Google and agtech solutions provider Arable announced a water replenishment-focused collaboration, with Google agreeing to fund projects to bring Arable’s efficient irrigation technology to farmers in North and South Carolina.
According to the companies, Google plans to invest more than $4 million to fund the use of Arable’s technology on 20,000 acres, aimed at saving more than 500 million gallons (1.9 billion liters) over eight years.
Founded in 2014, Arable enables data-driven decisions in agriculture and natural resource management to help improve agricultural sustainability and productivity. The company’s solutions integrate IoT technology, machine learning, and advanced modeling to convert in-field weather, crop, soil, and irrigation data into real-time insights.
Arable’s crop intelligence platform enables farmers to make precise irrigation decisions by providing real-time data on factors including weather, soil moisture and crop health. The companies said that the projects are expected to have a significant positive impact on groundwater in some of the most at-risk river basins and aquifers in North and South Carolina, providing benefits including improved water availability and quality, farmer training on new technology, enhanced on-farm profitability, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
Jim Ethington, CEO at Arable, said:
“By combining reliable, real-time data with intuitive decision tools, we’re helping farmers do more with less-less water, less energy, and less risk. We’re excited to bring much needed technology to a region where the need is high and impact to farmers and ecosystems can be significant.”
Google announced a water stewardship ambition in 2021, with a goal to become water positive by 2030, setting a commitment to replenish more water than it consumes, and to support water security and ecosystems in the communities in which the company operates. The company said that the collaboration with Arable will support its goal to replenish 120% of its freshwater consumption by 2030.
Suzie Shin, Data Center Sustainability Programs Manager at Google, said:
“Supporting responsible and sustainable water use in agriculture is essential for the long-term health of ecosystems and communities. With data center campuses in both North Carolina and South Carolina, we’re proud to build on our work with Arable to bring this solution to a region we have called home for nearly 20 years.”
