Astana, May 16. KazTAG – On May 16, 2026, a ceremony was held in Turkestan to launch a project to artificially increase precipitation. Kazakhstan became the first Central Asian country to begin practical implementation of artificial rain technology, according to the press service of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development.
“On May 16, 2026, a ceremony was held in the city of Turkestan to launch the artificial precipitation enhancement project. Kazakhstan became the first country in the region to implement rainfall enhancement technologies. The project aims to increase reservoir filling levels and provide water to agricultural areas in the south of the country. Full-scale implementation will begin on May 17, 2026,” the statement said on Saturday.
The technology is aimed at mitigating the impact of drought and water shortages on agricultural land in the Turkestan region, covering a total area of ​​over 911,000 hectares. According to the agency, the project is being implemented through international cooperation with the UAE National Meteorological Center, which has extensive experience in weather modification and artificial precipitation enhancement, dating back to the late 1980s.
The ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development Zhaslan Madiyev, President of the UN World Meteorological Organization and Director-General of the UAE National Meteorological Center Abdullah Ahmed Al-Mandous, UAE Ambassador to Kazakhstan Muhammad Saeed Muhammad Al-Ariki, and Akim of the Turkestan region Nuralkhan Kusherov.
“Kazakhstan is taking a practical step toward developing a new climate resilience system. This is the first time in the region that a project of this scale is being launched in the field of artificial precipitation enhancement technologies. For us, this marks the beginning of the development of a modern climate infrastructure based on science, international partnerships, and digital technologies. The project is being implemented jointly with leading global experts and creates a foundation for technology transfer and the training of Kazakhstani specialists,” Madiyev stated.
According to international estimates, artificial precipitation technologies can increase rainfall by 10-20% compared to natural levels. Such methods are already being used in China, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, France, and Saudi Arabia.
The project is being implemented locally – in areas with increased water demand, primarily in agricultural areas. The selection of work areas is being carried out in collaboration with meteorological services and relevant government agencies, taking into account weather conditions, the environmental situation, and water supply needs.
According to the ministry, the technology has a localized effect with a radius of up to 5 km and does not lead to the formation of large-scale weather events. The process utilizes salt-based reagents, which are used internationally to artificially enhance precipitation.
The project is expected to improve the efficiency of water supply to agricultural lands, reduce drought losses, and promote crop yields. The potential economic impact is estimated at up to 35 billion tenge per year.
“As part of this collaboration, specialists from the UAE National Meteorological Center are training specialists from the Turkestan region in weather modification technologies, including meteorologists, pilots, engineers, and relevant specialists. The possibility of scaling up the technology in other regions of Kazakhstan is also being explored, laying the foundation for developing our own climate technologies,” the department added.
The Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Akimat of the Turkestan Region, the Civil Aviation Committee, Kazaeronavigation, and Kazhydromet are participating in the project.
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