Replenishment project aligns agriculture and big tech

Indigo Ag, the US-based sustainable agriculture and biological solutions provider is collaborating with Google to scale regenerative agriculture practices that will replenish nearly 5.7 million cubic meters of water over the next seven years.

Increasing soil moisture and water retention

Tech giant Google is contributing €1.5 million to support Indigo AG's regenerative farming practices, such as cover cropping and no-till farming, on farms in Oklahoma. These practices are expected to improve crop yields, while reducing costs to farmers, by enhancing soil moisture through water retention, facilitating groundwater recharge, and improving drought resilience.

The scheme will cover 4,000 acres annually and contribute to sustainable farming ecosystems in an area prone to extreme weather events.

Dean Banks, CEO at Indigo Ag, told media: "Our collaboration is another step toward verifiable positive impact on natural resources, the environment and climate through our robust and trusted mitigation strategies. We look forward to working with Google and other tech companies to ensure the environmental sustainability of data centres here and across the world."

Empowering sustainable agriculture and water use

Indigo Ag uses a data science-based approach to help farmers and agribusinesses optimise yields and profitability, while ensuring soil quality is retained for future use. The company's state-of-the-art digital software facilitates greater efficiency, accuracy and profitability for crop transactions.

The company's existing measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) platform, data collection, and farmer enrolment capabilities allow for immediate implementation.

The collaboration will run to the end of 2032 and will impact several thousand acres in watersheds in which Google's Oklahoma data centre operates.

Water replenishment is estimated using a widely accepted process-based model that simulates the impacts of weather, soil, crop and land management practices on water quantity. The program is also aligned with Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting guidance for corporate water stewardship.

Pedro Langa, CFO at Indigo AG, said on his LinkedIn page: "We believe that regenerative agriculture is not just an environmental solution - it's a business imperative. I see this as a defining moment that underscores the power of measurable, high-integrity sustainability solutions."

He added: "Our ability to align environmental impact with business performance is what sets us apart, and this initiative is another step in proving that agriculture can be a scalable, investable climate and water solution.''

Google replenishment goals

The resulting water savings supports Google's 2030 goal to replenish 120% of its freshwater consumption across its offices and data centres, while also working to improve watershed health in the communities where it operates.

Ben Townsend, Head of Infrastructure Strategy & Sustainability, Google, posted on his LinkedIn page: "Since our Mayes County data centre was built in 2007, Oklahoma is one of the many places Google is proud to call home."

He added: "Google's $1.5 million contribution will help enable farmers in Oklahoma to adopt practices like cover cropping and no-till farming. This program aims to replenish an estimated 1.5 billion gallons of water over the next seven years in the Arkansas-Keystone and Lower Cimarron Basins."

In its 2024 Sustainability Report, Google showed progress towards its goal from six per cent replenished water in 2022, to 18 per cent in 2023, which is equivalent to 3.9 million cubic meters.

This program aims to replenish an estimated 1.5 billion gallons of water over the next seven years in the Arkansas-Keystone and Lower Cimarron Basins

Ewan Lamont, head of Sustainability Solutions, Indigo Ag, told media: "We are thrilled to work with Google in bringing agriculture to life as a water and climate solution and we believe this initiative can serve as a useful model to enable technology leaders to meet their climate and stewardship goals."

Townsend added: "By providing farmers with the necessary resources to adopt water-saving practices, we're demonstrating how sustainable agriculture can create tangible, positive change for watersheds in Oklahoma."