Rainmaking technology acquired from Thailand is still relevant in the country especially in regions with below average annual rainfall.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Policy, Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr William Lukuvi
The Minister of State, Prime Minister Office, Policy, Coordination and Parliament, William Lukuvi, informed the House that foreign experts were invited to share the technology and the government still considers it relevant.
“The technology is proven and extensively applied in many other countries like Russia. The government has not abandoned the process,” briefly explained Lukuvi.
The former Prime Minister, who travelled to Thailand for negotiations with rain experts, Edward Lowassa (Monduli – CCM) stood up and briefly said; “The explanation by Lukuvi is correct,” said Lowassa.
The clarification followed contribution by the Minister of State, Vice President Office (Environment), Terezya Huviza, who previously explained the related challenges for applicability of the technology due to increase of global temperature with the consequent rising of sea levels due to melting of ice in the North Pole.
The clarification followed a main question by Rachel Mashishanga Robert (Special Seats – Chadema) who asked the government to recognize and ratify the traditional rainmaking method specifically applied by rain makers in Rukwa and Katavi regions.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Eng. Christopher Chiza said it was all lies that traditional fortune-tellers could make rain.
“They only look at the skies and once observe cumulonimbus type of clouds which are formed out of hydrologic circles (clouds that look like human fingers) they pretend to make predictions knowing that after 48 hours it would rain,” Chiza explained.
Earlier, the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Adam Malima said Katavi and Rukwa regions have reliable rains ranging between 750mm and 1,200mm annually.
“This helps in agricultural activities with high yield. Conservation Agriculture which is practiced by local farmers amplifies water retention capacity as 90 per cent of farmland in the region can retain moisture. Heavy rains start in November ending April,”
Malima explained. As for Shinyanga and Simiyu regions, which Ms Robert said could have benefited from the traditional rainmaking methods received rains below average, 600mm, followed by long spells of dry season.
“The government has been implementing irrigation farming technology in Shinyanga and Simiyu regions through different programmes like Rain Water Harvesting Technology,” he clarified.
The biggest challenge, said the Deputy Minister was not lack of rain experts but rather climate changes that has disrupted rain patterns.
Source Tanzania Daily News
