Morocco’s Cloud Seeding Plans Raise Concerns in Spain

Doha – Days after French media outlet Vert Eco criticized Morocco’s reliance on desalination to combat severe drought, a Spanish report has now raised concerns about the North African country’s plans to increase rainfall through artificial cloud seeding.

According to a report from Spanish weather agency El Tiempo, Morocco has allocated nearly €10 million since 2023 to boost its cloud seeding program, aiming to generate artificial rain and alleviate the structural drought affecting the country.

The goal is to increase precipitation in specific areas by up to 15% through a total of 20 cloud seeding projects.

However, the report highlights that altering weather patterns artificially could have unpredictable consequences for the entire region, especially in nearby areas like southern Spain and the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla.

Abundant rainfall in places unaccustomed to such conditions could lead to flooding, soil erosion, and deterioration.

Furthermore, cloud seeding might disrupt the atmosphere’s relative humidity, potentially causing droughts in unexpected locations or intense downpours.

The report warns that geoengineering could even increase the frequency of extreme weather events like storms, lightning, hailstorms, and tornadoes.

The Spanish media also raises the possibility of geopolitical conflicts arising between affected states, such as Spain and Morocco, due to one country’s decision to alter environmental conditions.

Despite these concerns, cloud seeding is not a novel practice in Morocco. The country has been investigating methods to augment water supplies through climate modification, also known as climate geoengineering, since the 1980s.

Read also: Morocco’s Water Worries: Can Innovation Outrun Drought?

In fact, Morocco’s Al-Ghaith program, which has been operating since 1984, is currently exploring a project to extend the reach of artificial seeding to various regions of the country.

Between 2021 and 2022, the program conducted 27 artificial seeding operations, while 22 operations were carried out between 2022 and 2023.

Experts estimate that seeding technology can boost precipitation rates by 4%, potentially improving agricultural productivity by up to 20%.

The Al-Ghaith program has garnered recognition from reputable international organizations, hosting the Eighth International Conference on Industrial Rainfall in Casablanca in 2003 and receiving the Hassan II Award for Industrial Rainfall in the United Arab Emirates in 2007.

Morocco’s commitment to addressing water scarcity was further underscored by King Mohammed VI in his recent speech commemorating the 25th anniversary of his ascension to the throne.

The King emphasized the urgency of the water crisis in the speech, calling for innovative solutions and improved governance to tackle the challenge head-on.

He highlighted Morocco’s declining water availability and stressed the importance of the National Program for Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation 2020-2027.

The King also called for the accelerated implementation of major water transfer projects between hydraulic basins and the construction of seawater desalination plants, aiming to mobilize over 1.7 billion cubic meters annually by 2030.

As Morocco grapples with its sixth consecutive year of drought, recording a 70% rainfall deficit in January compared to the average of the last 30 years, the kingdom is turning to a range of solutions to secure its water supply.