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 region of the U.S.

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.

Goanna Ag, an on-farm irrigation management company 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.

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

This pilot project aligns with Cargill’s global water ambition to enable restoration of 600 billion litres 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.