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  • The fog catchers of Lima

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

The fog catchers of Lima

In the mountains surrounding Lima, Dr. Kai Tiedemann and Anne Lummerich extract freshwater from fog. The project is being funded by the Global Exploration Fund - an initiative of Bayer and National Geographic.


The scientists Dr. Kai Tiedemann and Anne Lummerich

Lima - More than one billion humans worldwide do not have enough fresh- and drinking water – exceptionally these ones, who live in poverty around Lima. Half of the year it is one of the driest districts of the world, with a condensation of only ten liters per square meter.

But from June to November, dense fog drapes the hills around Lima, arising from the gulf stream, which runs along the Peruvian coast. The biologists Dr. Kai Tiedemann (37) and Anne Lummerich (36) utilized this exactly: They build so-called “fog catchers” on the hills, together with the residents of the village Bellavista. This project is called “Green Desert” and it is advanced by Bayer and National Geographic with 30.000 Euro. The fog catchers are plastic nets, measuring 30 square meters. Those fog catchers catch the water, which condenses and is collected in two tanks each with a capacity of about 18.000 liters and in one earthen basin with a capacity of about 65.000 liters.

Water from fog: From June to November, fog drapes the hills around Lima like a white shroud. Plastic nets measuring 30 square meters are installed on the hilltops. Fog can condense on the nets and be collected.
The tanks and the basin have been built by the residents at the “Faenas”, community chores, that are performed on Sundays. So every day they get about 600 liters of water, which is used for the irrigation of new planted trees. Later the new trees in turn should be used as fog catchers. The water then will be the basis for the irrigation of small fields and gardens.

In order that the residents can assume responsibility with their self-founded “Asociación Desiderto Verde”, the two scientists are dedicating a lot of time and effort to teaching the people about ecological relationships.


The water is used for the irrigation of small fields.
The Green Desert-project is an example for the simple possibilities to get fresh- and drinking water and how poor villages can be helped. The project in Lima particularly supports single parent mothers, who only could support their families with some casual work. Now they can work on the hills of Bellavista and they are also close to their children.
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[ last update: Monday, September 26, 2011 ]