WESTERN KENYA – The Nuclear Power and Energy Agency (NuPEA) of Kenya is set to adopt Atoms4Food Technology, a nuclear-based approach, to improve sugarcane production in Western Kenya. This initiative aims to utilize advanced nuclear technology for agricultural benefits, enhancing both crop quality and yield.
According to Kenya News Agency, Justus Wabuyabo, the agency will collaborate with counties, higher education institutions, sugar companies, and research institutions to implement this technology. The Atoms4Food Technology, recently launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), uses nuclear technology to produce healthier and safer food, thereby bolstering food security.
NuPEA has already demonstrated its capability to support agricultural research, as seen through its collaboration with Chuka University in developing animal feeds and aiding Moi University in creating drought-resistant wheat varieties. Wabuyabo emphasized NuPEA’s intent to work with Western Kenya counties to develop high-yielding, drought-resistant, early-maturing sugarcane with high sucrose content, aiming to boost the economic benefits for local farmers.
Another significant aspect of this initiative is the adoption of Food Irradiation technology. This technique could significantly reduce post-harvest losses in the Rift Valley and Western Kenya, where farmers often lose over 30% of their harvest to pests, diseases, and insects. Food Irradiation can kill diseases, insects, and pests, and also helps in preserving food.
Wabuyabo highlighted Israel’s successful use of nuclear technology in agriculture, producing surplus food despite being a desert country. The technology ensures crops receive optimal nutrients and water for maximum yields. He also noted the broader role of nuclear energy in achieving the Global Development Agenda and its alignment with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Kenya Kwanza bottom-up economic transformation agenda.
The construction of a nuclear power plant in Kilifi, scheduled to begin in 2027 and commissioning in 2034, is expected to provide long-term benefits across various sectors, including agriculture, medicine, human health, water resource management, industrial processes, education, and research and training. Wabuyabo assured that all applications of nuclear technology by NuPEA would be implemented safely.
In tandem with NuPEA’s efforts, Governor Fernandes Barasa announced plans by the Lake Region Economic Bloc to establish a Sugar Research Institute at Masinde Muliro University. This Institute aims to enhance the profitability of sugarcane farming. The University already has a department dealing with Sugar Technology and is involved in producing clean planting materials for sugarcane and researching by-products like molasses, bagasse, and alcohol.
The Vice-Chancellor of Masinde Muliro University, Prof. Solom Shibairo, stated that the University is ready to partner with Kakamega County and other lake region counties in research and capacity building for the sugarcane industry.