Sustainability of the agricultural sector in Mexico – compliance or not - with key United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals: Aguascalientes as a case study

Mexico is considered one of the most critical countries contributing to food production worldwide. However, Mexico needs help in agricultural practices and the pressure to optimize water usage. Considering that food production worldwide, directly and indirectly, relates to Goals 2, 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, and 15 of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015, it is essential to address the challenges and pressure Mexico faces in its agricultural practices to optimize technical irrigation, access to land extension, and crop rotation usage. Some productive zones within central Mexico are called the Bajío Region, where Aguascalientes is located and the main focus of the current case study. This study aims to collect information to understand the main factors and challenges in the primary sector in this region. This study used a survey instrument to assess the actions of 54 farmers during the pandemic, to detect farmers’ technical needs, level of preparedness, water conservation knowledge, technology adaptability, and knowledge of the current public policy in Aguascalientes State. The data analyzed included; socioeconomic aspects, water and energy conservation, food processing awareness, and public policy perception. The results showed that participants could adjust public policies and use more technical training to build sustainable agricultural growth to the SDGs, and look for increased productivity within the representative crops in the region. The significant challenges Aguascalientes face are, limited water resources, the incentive production mindset, and a more technology-intensive approach, as is needed in Northern Mexico as a region. The primary goal is to develop a more resilient agricultural system, and to find characteristics for small and medium-sized producers. The first step is to increase knowledge among the main actors in the primary sector regarding the potential technical barriers to increasing productivity. The study concluded that the socioeconomic background of agricultural entrepreneurs and their education level is essential to adopting technology for production to increase and strengthen food security for Aguascalientes. Key words: Aguascalientes, Agricultural Sector, Agricultural Entrepreneurs, Public Policy, Water