* Nuclear science can be applied in agriculture, particularly in livestock production, where it helps detect pests and diseases that frequently affect animals
* It can also be used in developing crop varieties that are more resistant to climate change, thereby improving food security
By Kenneth Zindondo, MANA
Austria-based programme management officer for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Dr. Felix Omonya says nuclear science holds vast potential to contribute to Malawi’s long-term development goals in line with MW2063 national vision.
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He made the remarks during a public lecture organised by the Department of Physics & Biomedical Sciences under the School of Science &Technology at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) in Blantyre.
Omonya urged Malawi to embrace its nuclear science applications towards development, observing that many people still associate the nuclear science technology to destruction rather than development.
He said nuclear science can be applied in agriculture, particularly in livestock production, where it helps detect pests and diseases that frequently affect animals.
He added that nuclear science can also be used in developing crop varieties that are more resistant to climate change, thereby improving food security.
“It can be used in mutation breeding to come up with better crops that are more resistant to climate change and ensure that food remains safe and uncontaminated.”
Omonya further explained that nuclear technology also plays a vital role in industrialisation to improve quality of products in the manufacturing processes.
On his part, Executive Dean for MUBAS’ School of Science & Technology, Associate Professor, Mphatso Kamndaya said the public lecture was timely and impactful to students, adding that it helped demystify nuclear science and sparked academic interest in its practical applications.
“This lecture has created interest and helped them understand what nuclear science truly involves and what is required to pursue it as a field,” he said.
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A third-year student pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Physics, Evelyn Chopi said the session changed her perception of nuclear science and opened her eyes to its real-world benefits.
“I used to think nuclear science was only about weapons, but now I have learnt how it can be used to solve real problems in agriculture and health — it was an eye-opening experience,” she said.
The lecture was held under the theme; ‘Nuclear Science & Technology for Economic and Sustainable Development in line with MW2063’.
