, land preservation and the mitigation of crop yield losses related to water stress. Transparency and user-friendly technology are crucial. –Market mechanisms influence investment decisions on what crops are being planted, with water as one factor that must be considered. Farmers need data on the volume of water available, weather forecasts and the consistency with which water will be provided. Farmers can also use this data to determine the type of crop to grow or practices to use during the growing process to make their fields more resilient to local conditions or potential water stress. –Local policy and influence are critical in decision-making. Peer-to-peer exchange and community-based development can influence the uptake of the stack. –Currently, only about 25% of smallholder farmers produce a surplus exclusively for the market. Determining how the data stack can be customized for subsistence farmers is a key consideration. Furthermore, land tenure influences decision-making and investment. Farmers who do not own land may focus less on its health and prioritize high yields. –The outcomes of the stack should be available in many languages, be applicable to a range of smart and other phones, and feature accessible, easily navigable user interface (including through channels like WhatsApp, voice-based and radio services). –Finally, the use of the stack application will have to be economically feasible and enable profitable business decisions. It should provide insight on key insurance, subsidies and financial packages, water use permits, technologies and other data that can enable the adoption of water-efficient practices. For instance, providing information to markets on the water use effectiveness of different crops or food from different origins has the potential to generate financial value for farmers.Costa Rica In Costa Rica, bananas are one of the largest and most important agricultural exports. Banana exports in 2022 accounted for $1.22 billion, and approximately 28,000 people work on banana farms nationwide.9 Costa Rican bananas also play a crucial role in global banana supply, as Costa Rica is the world’s third-largest exporter.10 Limón, a province located on the Caribbean coast, encompasses 80% of Costa Rican banana plantations.11 This region is the poorest province in Costa Rica, and 76% of the workforce is employed in the banana industry. Thus, the local economy heavily relies on banana production.12 Climate change, however, poses an existential threat to banana farming in Costa Rica, which would have damaging economic implications in the province. Limón’s climate is humid and tropical. The province has historically experienced significant rainfall throughout the year, which facilitates the cultivation of bananas and has made irrigation systems historically unnecessary.13 In recent years, however, Limón has received less rainfall and irregular weather patterns due to climate change, which negatively impacts banana farming and harvesting. As the climate shifts, Limón will continue to receive less rainfall, further hurting banana production.14 Banana plantations need better data to develop improved resilience to the effects of climate change and, in particular, greater rainfall variability. This use case provides farmers with detailed data to support informed decision-making about climate- smart strategies and investments for their farms, particularly regarding irrigation. Irrigation is costly, and farmers need to understand a variety of factors to determine the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions. This stack will bring multiple data sets together. These sets – featuring data about climate and weather, soil health and productivity, prevalence of diseases and pests, market and financial factors, and new and emerging technologies – will provide farmers with a more complete, integrated picture that enables them to make the best decisions for their farms in a rapidly changing environment. Bananas are a key crop for global food security, involving millions of farmers in nations across the Global South. This gives this use case relevance and replication potential far beyond Costa Rica. Developing a water stack for farmers BOX 4 Food and Water Systems in the Intelligent Age 13

Food and Water Systems in the Intelligent Age 2024