Solid rain is a technology developed by engineer Sergio Jesús Rico Velasco, which enables rainwater to solidify for later use in the hydration of crops. This irrigation system generates large savings in drinking water, allows water storage and solves the issue of water scarcity in drought or low rainfall areas.
The compound is a granulated powder made from potassium that upon contact with water, solidifies and increases in size up to 500 times. These spheres are placed in the root of a plant, tree or grass, and they are able to keep it hydrated for weeks.
Solid rain is already being used successfully in Argentina, Spain, France, India, Russia and Israel. In 2002, the Miguel Alemán Foundation honored engineer Rico Velasco with the Ecology and Environment Award for the technological development that makes handling rain as a solid possible. He has also been nominated twice for the Stockholm Water Prize by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Sweden.