The Horn of Africa faced its worst drought in over 60 years, causing famine and affecting around 12 million people in Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti, and Somalia. Crop failures and food shortages forced hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes. This was the third consecutive year of drought in the region. Despite meteorological forecasts predicting below-normal rains, ATMOSPHERICA (formerly Aquiess Pty Ltd) presented a proposal for immediate acquisition of rainfall at the UN FAO Emergency Summit in Rome.
The project's execution brought above-average rains and double the recent 17-year average harvest, leading to improved food security outcomes and reduced cereal prices in vulnerable areas. Watch the Aquiess event-summary from the Emergency Summit, for more details:
Wimmera, Victoria experienced crop losses and drought due to failed spring rains in September 2018. The ATMOSPHERICA team took on the client's request to deliver targeted rainfall within 20 days. The project started on September 20, 2018, and was announced on Twitter on September 28, 2018. The Wimmera Rainfall Group, along with supporters and shareholders, observed the project's progress. The client's target of 15 to 50mm of rain was achieved within the specified timeframe. The secondary target of substantial timely rainfall across winter cropping regions received between 10 to 50mm within 27 days.
The successful outcome, valued at "hundreds of millions of dollars," was reported in the Wimmera Mail Times.
During the winter cropping season of 2019, Australia experienced its worst drought in living memory. Ten Wimmera farmers engaged with us for season-long contracts starting on May 1, 2019. The Wimmera Rainfall Group, along with supporters and shareholders, diligently observed and monitored the project.
The client group's specific target in the Wimmera region received significant rainfall, successfully meeting tri-monthly project parameters. In fact, due to ample subsoil moisture, there were even requests to "reduce rainfall" made in July and August.
The outcome was an exceptional season, considered "one of the best in living memory" for the Wimmera region. Record-breaking yields and the precise timing of rainfall validated ATMOSPHERICA's DroughtBreaker service provision throughout the entire growing season. The project not only protected community and region, but assisted delivery of record-breaking cereal crop yields.