Honduras to launch $600,000 cloud seeding program

Honduras is set to implement a cloud seeding program to combat water deficits affecting agricultural and livestock sectors. The initiative, executed by the Mexican company Startup Renaissance, involves 20 flights over a period of two to three months to stimulate rainfall across approximately 2.3 million hectares.

The project involves an investment of roughly $600,000, covering supplies, operations, and aircraft. Using silver iodide, the process aims to increase precipitation by up to 60% in specific target areas, including the Dry Corridor, the El Cajón basin, the Central District basins, and Alto Aguán.

According to Moisés Abraham Molina, the Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock, the project was prompted by recommendations from the private sugar sector, specifically Azucarera La Grecia, following successful results from similar methods used in Mexico. Officials emphasized that flights will not be indiscriminate but will depend on specific meteorological conditions and cloud characteristics.