A second step for the development of the Central-Western Region

The shaping of the Central-Western region, as discussed in a previous article, is only the first step of the action that will take the important path to inclusive integral development; and the possibility of accessing and participating in a knowledge-based economy. Therefore, processes and projects that allow progress in this direction must be generated.

As an example, some ideas are presented with the intention of motivating those who have the capacity to generate the proposals, those who have the capacity to integrate and operate them; as well as, and those who have the capacity to make the decisions so that they can visualize and form the high performance teams capable of building a portfolio of projects and defining the processes that lead to a new state of development for the Central-West Region.

An important aspect that is worth noting, has to do with the bases and origins of these ideas that are presented, seeking to motivate the thinking and analysis that allows to find those strategic projects that must be articulated and exploited regionally. First, we can review the analyzes and studies generated for the strategic planning of Guanajuato as Guanajuato XXI Century, Identification of Strategic Opportunities for Development (IOED) of the State of Guanajuato (ITESM-FEMSA, https://oet.itesm.mx/portal/page/portal/OET/Servicios 1; its updates; and Phases I and IIof Sustainable Economic Development Ministry) (ITESM-FEMSA, https://oet.itesm.mx/portal/page/portal/OET/Servicios1 and its updates, Phases I and II of Sustainable Economic Development Secretariat); including the editions of the National IOED (Mexico) and the state ones of Aguascalientes, Jalisco, Querétaro and San Luis Potosí); and complemented by the Megatrends Studies:
Technological, https://portaldoc.itesm.mx/pls/portaldoc/docs/PORA3_1_20012012143902.pdf and Social, https://portaldoc.itesm.mx/pls/portaldoc/docs/PORA3_1_20012012143447.pdf); as well as experiences in the work of identifying needs in economic policy, Education and Social Development at the Municipal Planning Institute of León (IMPLAN) and diagnostics of strategic clusters established in the region. 

To begin, illustrative and not limited to, certain lines of development are listed, it is worth assessing to integrate them into the portfolio of regional projects: Ceramic, Food, Health, and Services. A brief description is presented for each of these lines.

1. Ceramics: A sector within the traditional economy of the region, related to the artisanal sector, presents potential when developing new designs; search for new markets; and a very important one arises by including knowledge to this sector. Guanajuato has one of the best clays for the development of nano-ceramics with applications in health and in the space sector: San Luis Potosí, through IPICYT, has the studies for its use and exploitation, Querétaro has an important development in the aerospace industry and Jalisco with the information and health technologies sector, together with Guanajuato and Aguascalientes, which have counterparts in each of these areas for the development and evolution of ceramics in our region, integrating an opportunity of accessing a higher value market.
2.  Food: the states that make up the region an important degree of development and integration of clusters linked to different sectors; by way of example only, dairy, vegetables, grains, poultry and pigs are indicated. What happens in the dairy sector, where there is integration from the cultivation of inputs, the development of hatcheries, the formation of stables, the production of milk and its derivatives, present a scheme for other activities related to food. Broccoli and strawberry, which can be sold locally in traditional presentations, or through a cold chain that makes them reach higher value markets. Additionally, gourmet lines can be established for very specific markets (strawberry in domestic and foreign restaurants); or its treatment to obtain the antioxidants and anticancer products that these products possess, for a pharmaceutical or cosmetic industry.
3. The central-western zone integrates an extraordinary corridor for the development of health services, the leadership of some satates and the good positioning of their medical and medical schools; as well as its general health infrastrucutre (public and private), they allow for the neccessary bases to launch a project of high impact and scope in terms of health, for its population and to support the consolidation of health tourism. Keep in mind that there is a population demands services, migrants, aminly based in the USwho come from these states and who seek to cover health services during their visitis to Mexico; as well as having the potential to be a reference in important attention segments. An example worth analyzing is genomic medicine, putting the region a step forward in terms of health, this is possible because it has the LANGEBIO, whichhas had significative success in genomic engineering for vegetables, account with the resources and talent that can support the development and consolidation of the National Ceneter for Genomic Medicine, and hence be able to privide support for an important preventive and curative medicie. Another important area is Geriatrics, where soon, a large percentage of the population will be requesting this speciality for their attention. All this complements the important areas of ophtalmology, dentistry and orthodontics, gastroenterology, chonic degenerative, cardiology, neuro, among others. As well as the whole area of rehabilitation and physiotherapy. An additional opportunity comes from the area of prostheses and ortheses, in which traditional industries (under a process of training, improvement and certification) can reach (metalworking, textile). For ICTs, the entire patient monitoring area is opened so that they do not have to be in hospitals such as chronic patients, infants and the elderly; the development of better platforms for telemedicine, etc.
4. Services: A whole theme, from logistics to tourism, going through business services. An opportunity is to develop a logistics hub of the cold chain; This helps the development of the food, medicine or any product sector that requires specific temperature conditions for its transfer. Specialized tourism, for example, tourism for the elderly, which joins geriatric services. In the states that make up the área there two favorite destinations for retired people (Ajijic and San Miguel de Allende); as well as having very attractive cities like Queretaro, Aguascalientes, San Luis Potosi, Guanajuato, among others, for their beauty and cultural attractions and an adequate system of health services. This opportunity is accompanied by demand for care services (medical and personal), legal, tax and financial advice; which opens a range of opportunities to attend them and provide them with the best spaces and services for the different stages of the retreat. Another line is the services for the development of industry 4.0 and smart cities; as well as the development of skills for the incorporation of Young people into labor market that demands new competences.

Therefore, it can be seen that the Central-Western Region has great potential to continue its development and create the best living conditions for its inhabitants. The important thing in this moment of limited resources is to identify the best opportunities, align efforts and build the right conditions so that the actions that lead to capitalize them are triggered. 

Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Jalisco, Queretaro and San Luis Potosi are facing a great opportunity and a great challenge, being located on the World Map and being relevant agents for the well-being and development achieved for their people and being an example of a region within the new conditions demanded by the 21st Century.