{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-572d6a42.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-f4d0de30.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='POLYMER HELPS  SOIL RETAIN WATER' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c52ad8eafeecae16e2d6' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54c52ad8eafeecae16e2d6' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nPOLYMER HELPS  SOIL RETAIN WATER\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eIt's the worst drought Mexico has experienced in 71 years and farming communities are being hit hard. Here in the state of Jalisco, there's been no significant rain for nearly 18 months and families are going hungry from lack of arable...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eIt's the worst drought Mexico has experienced in 71 years and farming communities are being hit hard. \u003cbr/\u003eHere in the state of Jalisco, there's been no significant rain for nearly 18 months and families are going hungry from lack of arable produce. \u003cbr/\u003eBut engineer, Sergio Rico Velasco is hopeful that his creation can save Mexican towns from extreme poverty by allowing them to minimise the effects of an increasingly unpredictable climate.\u003cbr/\u003eIt's called 'Solid Rain' and according to Velasco, it's already helping farmers across the region.  \u003cbr/\u003eSolid Rain is a polymer that comes in the form of a sugar like powder. \u003cbr/\u003eIt works by absorbing water in high quantities and retaining its humid properties for up to 40 days, so that when planted into the soil, crops can continue to grow with or without regular rainfall.\u003cbr/\u003eVelasco says: \"Solid Rain  allows them (farmers) to start planting at least 3 or 4 weeks ahead of the rainy season. When the rains come, whatever humidity has been consumed is replenished. If the rains stop for some time, the Solid Rain  that's in the root, allows for the plant's growth to continue without the plant suffering stress due to lack of water.\"\u003cbr/\u003eHe explains: \"Generally, plants begin to grow, and if it doesn't rain in a short period of time, the plant dies because the humidity is too little for its level of resistance. With this technology, which provides a reserve of humidity to the root, the plant can not only deal with the drought, but it can even continue growing.\"\u003cbr/\u003eAguahedionda -  a small farming village in the mountains of Autlan in Jalisco - has been experimenting with Solid Rain for several years and farmers here say the benefits are evident.\u003cbr/\u003eEusebio Martinez says: \"We see the trees which were planted some six years ago using Solid Rain.  Not too long ago there were some trees that died, and we were digging the ground to plant new ones and we could see the Solid Rain was still working.\"\u003cbr/\u003eAccording to Velasco,  traditional irrigation systems lose an estimated 80 percent of liquid due to filtering through the soil.\u003cbr/\u003eFiltering is even more pronounced in soil that has been eroded due to poor farming practices -  a common problem in Mexico where farmers traditionally burn their fields in order to prepare them for the season.\u003cbr/\u003eThe lack of absorption is particularly problematic during times of drought, when rainfall is sporadic at best.\u003cbr/\u003eBy preventing the water from filtering through the soil, Solid Rain ensures that the benefits of the water are maximised by maintaining a constant level of humidity on the plants' roots.\u003cbr/\u003eIn order for Solid Rain to be effective communities first need to develop methods to collect and store rain water.\u003cbr/\u003eThat reserve is then used to make Solid Rain.  Roughly 1 kilo (2.2lbs) of the dry polymer is enough to solidify 500 litres (132 US gallons) of water.\u003cbr/\u003eThe Solid Rain is worked in its gelatinous solid form into the soil where the seeds are to be planted. \u003cbr/\u003eThe highly absorbent polymer can also be planted in its dry form where eventual rainfall will hydrate it.\u003cbr/\u003eThe area where it is planted is covered with organic material to prevent as much evaporation of the water as possible.\u003cbr/\u003eVelasco says the humidity created by the product does not alter the PH of the water and therefore does not affect the chemical makeup of the crops.  \u003cbr/\u003eThis process can be effective for as long as six years, as the polymer maintains its absorption properties and begins the cycle anew every time it rains.\u003cbr/\u003eVelasco is working alongside agronomist, Domingo Huerta. They hoping to receive government funding to help highlight the benefits of Solid Rain across Mexico. \u003cbr/\u003eHuerta has been at the forefront of Aguahedionda's experimentation with the product. He believes it is effective, but fears it will be a long drawn out task getting Mexican farmers to take on the new method.\u003cbr/\u003eHe says farmers in Mexico tend to be very set in their ways. Many still burn their fields in order to clear them, despite being warned that the practice is detrimental to the productivity of the soil. They do this, he says, simply because they always have. \u003cbr/\u003eHe says: \"Statistically we know that on first exposure, a little under 3 percent of the producers accept new technologies. Later that number is doubled, but that takes years.