Food and Water Systems in the Intelligent Age 2024

The Maipo River Basin is home to 40% of Chile’s population and is highly vulnerable to water shortages and drought. Overall, 80% of water is extracted for agriculture, domestic and industrial use annually. A stack could be applied in this scenario to ensure that water is being appropriately allocated to meet the needs of both industry and agriculture, while remaining resilient to the effects of climate change. Data generated at each layer of the stack must be used to determine water allocation methods, the costs and benefits of a public-private partnership structure for treatment plants, and the kind of infrastructure to be used to convey water for agricultural use.Decision-makers and stakeholders are found in a multitude of sectors, including agriculture, the private sector, farming, technology, investment, and water and finance ministries. Data stacks can help to establish consensus among these distinct sectors by synthesizing data that would otherwise remain disaggregated. For example, a team made up of ministers of agriculture, water and finance would need project documents, maps, historical data and cost-benefit analyses to assess a project and decide on key steps. In this scenario, the data stack would provide a scenario analysis of which set of decisions works best.Applying the stack BOX 3 Stack for decision-making on wastewater treatment plant Innovation layer Treatment technology, non-NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) applications, infrastructure footprint, modular source and conveyance infrastructureDecision/intelligence layer Cost/benefit of public private partnerships, benefit/income to farmer, dashboard for policy-makers Digital and data layer Water quality, agricultural use (type of crop, cropping patterns, weather), integrating data from agriculture, water and finance ministries, satellite imagery, cubic metres of water needed Physical infrastructure layer Capacity of treatment plant, land allocation, right of way/licences, wastewater source and related infra, conveyance infra, damsSource: Vicuna, S., Gil, M., Melo, O., Donoso, G. & Merino, P . (2018). Water option contracts for climate change adaptation in Santiago, Chile. Water International , vol. 43, issue 2, pp. 237-256.72’0’0’O 71’30’0’O 71’0’0’O 70’30’0’O 70’0’0’O 33’0’0’S 33’30’0’S 34’0’0’S 72’0’0’O 71’30’0’O 71’0’0’O 70’30’0’O 70’0’0’O33’0’0’S 33’30’0’S 34’0’0’SMining sites Hydropower plants Maipo river Main rivers Metropolian region Other basin Maipo basin Urban areas Irrigated agriculture Altitude (m.a.s.l) 0 6,546 25 0 12.5 25 KilometersChile’s Maipo Basin Food and Water Systems in the Intelligent Age 8