India is moving forward with Mission Mausam, a groundbreaking initiative that can have transformative impact on agriculture and agrotech. As reported by The Times of India (ToI), the mission, backed by an initial Rs 2,000 crore investment, aims to control rain, hail, and lightning within the next five years. This project is expected to revolutionize how farmers manage unpredictable weather, offering new ways to protect crops from hail damage and navigate the challenges posed by climate change.
The mission will also deploy ‘Mausam GPT,’ a real-time weather app designed to provide farmers and agrotech stakeholders with accurate, instant updates on weather patterns, further aiding crop management.
Similarly, rain and hail suppression could be utilized during floods in various cities. Initial experimental work on artificial rain modification and suppression will begin, with lab simulations (cloud chambers) planned for the next 18 months. Full-scale artificial weather modification is expected within five years, M. Ravichandran, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) told ToI.
Every year, farmers and horticulturists across India face increasing challenges due to unpredictable seasonal shifts brought on by climate change. Fluctuating weather patterns, including unseasonal rains, prolonged dry spells, and sudden hailstorms, have caused widespread damage to crops, impacting both yields and the livelihoods of those who depend on agriculture. These extreme weather events are becoming more frequent, leaving farmers struggling to adapt and putting entire agricultural economies at risk.
For example, Himachal Pradesh, which typically produces around 33 million apple boxes annually, saw a significant drop in 2023, trading only 15-20 million boxes due to erratic seasonal patterns driven by climate change. The region experienced no snowfall during the winter, followed by unseasonal rains during the apple flowering period, hailstorms when the fruit was walnut-sized, and heavy rains and floods as the fruit matured. This led to devastating losses for horticulturists, amounting to an estimated ₹2,500-₹3,000 crore ($300-$360 million). In many areas, 60% to 80% of the apple crop was severely damaged.
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For the record, Himachal Pradesh is already using anti-hail guns in some areas to reduce crop damage from hailstorms, but their effectiveness remains limited. Anti-hail guns work by emitting shock waves into the atmosphere, disrupting the formation of hailstones in storm clouds. The shock waves prevent smaller ice particles from growing into damaging hail by breaking them apart, causing them to fall as rain instead. However, their effectiveness can vary depending on storm intensity and other atmospheric factors.
On whether it will be possible to suppress rain on August 15, Ravichandran told ToI: “We can consider it through weather modification.” The mission also aims to improve short- and medium-range weather forecast accuracy by 5-10% and ensure that no weather phenomena, including cloud bursts, go undetected.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) and other MoES scientific institutions will develop ‘Mausam GPT,’ an app designed to provide users with quick, written, and audio weather updates within five years.
Currently, cloud seeding—a technique used to influence weather patterns—is implemented in various countries, including the US, Canada, China, Russia, and Australia. These methods are used to enhance rain or reduce hail, particularly to protect agricultural assets.
“Cloud seeding and modification are complex processes. We’ve conducted numerous experiments with limited success in enhancing rain but have done little in suppression.”
Rajeevan told ToI that while there is potential for weather modification in India, the science remains underdeveloped and the technology complex. He advocates for increased research and investment in this field.
Read more: Agrotech: Can It Serve Both Industrial Giants and Small Farmers Alike?
The government’s initial Rs 2,000 crore investment over two years for Mission Mausam aims to develop a robust forecasting system to address extreme weather events and climate change impacts. Future funding will be allocated as the mission progresses.
Key components of the mission include deploying next-generation radars and satellite systems with advanced sensors, developing improved earth system models, and creating a GIS-based automated Decision Support System for real-time data dissemination. India is already conducting pilot projects in cloud seeding, such as those in Maharashtra, as part of the Cloud Aerosol Interaction and Precipitation Enhancement Experiment (CAIPEEX) to study cloud microphysics.
