The technical micromanual titled "Rainwater Harvesting & Resilient Agricultural Production in the Coastal Dryland" serves as a comprehensive roadmap based on the extensive research and field validation of the Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) in Chile, specifically designed to empower small-scale farmers against the challenges of climate change. This guide establishes a robust scientific foundation for water management by integrating hydrological design principles, such as the Gumbel Distribution to calculate maximum rainfall probabilities and Manning’s Formula to ensure the correct dimensioning of conduction systems. At its core, the manual details three primary capture strategies: roof harvesting using zinc structures and PVC gutters to collect high-quality water, the innovative use of fog collectors (Atrapanieblas) which employ double Raschel mesh to "milk" coastal clouds for clean water, and the management of surface runoff through the Keyline system and tactical "Aguadas" to recharge local aquifers. To store this vital resource, the text evaluates high-capacity technologies including flexible cisterns, prized for their portability and ease of installation, and ferrocement cisterns, which offer superior durability and hygienic standards for volumes up to 20,000 liters. This harvested water is then channeled into high-efficiency productive units, such as 40 m² chapel-type greenhouses for intensive vegetable cultivation and Hydroponic Green Forage (FVH) systems that produce protein-rich animal feed in just 15 days using a fraction of the water required for traditional crops. Furthermore, the manual emphasizes soil conservation through practices like subsoiling and infiltration trenches to break soil compaction, prevent erosion, and maximize deep water infiltration. Ultimately, this manual facilitates water self-sufficiency for rural families, reducing their reliance on external supply and fundamentally transforming their productive capacity and quality of life in arid environments
Jorge A. Carrasco Jiménez (Sun,) studied this question.