Muscat: The Food and Water Security Committee of Majlis Ash’shura held its fifth regular meeting of the third annual session under the chairmanship of Abdullah bin Ahmed al Malik, head of the committee, on Wednesday.
The committee hosted Engineer Ali bin Mohammed al Abri, Under-Secretary for Water Resources Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, and specialists from the ministry to discuss the artificial precipitation project in Oman.
At the outset of the meeting, the ministry’s specialists presented a visual display on the artificial rain project. They explained that it is a national project that aims to increase groundwater level and reduce the water shortage in Oman by augmenting rainfall amounts.
Al Abri said that the cloud seeding project in Oman depends on the ionic technology, an environmentally friendly method that does not pose any hazard or negative effects on the environment or humans. Oman has currently 12 rain seeding stations, the first of which was established in 2012, and became operational in 2013. It comprises 3 main departments: the Research and Studies Department, the Operation and Maintenance Department and the Control and Performance Evaluation Department.
The meeting reviewed the most important setbacks facing the artificial rain project, most notably the high cost of studies and the establishment of artificial rain seeding stations. The committee members inquired about the possibility of involving Oman Investment Authority (OIA) to invest in the project to reduce the financial burden on the ministry.
The specialists affirmed that statistical reports for the period from 2013-2018 proved the success of the rain seeding project with a 15-18 per cent increase in rainfall amounts reported. They emphasized the importance of reliance on clear indicators of the economic feasibility of the artificial rain seeding project and its role in reducing the water shortage.
