Agricultural productivity is increasingly being shaped by technologies that help farmers use scarce water, nutrients and land more efficiently, with nuclear science emerging as another tool in the push for higher yields and stronger food security.
Rwanda is preparing to join Atoms4Food, an initiative of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that applies nuclear and isotopic techniques across agrifood systems. The move was announced by Infrastructure Minister Armand Zingiro during the IAEA’s 70th General Conference in Vienna from 14 to 18 September 2026.
The programme is designed to support countries in improving crop and livestock productivity, managing water and natural resources, reducing food losses, strengthening food safety and nutrition, and building resilience to climate change. Some of the most practical applications involve isotopic techniques that can trace how crops absorb water and nutrients. This can give farmers and researchers a clearer understanding of crop requirements and support more precise use of inputs.
Food irradiation offers another application, helping protect agricultural products against certain pathogens and extend shelf life. Radiation can also support the sterile insect technique, which is used to suppress populations of specific crop pests. The technology is already producing measurable results elsewhere on the continent.
In Kenya, thousands of farmers using isotopic techniques alongside adapted farming practices increased yields by 17% to 20% while reducing fertiliser costs by 20%, according to an IAEA publication. The approach helped identify crop requirements for water and nutrients more accurately. Namibia has also recorded gains through an IAEA-supported project launched in 2020. An evaluation in 2023 found that participating farms improved irrigation water-use efficiency by more than 80% and increased yields by as much as 70%.
These results provide practical benchmarks as Rwanda looks to strengthen the efficiency of its agricultural resources. The timing also aligns with Kigali’s broader agricultural transformation agenda. Under the Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation, the government aims to increase irrigated agricultural land to 132,171 hectares by 2029 from 71,549 hectares in 2024.
The expansion of irrigation could create further applications for technologies capable of tracking water movement and nutrient uptake, particularly as climate variability places greater pressure on agricultural resources. Rwanda’s proposed participation in Atoms4Food therefore extends beyond the conventional association of nuclear technology with energy. Its potential value lies in applying nuclear science where better measurement can translate into more efficient resource use, higher productivity and reduced losses.
The next step will be determining which applications deliver the greatest value against Rwanda’s specific agricultural priorities and ensuring that the technology is supported by the expertise and infrastructure required to turn scientific data into practical farm-level decisions.
