Jamaica Uses Nuclear Technology to Boost Crops, Control Pests, and Improve Health

Jamaica is harnessing nuclear technology to transform its agricultural production, safeguard public health, and strengthen national infrastructure, with the recent launch of a multi-purpose gamma irradiator at the International Centre for Environmental and Nuclear Science (ICENS). This advanced facility, installed with support from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is central to new programmes targeting crop improvement, pest management, food preservation, and even medical equipment sterilization.

Protecting the Future of Blue Mountain Coffee

One of the flagship initiatives benefiting from the irradiator is Jamaica’s mutation breeding programme, designed to protect the country’s world-famous Blue Mountain Arabica coffee from the devastating coffee leaf rust fungus. Since a major outbreak in 2012, this disease has destroyed roughly one-third of Jamaica’s Arabica coffee plants, slashing yields and threatening export revenues.

Charah Watson, Executive Director of Jamaica’s Scientific Research Council, explained that gamma irradiation will be used to trigger beneficial DNA mutations that can produce coffee plants resistant to fungal and bacterial diseases, reduce maturation time, and improve insect resistance. “The goal is to induce traits that can overcome key production constraints,” she said.

Expanding Benefits Beyond Coffee

The new irradiator is not limited to coffee research. It is already being used to develop improved varieties of ginger, yam, and sweet potato — crops vital to Jamaica’s food security and export market. Irradiation offers a non-chemical way to control spoilage, destroy harmful microorganisms, and eliminate insect pests, all without altering taste or aroma.

Charles Grant, Director General of ICENS, noted that the facility’s benefits will extend far beyond agriculture. In the short term, it will focus on crop improvement and pest vector management. In the longer term, ICENS plans to use the technology for shelf-life extension of seasonal crops and to partner with the University Hospital of the West Indies on medical equipment sterilization and skin graft research.

Nuclear Technology Against Pest Threats

The gamma irradiator is also central to combating two major insect threats:

• The West Indian fruit fly, a pest that damages mangoes, plums, apples, and other soft fruits.

• The Aedes aegypti mosquito, carrier of Chikungunya virus, which has severely affected Jamaica’s workforce.

According to Grant, Chikungunya leads to an average 4.9 lost workdays per infected person annually, costing the economy approximately €36 million in productivity losses.

Through IAEA-supported training, Jamaica is scaling up mosquito mass-rearing and irradiation techniques to implement the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). Sherine Huntley-Jones, National Programme Manager for Vector Control at the Ministry of Health and Wellness, stressed that SIT can dramatically reduce mosquito populations and improve public health outcomes.

Building Capacity and Ensuring Safety

Jamaica’s collaboration with the IAEA began with its first Country Programme Framework in 2010, laying the foundation for safe nuclear applications. Key milestones include the passage of the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Act in 2015 and the creation of the Hazardous Substances Regulatory Authority in 2020. Over the past 15 years, Jamaican experts have undergone extensive training in radiation safety, waste management, and nuclear transport protocols.

The IAEA also provided training in plant tissue culturing, screening techniques, and advanced molecular methods, as well as research fellowships in Austria, ensuring that Jamaican scientists can maximise the irradiator’s potential.

A Multi-Sectoral Game-Changer

By combining plant breeding, pest control, and industrial applications under one roof, Jamaica’s gamma irradiator is set to become a national and regional hub for innovation. Its applications — from creating disease-resistant crops to sterilizing medical instruments — reflect a broad, integrated approach to development.

With projects spanning agriculture, health, environment, and trade, the initiative positions Jamaica as a leader in using peaceful nuclear technology to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals, protect livelihoods, and strengthen climate resilience.