Abu Dhabi-UAE – The UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science (UAEREP) has announced the official launch of its Sixth Cycle project titled “Rainfall Enhancement through Modification of Land Cover and Land Form (RAINLAND),” during a multi-city roadshow held in Germany from 7 to 11 July 2026.

The roadshow commenced with a formal kick-off meeting with Dr. Oliver Branch, Senior Scientist and Head Coordinator of the Land–Atmosphere Feedback Observatory at the Institute of Physics and Meteorology, University of Hohenheim, Germany, who leads RAINLAND the project. The meeting marked the start of the project’s scientific and operational implementation phase, during which researchers will investigate the potential of land surface and terrain modifications in influencing atmospheric processes to support rainfall formation.

His Excellency Dr. Abdulla Al Mandous, President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and Chairman of the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), said: “NCM remains committed to supporting UAEREP in broadening its engagement with leading researchers and international scientific institutions. Through initiatives such as this roadshow, the program continues to leverage international scientific expertise through collaborative research partnerships, reinforcing the UAE’s position in the development of innovative rain enhancement science and technologies. Such engagements also create meaningful opportunities for knowledge exchange and provide valuable insights into advanced meteorological research and operational practices.”

For her part, Alya Al Mazroui, Director of UAEREP and Director of the Research and Weather Enhancement Department at NCM, said: “The launch of the RAINLAND project marks an important step forward in advancing research that explores the role of land surface processes in influencing rainfall patterns, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. By enabling pioneering research of this nature, UAEREP supports the development of more effective and sustainable rain enhancement approaches. The Germany roadshow further underscores this commitment by aligning with global research priorities, and fostering partnerships that drive long-term scientific advancement and innovation in support of water security.”

The roadshow featured a series of high-level meetings and institutional engagements aimed at exploring opportunities for scientific collaboration with leading German research institutions and organizations working in the fields of atmospheric and environmental sciences in Stuttgart, Karlsruhe and Frankfurt. The engagements provided an opportunity to benchmark advanced German methodologies, particularly in statistical measurement, atmospheric observation, cloud microphysics and atmospheric modeling, to help inform UAEREP’s future research strategy and development priorities.

As part of the program, the UAEREP delegation participated in the inaugural Pan-GLASS 2026 Conference, organized by the Institute of Physics and Meteorology of the University of Hohenheim from 9 to 10 July. During the conference, UAEREP presented a scientific poster entitled “A Decade of UAEREP: Advancing Land–Atmosphere Pathways for Water Security in Arid Regions,” which highlighted the program’s contributions over the past decade to advancing rain enhancement science and enhancing understanding of land–atmosphere interactions in water-scarce environments.

At the University of Hohenheim, the UAEREP delegation attended a presentation by Prof. Dr. Volker Wulfmeyer, a First Cycle awardee and Managing Director of the Institute of Physics and Meteorology, and Chair of Physics and Meteorology at the University of Hohenheim. The presentation, titled “The Land–Atmosphere Feedback Initiative: A Research Unit of the German Research Foundation to Improve the Understanding of Land–Atmosphere Feedback Over Heterogeneous Terrain,” highlighted ongoing efforts to advance scientific understanding of land–atmosphere interactions and their role in atmospheric processes. The delegation also toured the Land–Atmosphere Feedback Observatory (LAFO), where they were introduced to the advanced instrumentation and observational data infrastructure supporting the international Land–Atmosphere Feedback Initiative (LAFI) project.

The roadshow also included an institutional visit to the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), one of Europe’s leading research universities, where the delegation explored opportunities for scientific cooperation and gained insights into advanced research in cloud microphysics, aerosol physics, atmospheric measurements and modeling. The roadshow concluded in Frankfurt with a bilateral visit to Germany’s National Meteorological Service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), where discussions focused on opportunities for enhanced cooperation in operational meteorology, atmospheric research, and the exchange of scientific knowledge and expertise.

The latest roadshow forms part of UAEREP’s broader efforts to engage leading researchers and internationally recognized weather modification and land–atmosphere science communities, while building a stronger network of scientific and institutional partners to support future research cycles, innovation initiatives, and the long-term impact of rain enhancement science.