According to AFP, in the face of prolonged drought and severe water shortages, Kazakhstan has for the first time tested the cloud sowing method in Central Asia, with the expectation of increasing rainfall and reducing damage to agriculture.
A small plane was taken off from southern Kazakhstan to find suitable clouds, serving the sowing of clouds to promote rain formation.
Pilot Ahmed Aljaberi of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Meteorological Center revealed that each aircraft is equipped with its own cloud-sealing system.
Containers attached to the aircraft wings release some substances including sodium chloride and potassium chloride into the clouds. These substances stick to the water droplets, making them grow larger, becoming heavy enough to fall into the rain.
Kazakhstan is testing this method in the Turkestan region, south of the country, which has the largest cotton growing area. About 9,110 km2 of cultivated land is included in the target area, with the expectation of bringing about 75 million USD in economic benefits each year thanks to improved crop yields.
According to scientific studies, in favorable conditions, cloud sowing can help increase rainfall by about 15-20%. However, the effectiveness is not guaranteed because not every cloud is suitable for sowing.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) believes that more research is needed to assess the effectiveness of cloud sowing, in the context of increasing drought. Currently, this method is applied in about 50 countries to respond to drought, hail and air pollution.
Kazakhstan is increasingly clearly affected by climate change. The World Bank warns that the average annual temperature in this country may increase by more than 6 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. In 2025 alone, the Turkestan region experienced 8 months without rain, while humidity dropped very low.
