At 14, Jia Mingxuan developed a prototype irrigation system that captures moisture from the air and delivers it directly to tree roots without electricity or an external water supply. The invention earned him a youth gold medal at the 77th iENA International Trade Fair in Nuremberg in November 2025.
When Jia's teacher asked him to come up with an invention, he noticed something familiar at home: water droplets forming on bathroom tiles from steam. That observation led the student in Inner Mongolia to design his system, using the same basic process: water vapor condenses into liquid when humid air meets a cooler surface.
Jia's device, made from steel pipes and reused bottles, uses wind to lead its air intake and channels humid air underground. As the air cools below the surface, condensation forms inside the pipe, and gravity carries the droplets toward the roots. The system relies on natural temperature differences and wind, not a powered pump. Its water output depends on conditions such as humidity and airflow, as well as underground temperature and the pipe's dimensions and surface area.
From School Project to International Recognition
The idea took shape in March 2025, after Jia connected his home observation to a physics lesson. He sketched a system that could help young trees survive in dry soil by harnessing atmospheric humidity. He traveled nearly 30 kilometers from his boarding school to his family home to monitor the device, sometimes waking before dawn to dig it up and measure soil moisture before returning to class.
Chifeng, where Jia lives, is part of the area covered by China's Three-North Shelter Forest Program, a long-running effort to combat desertification and expand protective forest cover across northern China. The region receives about 380 millimeters of rain annually, making water access an impressive consideration when planting and maintaining saplings, especially in remote locations.
Gold Medal at iENA 2025
Jia's project, officially titled "Automatic Tree Watering Device for Arid Regions," was presented at the 77th iENA International Trade Fair in Nuremberg in November 2025. Competing against more than 540 inventions from 21 countries, his system stood out for its simplicity and potential impact. The jury awarded him a youth gold medal, recognizing his use of basic physical principles to address a practical challenge. Information from Xinhua, Jia attended the event in traditional Mongolian dress, making his first trip abroad.
The iENA documentation lists Jia Mingxuan as the lead inventor, alongside collaborators and educational institutions. The award brought international attention to the prototype, but its practical performance still depends on local climate conditions, particularly humidity and wind, as well as temperature differences between the air and the ground. Those factors determine whether enough moisture condenses to make a meaningful contribution to soil water.
Challenges and Next Steps
After receiving the gold medal, Jia began working with a research team in Shanghai to refine the design for broader use in reforestation projects. The next phase will test the system's durability over long-term exposure to sand and corrosion, while identifying materials that balance cost with longevity. Comparing water collected and changes in soil moisture across different weather conditions would help establish where the device can best support tree planting.
Jia's invention channels condensation to tree roots using simple materials and no electrical infrastructure. It could supply small amounts of water close to a young tree's root zone, though the amount will vary with environmental conditions. The prototype offers a possible tool for dry regions where water scarcity and irrigation costs complicate reforestation.
Talent24h reported on Jia Mingxuan's achievement, which grew from an everyday observation and shows how young inventors can contribute ideas to environmental challenges.
