The Backyard Farmers Who Grow Food With Fog

Solar-powered machines called hydropanels draw water vapor from the air to create drinking water for those without access to water from a utility and those living in a drought.

As governments and residents wrestle with drought and dwindling water supplies, atmospheric water generation systems are popping up throughout the United States as a way to convert air into water. One product, called WeDew, collects water droplets that are formed when warm air meets a cool surface. That water can be used to water plants or create safe drinking water. These air-to-water generators are being used in places from California to Uganda.

As the drought in Kenya drags on, people are collecting water from the air by using plastic to funnel fog off of trees into buckets at night or a machine that pulls water from hot, moisture-filled air like a dehumidifier would.

Locals in Lima, Peru, are combating severe water scarcity by stringing up nylon netting on hills to capture moisture from fog. The water runs down the net, into gutters, through filters, and into collection tanks.

Amidst water scarcity and increased waterborne diseases, community members are using sand dams, an innovative water management system, to conserve rainwater for daily use. Sand dams offer extended water storage capabilities, lasting up to a year, ensuring community members have consistent access to clean water for farming, cooking and general hygiene. There are currently six sand dams in the community serving 600 households.

Utah’s state government and Department of Natural Resources provide residents with machines to increase winter storm precipitation through cloud seeding. The process uses heat from a propane burner to release silver iodide into the air, which can increase snowfall and help combat drought.

Drought in Madagascar grows worse each year as its minimal public infrastructure and extensive poverty slow efforts by the UN and various NGOs for food and water distribution. But in recognizing the severity of the cyclical water shortages, organizations are piloting new approaches. These include solar pumps from portable groundwater sources; distribution and cultivation of drought- and rot-resistant seed strains for staple crops; cash-stipends for "productive goods," delivered by phone to bypass the problem of damaged roads -- which are building newfound resilience among residents.

Israel experienced extreme drought a few years ago and its water supply was very low. National campaigns to install desalination plants have helped Israel turnaround its inadequate water supply into a surplus. The water scientists who have helped make this surplus see an opportunity for water diplomacy and the de-politicization of water in the Middle East so that more of it can be shared with other geographies.

Oatman Flats Ranch has implemented regenerative organic farming practices—including cover cropping, drought-tolerant crops, indigenous agricultural knowledge, and rotational grazing—to successfully restore degraded desert farmland, significantly improving soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation in a climate-stressed region.

Large-scale wastewater recycling is emerging as a crucial response to water shortages in Southern California, exacerbated by the declining Colorado River. The Orange County Water District's Groundwater Replenishment System has successfully produced over 450 billion gallons of recycled water since 2008, creating a reliable, drought-resilient local water source, despite high costs and issues surrounding initial public perception.