SWF – Stockholm Water Foundation

I am a high school student from Bangladesh passionate about environmental innovation and sustainable water management. My work focuses on nature-based solutions, water purification, and climate resilience . I enjoy combining scientific research with practical problem-solving , critical thinking, analytical reasoning and community impact. Through the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, I hope to collaborate with young innovators worldwide, learn from global perspectives, and develop solutions that make clean water more accessible and sustainable for future generations.

Soil Biofilms for Enhanced Water Retention in Agricultural Systems

Across water-stressed farming systems, much irrigation water is lost before crops can use it. This project tested whether microbial biofilms, stimulated with aerobically brewed vermicompost tea, could improve soil water retention. In a controlled column experiment, biofilm-enhanced soil retained water 117% longer than microbially-reduced soil andreduced immediate surface runoff by 71.3%. The treatment hierarchy — biofilm-enhanced outperforming natural soil, which outperformed sterilized soil — confirms the role of native microbial communities in water management. At approximately 800 BDT per hectare, less than 2% of conventional drip irrigation costs, this zero-waste approach offers accessible drought resilience for 500 million smallholder farms worldwide.

See project

Asif-Al-Momen Chowdhury

Soil Biofilms for Enhanced Water Retention in Agricultural Systems