America is engrossed in Morocco’s planned project. They want to repeat an experiment in the clouds that did not go well, although this time it could be different. Drought is stalking our country, and many others, with borderline situations that threaten to end the standard of living of citizens. A clear example is the state of emergency in which Texas finds itself.
Although the case of Texas is the one we hear most about because it is national news, it is not the only case of intense drought. Moreover, America is not the only country that is suffering from such a circumstance.
Morocco is also in a complicated situation due to the lack of water, so much so that it is considering making changes to make it change. It cannot do anything to make it rain naturally, but what if it manages to do it artificially?
Morocco surprises Spain with a project that seeks artificial rainfall
The North African country is considering cloud seeding to boost rainfall, a formula that has already been implemented in other countries and still presents some challenges. Research has been going on for years on technologies that can influence the climate and control it in some way.
This would be a golden solution for rural-dependent territories and dry places. Between 1979 and 1981, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) made a first attempt to generate rain in Spain. This technology was not used in Spain, but it was used in the United Arab Emirates and China, both of which invested heavily in different techniques.
After years of use, the country is considering using this technology as opposed to other options to provide water to its population. The Moroccan executive reported that the national average rainfall in the last three months was 21 mm, 67% less than the annual average.
Morocco’s Minister of Supply and Water, Nizar Baraka, appeared in parliament in November 2023. He explained that the country used this technology between 2021 and 2023 under the “Al-Ghaith” program. Then, 160 million dirhams (14.7 million euros) were invested.
Morocco uses a technique tested in Spain
Morocco uses this technique between November and April, carrying out about 22 operations. The system is based on chemical seeding that injects resources such as salt and iodide into the clouds to force them to discharge more water.
It aims to make the clouds discharge as much water as possible, even when conditions are not optimal for rain, such as periods of intense heat. In this context, China launches missiles or planes loaded with silver iodide, salt or other chemicals to encourage rain or snowfall.
America does not do the same as Morocco, but it has other options.
America does not use the same method to influence the climate, but it is not sitting on its hands either. Instead, it is opting for other techniques with which it seeks to obtain more water from existing resources such as fog or seawater. For example, fog collectors have been used in the Canary Islands to improve degraded landscapes.
If in the future it is shown that Morocco’s approach is a viable and efficient solution, America, and other countries, could follow its example to avoid disasters such as the one in California.
