Logoche

Logoche is a small 110-person community with Zapotec roots located on the southern edge of Oaxaca’s Central Valleys, in the district of Miahuatlán. Along with subsistence farming, mezcal production is one of the primary economic activities.

The community operates under both federal governance and Usos y Costumbres, an Indigenous system of self-governance that structures decision-making, land stewardship, and communal labor.

A core practice in Logoche is tequio — mutual aid work carried out for the benefit of the community. In mezcal production, tequio is often present during la tapada (agave roasting) and other labor-intensive stages such as harvesting and processing. Production is family-based, but it functions within a broader structure of shared labor and responsibility.

Water scarcity 

Throughout the entire process of mezcal production, water is a constant necessity—from agave cultivation to mezcal distillation. A typical seedbed in Logoche, home to 3,000 plants, demands around 3,600 liters of water per week, drawn from the individual wells of each producer. During the dry season from October to April, plant irrigation takes place weekly. Watering frequency varies based on plant size, with newly planted or smaller plants needing more frequent waterings, while mature plants are tended to once a week.

Every producer family has access to wells on their lands, drawing water for both fermentation and mezcal distillation. The process of fermenting 10 tons of raw agave requires approximately 7,000 liters of water, a ratio of 1kg of agave to 1 liter of water, mixed in fermentation vats or tanks with capacities ranging from 800 to 1400 liters. 

The cooling phase of distillation relies on well water, as each producer's well supplies the necessary water. An estimated 15,000 liters of water are used during the distillation of 10 tons of agave. Cooling tanks are initially filled and emptied as needed throughout distillation, with capacities ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 liters of water.

Water usage for agave cultivation and mezcal production in Logoche:

  • 80% of producers maintain agave nurseries

  • 1,329,000 liters of water are needed per year for nursery irrigation

  • 22 liters of water used to create a single liter of finished mezcal

Rainwater Capture Initiative

In partnership with Isla Urbana, three rainwater harvesting systems were installed in 2023–2024:

  • Grupo Productor Logoche bottling facility

  • Community school

  • Community chapel

Each cistern holds between 52,000–70,000 liters.

Following the installation of these communal systems, the next phase focuses on household-level infrastructure:

  • Construction of 19 individual 16,000-liter cement cisterns

  • Installation of filtration systems (Isla Urbana’s Kit Chaac components)

  • Technical training and maintenance workshops

All construction will be completed locally through community labor. Materials (except filtration components) will be sourced from Miahuatlán.

Funding Goal

The total project budget is $950,000 MXN (~$48,400 USD).

Funds will cover:

  • Construction materials for 19 household cisterns

  • Filtration systems and components

  • Technical site visits and implementation support

  • Ongoing water sustainability workshops through 2025–2026

NETA will coordinate project management between Grupo Productor Logoche and Isla Urbana and document implementation progress.

Fundraising will take place through bottle auctions, events, and designated sales.

About Isla Urbana: Isla Urbana is at the forefront of advocating water sustainability in Mexico through rainwater harvesting.