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While communities suffer from water scarcity and the advancing desert, women in Morocco use nets high up in the mountains to trap fog droplets, fill reservoirs, and transport drinking water through more than 10 km of piping.

Written by Flavia Marinho
Published on 12/05/2026 at 20:02
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Fog harvesting project in Morocco shows how giant nets, solar energy, and piping can transform fog into drinking water for villages pressured by desertification

While communities suffer from water scarcity and the advance of the desert, women in Morocco use nets high on the mountain to trap droplets and collect fog, bringing drinking water to villages.

The information was released by UNFCCC, the UN entity on climate change. The fog harvesting initiative in Morocco brings together 600 m² of nets, reservoirs, solar panels, and over 10 km of piping.

The system draws attention because it transforms a common phenomenon in mountainous regions into a supply. The fog passes through the nets, the water drains into storage structures, and then flows to homes.

Giant nets capture fog high on the mountain and transform droplets into drinking water

Fog harvesting (fog collection) is a way to collect water from fog. The technique uses nets installed in areas where humid air frequently passes.

When fog passes through the nets, small droplets get trapped in the threads. As they accumulate, these droplets join, drain, and are directed to reservoirs.

The idea seems simple, but the result is powerful. Instead of searching for water in wells or relying on motors, the project harnesses the humidity already present in the air.

Women in Morocco lead solution against water scarcity in area affected by desertification

The initiative takes place in southwest Morocco, a region marked by the pressure of desertification. This process makes life more difficult because it reduces water availability and directly affects villages.

fog harvesting

The role of women is central to the project. They participate in a solution that improves access to water and shows how climate adaptation can emerge from within communities themselves.

The practical impact is on the supply. The water collected by the nets does not remain at the collection point, as it travels over 10 km of piping to the served communities.

UNFCCC, UN entity on climate change, recognizes fog harvesting project in Morocco

UNFCCC, the UN entity on climate change, recognizes the initiative for combining water access, climate adaptation, and female leadership.

The project combines 600 m² of nets, reservoirs, solar panels, and piping. Each part fulfills a simple function within the system.

The nets capture the fog. The reservoirs store the water. The piping carries the resource to the villages. The solar panels help maintain the structure with almost no need for external energy.

Without motor or well, system uses fog, nets, and solar energy to supply villages

The strength of the solution lies in its low energy consumption. The system does not rely on a motor to extract groundwater and does not require well drilling.

This makes a difference in places where water is scarce and energy can also be limited. The technique uses the fog’s own passage through the nets to initiate the process.

The structure shows that innovation doesn’t always have to seem complicated. Sometimes, the answer lies in making better use of what the environment already offers.

Over 10 km of piping carries fog-collected water to homes

The piping is essential to transform collection into a real supply. Without it, the water would be restricted to the point where the nets are installed.

With over 10 km of piping, water reaches the villages and gains practical use in families’ daily routines. This detail shows that the project goes beyond the image of nets on the mountain.

The solution combines collection, storage, and distribution. Therefore, the system functions as a small supply network powered by fog and supported by solar energy.

Fog harvesting shows how dry regions can take advantage of air humidity

The case of Morocco shows that fog can become a resource in regions with suitable natural conditions. The technique doesn’t create water out of nothing, but captures droplets that are already suspended in the air.

This point is important because it makes the project easier to understand. The nets function as a surface where fog water attaches, collects, and drains.

With 600 m² of nets and over 10 km of piping, the initiative transforms humid air into drinking water for communities affected by desertification.

The women-led project in Morocco shows how a visually simple solution can tackle a profound problem. Nets, reservoirs, solar energy, and piping form a system capable of bringing water to villages without relying on wells or motors.

In regions where water scarcity changes the daily routine of entire families, fog harvesting ceases to be a curiosity and becomes a survival strategy. Do you believe that simple solutions like this could help other dry communities around the world?

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Flavia Marinho

Flavia Marinho is a postgraduate engineer with extensive experience in the onshore and offshore shipbuilding industry. In recent years, she has dedicated herself to writing articles for news websites in the areas of military, security, industry, oil and gas, energy, shipbuilding, geopolitics, jobs, and courses. Contact flaviacamil@gmail.com or WhatsApp +55 21 973996379 for corrections, editorial suggestions, job vacancy postings, or advertising proposals on our portal.

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