Mariangel Garcia Andarcia

Research Group Leader – Water Futures Data and Analytics

Research team

Water data science > Water futures data and analytics

Areas of expertise

Modeling computational science Artificial intelligence (AI) mathematics statistics

Mariangel Garcia Andarcia is driving the intersection of AI, data science and water security at IWMI. She brings over a decade of experience in spearheading AI driven initiatives and pioneers’ innovative solutions for sustainable water management in the Global South. Previously, as AI Technical Lead at IBM Consulting in Portugal, Garcia honed her ability to translate cutting-edge technology into real-world impact. Today, she leverages her passion for digital innovation to advance water security, leading transformative projects like digital twins for river basin management, AI water agents, immerse reality and open data cubes. Garcia fosters high-impact partnerships with industry leaders such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon Web Services to amplify IWMI’s mission. Her work is fueled by a relentless drive to transform complex research into practical, scalable solutions, empowering communities and shaping a water-secure future.

Garcia holds a Doctor of philosophy in Computational science from Claremont Graduate University and has a background in mathematics, statistics and artificial intelligence.

Current projects

CGIAR Accelerator for Digital Transformation

CGIAR AI Hub – Global Hydrological Foundation Model

CGIAR Initiative: Digital innovation

Citizen Science for Water Management in Limpopo River Basin

DIWASA: Digital Innovations for Water Secure Africa

Water Copilot

Latest news for Mariangel Garcia Andarcia

International Water Management Institute Deputy Director General Rachael McDonnell (left) and Director General Mark Smith (right) talk to attendees at the CGIAR AI Hub booth at the AI Agriculture Ecosystem Launch in Abu Dhabi on December 08, 2025. Photo: CGIAR

News

IWMI contributes water solutions to UAE AI Ecosystem for Global Agricultural Development

Through CGIAR’s AI Hub, IWMI researchers lend expertise to a global push to apply AI in agriculture and water resilience ...

February 17, 2026

Close up details of data center, computing center, high consumption electricity. Cooling and emergency power. Photo: Make more Aerials/ Shutterstock

Explainers

Explainer: The Cloud is running dry

The pursuit of artificial intelligence requires intentional water resource management ...

January 20, 2026

IWMI scientists guide community members in collecting river data as part of a citizen science program in South Africa. Photo: Nicole Langa /IWMI

Blogs

What turns everyday people into water scientists in the Limpopo River Basin?

60 citizen scientists in Southern Africa told us about making water monitoring accessible, rewarding and sustainable ...

January 15, 2026

In the media

Digital tools and open data reshape water management across Africa

IWMI's latest report on Digital Solutions for Africa's Water Management reveals the continent's water sector undergoing a gradual but important transformation, driven by technological innovation ...

January 8, 2026

Participants get creative and use LEGOs during an activity. Photo: Gunarathna Thisal/ Mantaray Films

Blogs

Researchers design an AI backbone for CGIAR science processes

IWMI researchers collaborate with CGIAR partners to lay the groundwork for a crosscutting AI platform to improve research processes ...

December 8, 2025

Volunteers in South Africa at a citizen science training. A trainee from Zimbabwe practices a water measurement method.

Blogs

Citizen scientists take the lead in tracking Southern Africa’s transboundary river basin

Local monitoring feeds near-real-time water data into the Limpopo Basin Digital Twin, supporting more informed, basin-wide decisions ...

November 11, 2025

GroundTruth staff Nkosingithandile Sithole, Ayanda Lephane and Nick Pattinson (I-r) field test the MiniSASS citizen science smartphone app (Photo: GroundTruth)

Blogs

A network of citizen scientists to protect freshwater resources in southern Africa

A new IWMI initiative combines innovation with community participation to plug water data gaps ...

September 18, 2025

User interacting with the chat interface. Photo: Pradeep Liyanage/IWMI

Features

AI agent by IWMI and Microsoft to drive new thinking in water management

The collaboration combines IWMI’s research capabilities with Microsoft’s cutting-edge AI technology to tackle pressing water management challenges in southern Africa’s Limpopo River Basin ...

September 9, 2025

Member state interacting with the digital twin platform (Photo: IWMI)

Blogs

AI and satellite imagery better estimate water levels in dams

IWMI and Digital Earth Africa are supporting water managers from Limpopo River Basin by improving access to better data and better water level estimates ...

August 27, 2025

Water managers in southern Africa get hands on with the AI-powered Digital Twin. Photo: IWMI

Blogs

IWMI introduces cutting-edge AI citizen-science tools to the Limpopo River Basin

Water managers in southern Africa get hands on with the AI-powered Digital Twin ...

August 20, 2025

Pix 3: Interactive sessions at the DT codesign workshop in Addis Ababa. Photo: Mitchell McTough/IWMI

Blogs

Technology and partnerships to strengthen flood resilience in Ethiopia’s fragile environment

IWMI and partners are co-developing a digital twin platform to enhance flood forecasting, early warning and response for vulnerable communities in the Somali Region ...

August 18, 2025

Zambia DIWASA participants discussing own use case. Pix by Agricomms Media and Communications -IWMI

Blogs

A digital revolution in action is transforming water management in Africa

Through the Digital Innovations for Water Secure Africa initiative, IWMI and its partners are addressing water challenges across the continent by using innovative digital tools and creating data-driven solutions ...

August 7, 2025