Jack Enrile pushes for cloud seeding in selected agri areas

MANILA, Philippines—United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidate for Senator Jack Enrile on Tuesday urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to be prepared to conduct cloud seeding operations in selected agricultural areas of the country, particularly those reeling from the unusually severe dry spell.

Cloud seeding is a common method of inducing rain by spreading either dry ice or silver iodide aerosols on clouds to stimulate precipitation process and form rain.

“The Department of Agriculture (DA) should make sure that farmers and other agriculture stakeholders are not adversely affected by the dry spell sweeping through our country.

“Otherwise, they might need to identify specific agricultural areas where cloud seeding could be considered,” Enrile said.

“Although the summer heat has already scorched some regions, it has not gotten to the point where farmers are beginning to panic,” Enrile added.

“Nonetheless, the government should be ready with appropriate measures like cloud seeding to ensure that food production remains on target,” Enrile stressed that this early, other emergency measures should be considered by the DA.