Kazakhstan launches cloud seeding in Turkestan

Kazakhstan has initiated its first large-scale cloud-seeding project in Central Asia to combat severe drought and water shortages in the southern Turkestan region, its leading cotton-growing area. The operation, conducted in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates' meteorological centre, targets approximately 9,110 square kilometers of arable land and is estimated to yield $75 million in annual economic benefits through improved harvests. Aircraft equipped with cloud-seeding flares release salts such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride into suitable clouds to increase precipitation by 15-20% under ideal conditions. The initiative has raised concerns in neighboring Kyrgyzstan about 'cloud theft,' which Kazakh authorities dismiss as unfounded, stating the effects are local and short-lived. The project is part of a broader response to water deficits, which officials say must also include drip irrigation and canal repairs. The World Meteorological Organization has called for more research, while the World Bank Group warns of significant temperature rises in the region. Uzbekistan has expressed interest in adopting similar technology.