Central African Republic — Using Nuclear Techniques for Development, Amid Obstacles
<p>After years of insecurity and internal strife, authorities and scientists from the Central African Republic are again turning to nuclear techniques and nuclear-related techniques for development. From increasing soil fertility to developing improved plant varieties and understanding their water resources, they are now picking up speed with the help of the IAEA and its partners.</p>
<p>Check this photo essay to see how things are moving in various fields.</p>
<p>STOPPING THE SPREAD OF ANIMAL DISEASES:</p>
<p>Scientists in central Africa are joining forces through the IAEA to prevent the spread of diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, known as zoonotic diseases.</p>
<p>For example, with the support of the IAEA, Abel Wade (left), Director of the National Veterinary Laboratory (LANAVET) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, spent one week in Bangui, Central African Republic. During this time, he exchanged expertise with other scientists in identifying animal diseases using nuclear-derived techniques.</p>
<p>The veterinary scientist’s first stop was the Institut Pasteur in Bangui, a research and education foundation.</p>
<p>He shared his expertise and experience with staff from the Institute and researchers from the University of Bangui in stopping the spread of a dangerous zoonotic disease that affected Cameroon: avian influenza.</p>
<p>WATER:</p>
<p>In the Sahel, the majority of people depend on groundwater as the main source of water supply.</p>
<p>Over the past years, the number of wells and irrigation systems in various aquifers has increased and, without adequate regulation, this risks to either contaminate or exhaust this valuable resource.</p>
<p>In cooperation with 12 other countries in the Sahel and with the support of the IAEA, scientists have been taking samples from groundwater in the Lake Chad Basin in northern Central African Republic.</p>
<p>Using isotopic techniques and collaborating with neighbouring countries, the scientists have so far delineated the source of water of the main aquifer at the Lake Chad Basin for the very first time: rivers that come from northern Central African Republic.</p>
<p>Knowing where the groundwater comes from will now help policymakers protect it against pollution. They have also untapped a deeper source of water previously unknown which will be further explored.</p>
<p>Knowing where the groundwater comes from will help policymakers protect it against pollution.</p>
<p>PLANT BREEDING:</p>
<p>Cassava — or manioc, as it is known in the region — is the most consumed food in central Africa. It contains plenty of starch, calcium, phosphorous, protein and vitamin C. Crucially, it can grow in harsh environments when adequate nutrients are added to the soil.</p>
But even such a resilient plant needs protection — not all varieties resist to climate change and disease.
The IAEA, in cooperation with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, is using irradiation techniques to improve cassava and enable it to resist adverse climate conditions and diseases such as the mosaic virus and the brown streak virus disease in the Central African Republic.
In 2016, scientists at the IAEA laboratories in Austria irradiated cassava cuttings, which are now planted in the Central African Republic for testing.
Geralde Gado Yamba Kassa, a researcher who spent six months as a visiting fellow at the IAEA’s laboratories between 2015 and 2016, checks which ones resist and which ones do not. “There is a tremendous opportunity to increase production in this country,” she says.
<p>SOIL FERTILITY:</p>
<p>A new FAO/IAEA project to increase soil fertility is expected to be launched next year. International scientists will train locals on the use of nuclear-derived techniques to measure nitrogen quantities in soil with the aim of optimizing the use of nitrogen fertilizer.</p>
Locals collect soil samples from a Cassava field near Bangui so that scientists can assess the status of the soil's nutrients and fertility back in their lab.
Photo: M. Zaman/IAEA
Here, they are examining the soil profile to conduct a soil health and quality assessment.
Photo: M. Zaman/IAEA
<p>RADIATION PROTECTION:</p>
<p>In 2013, the country’s National Agency for Radiation Protection — created with IAEA support to ensure safety in handling radioactive sources in the mining industry — suffered a blow. Rebels burnt their building, with all the equipment.</p>
<p>Here, Director General Gilbert Guido stands amongst the ruins of what used to be his office.</p>
<p>Today, he manages a team of 13 specialists trained by the IAEA who continue to benefit from IAEA fellowships and scientific visits. Guido looks forward to restarting the work done before the eruption of the conflict.</p>
<p>“We do not have the equipment, but we have the people. With trained people, we hope to start again from the ashes.”</p>
<p>Photos and text: L. Gil/IAEA</p>
