C3L Associates and Texas A&M Advance Collaboration with León Innovation Institute to Strengthen Youth and Community Agricultural Programs

León, Guanajuato – November 13, 2025 – C3L Associates, together with Monty Dozier from Texas A&M University, met with Adriana Ruiz and directors from the Instituto de Innovación del Municipio de León to strengthen binational cooperation in agricultural innovation, youth development, and water management.

León—one of the largest municipalities in Mexico and the largest in the nation where agriculture remains a significant component of the local economy—has long faced major challenges related to industrial expansion and water quality. For decades, the city has invested strategically in securing clean, reliable water sources for its population.

During the meeting, Dr. Dozier presented the mission and programs of the Texas A&M Water Resources Institute, including drought resilience, watershed management, and agricultural water-use strategies. He also introduced the Texas 4-H program, the largest youth development program in the United States, with more than 120 years of history.

4-H (Head, Heart, Hands, and Health) teaches children and teenagers leadership, agriculture, STEM, and community service through practical, hands-on learning. Participants develop life skills while working on real projects that improve their families, schools, and communities.

In the discussion with León’s Innovation Institute, all participants identified a natural and powerful alignment between the 4-H model and the renewed BioNodo project, which aims to become the city’s flagship agricultural innovation hub with a social purpose, engaging families and youth from the Los Ramírez community and the wider municipality.

With support from Texas A&M, the city of León has the potential to become a national example of how youth participation in agriculture, food systems, and community engagement can reshape the future of rural–urban innovation in Mexico. The integration of 4-H principles into BioNodo’s programming could create a transformative model for student leadership and agricultural education in the country.

“The alignment between León’s vision for BioNodo, the 4-H program, and Texas A&M’s expertise presents a historic opportunity,” said Anthony Coggiola. “This partnership can empower children and young people to become leaders in agriculture, sustainability, and community development—not just in León, but across Mexico.”

C3L Associates will work closely with municipal leaders to support the development, implementation, and scaling of these programs in Mexico, ensuring that BioNodo becomes a central pillar of the region’s innovation and agricultural ecosystem and a model for youth-led agricultural transformation nationwide.