A pilot cloud seeding project aimed at artificially inducing rainfall to help combat water shortages has been launched in Kazakhstan’s Turkestan region. As part of the initiative, 14 aerial cloud seeding operations have been carried out across four districts.
According to Gov. Nuralkhan Kusherov, the project is being implemented in cooperation with engineers, scientists and pilots from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE specialists are currently transferring rainfall induction technology to Kazakhstani experts.
«Artificial rainmaking is a unique, future-oriented project. As part of the pilot project, 14 aerial rainfall induction operations have been completed,» Kusherov said.
Districts involved in the project
The following four districts have been identified as priority areas:
- Sozak district
- Otrar district
- Baydibek district
- Tolebi district
All UAE specialists participating in the pilot project received official letters of appreciation from Kusherov in recognition of their contributions to the initiative’s successful implementation.
Context
The project began on May 17, 2026, covering 911,000 hectares of agricultural land. The potential economic impact of cloud seeding using saline reagents is estimated at up to $74 million annually.