\"    \u003cbr/\u003eVelasco is already selling the products in several Latin American countries including Peru and Ecuador. He has also made inroads in France and Italy where the product is largely being used for gardening purposes. \u003cbr/\u003eHowever he says his greatest hope is to maximise the potential of Solid Rain within Mexico's borders, and bring much needed relief to thousands of people being affected by drought.\u003cbr/\u003eAP Television \u003cbr/\u003eJalisco State, Mexico - March 2012\u003cbr/\u003e1. Pan of field affected by drought\u003cbr/\u003e2. Various of dried plant\u003cbr/\u003e3. Tilt up of dried field\u003cbr/\u003e4. Mid of dried corn plants\u003cbr/\u003e5. Close shot of Engineer Sergio Rico, developer of Solid Rain \u003cbr/\u003e6. Mid of Rico and Domingo Huerta, Agronomist \u003cbr/\u003e7. Tilt up of reflection of Rico and Domingo Huerta walking alongside rain water collected to make Solid Rain \u003cbr/\u003e8. Various of deposit where rain water is collected to make Solid Rain, plastic bottles on the surface help prevent evaporation\u003cbr/\u003e9. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Serio Rico Velasco, Engineer, Developer, Solid Rain: \u003cbr/\u003e\"Solid Rain  allows them (farmers) to start planting at least 3 or 4 weeks ahead of the rainy season. When the rains come, whatever humidity has been consumed is replenished. If the rains stop for some time, the Solid Rain that's in the root, allows for the plant's growth to continue without the plant suffering stress due to lack of water.\"\u003cbr/\u003e10. Medium of farmers making Solid Rain by poring polymer into bucket of rain water\u003cbr/\u003e11. Medium of farmer pouring Solid Rain polymer into water\u003cbr/\u003e12. Tilt down of farmer pouring Solid Rain polymer into water\u003cbr/\u003e13. Medium of pouring of Solid Rain polymer into now partially solidified water\u003cbr/\u003e14. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Serio Rico Velasco, Engineer, Developer, Solid Rain: \u003cbr/\u003e\"Generally, plants begin to grow, and if it doesn't rain in a short period of time, the plant dies because the humidity is too little for its level of resistance. With this technology, which provides a reserve of humidity to the root, the plant can not only deal with the drought, but it can even continue growing.\"\u003cbr/\u003e15. Medium shot of farmers pouring Solid Rain from big container into smaller bucket before planting it\u003cbr/\u003e16. Close of same\u003cbr/\u003e17. Close shot of Solid Rain going into bucket\u003cbr/\u003e18. Tilt down and up of farmer pouring Solid Rain into bucket\u003cbr/\u003e19. Close shot of Solid Rain going into bucket\u003cbr/\u003e20. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Eusebio Martinez, Farmer:\u003cbr/\u003e\" We see the trees which were planted some six years ago using Solid Rain.  Not too long ago there were some trees that died, and we were digging the ground to plant new ones and we could see the Solid Rain was still working.\"\u003cbr/\u003e21. Wide of farmer digging hole in the ground to plant Solid Rain  \u003cbr/\u003e22. Close shot of farmer\u003cbr/\u003e23. Close of hole being dug in the soil for planting Solid Rain  \u003cbr/\u003e24. Tilt down of farmer pouring Solid Rain into hole\u003cbr/\u003e25. Close of farmer\u003cbr/\u003e26. Close of farmer mixing Solid Rain with soil before putting in seeds\u003cbr/\u003e27. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Domingo Huerta, Agronomist:\u003cbr/\u003e\"The results are very obvious. Humidity is preserved and even though it has stopped raining for 15 or 20 days, such as this year, the crops have not been lost.\"\u003cbr/\u003e28. Various of Huerta showing the presence of Solid Rain in soil\u003cbr/\u003e29. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Domingo Huerta, Agronomist:\u003cbr/\u003e\"Statistically we know that on first exposure, a little under 3 percent of the producers accept new technologies. Later that number is doubled, but that takes years.\"\u003cbr/\u003e30. Pan of field showing corn plants that were grown using Solid Rain  \u003cbr/\u003e31. Wide of farmer Eusebio Martinez standing on field\u003cbr/\u003e32. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Eusebio Martinez, Farmer:\u003cbr/\u003e\"It is a great benefit for us here in the field, because if it is used correctly, it does give results.\"\u003cbr/\u003e33. Zoom out of trees planted using Solid Rain  \u003cbr/\u003e34. Wide of Martinez walking behind trees planted using Solid Rain  \u003cbr/\u003e35. Pull focus from field to plant\u003cbr/\u003eAs Mexico experiences one of the worst droughts in its history, an engineer has come up with a solution that he says could save farming communities from going hungry while revolutionising the industry in the country.\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv 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