Meet the 13-year-old building a 'moisture farm' to fight drought with water from air

At 13, Aniket Sarkar has built a low-cost prototype that pulls moisture from the air and turns it into water for crops. His "moisture farming" project uses copper coils, cold water and a fan, with a bigger vision of helping drought-hit farms adapt to a changing climate across dry farms.

In Short

• Aniket’s second prototype collected almost twice as much water as his first model in testing
• His system uses cold copper coils to condense water vapour from the surrounding air for crops
• The 13-year-old hopes to scale his idea into solar-powered systems that could irrigate farms

What if farms could get some of the water they need from the air?

That is the question behind 13-year-old Aniket Sarkar’s "moisture farming" project. The seventh grader from Pine View School has designed a low-cost system that captures water vapour from the atmosphere and turns it into liquid water that can be used for crops.

Aniket developed the idea after thinking about droughts and the growing pressure they can put on farmers, food supplies and prices.

"I’m super excited to share my project, moisture farming, the atmospheric solution to agriculture," he says in a video presenting his invention.

His innovation has earned him a place among the top 10 national finalists of the 2026 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

FROM A PLASTIC BUCKET TO A BIGGER PROTOTYPE

His first model was made using everyday materials, including a plastic bucket, copper coils wrapped around an aluminium foil roll and a pump.

The basic idea is simple. Ice-cold water is pumped through the copper pipes, cooling their surface. When moisture-laden air comes into contact with the cold coils, water vapour condenses into liquid water, which can then be collected.

Aniket then upgraded the design.

His second prototype added a fan to increase airflow, double copper coils to increase condensation and foam insulation around the bucket and the container holding the cold water.

He tested the prototypes at different times, including overnight. According to his presentation, the second prototype collected almost twice as much water as the first.

He also tested soil moisture. The second prototype produced soil moisture readings of more than 65%, compared with around 5% for dry soil in his demonstration.

HIS PLAN GOES BEYOND A SCHOOL PROJECT

Aniket's ambition is much larger than a tabletop prototype.

He imagines systems resembling large grain bins installed on farms, with rows of copper coils inside. Compressors could keep the coils cold while fans draw atmospheric air into the system. The collected water could then be stored and used for irrigation.

He also envisions powering the system with solar panels and other renewable energy sources.

His first step towards that vision is more modest: building a planter-bed model that could demonstrate the concept for vegetable gardening at home.

For Aniket, the project is part of a longer interest in science and engineering. He says experiences with rocketry, robotics and STEM fairs encouraged him to keep experimenting and inventing.

And his career goal already has a clear direction.

"In 15 years I hope to be an environmental engineer," he says, with the aim of working on solutions to climate and environmental challenges.

The 3M Young Scientist Challenge, conducted by 3M and Discovery Education, is open to US students in Grades 5 to 8. The competition invites young learners to apply science and engineering concepts to develop solutions for real-world challenges.

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