Malaysia is turning to nuclear technology to tackle some of the agriculture sector’s biggest challenges, including water management, rice productivity and the impact of climate change.
The effort will see Agensi Nuklear Malaysia and the Muda Agricultural Development Authority (MADA) work together on research and applications of nuclear technology in the MADA rice-growing areas, following the exchange of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at MAHA 2026 today.
The collaboration will focus on using nuclear technology for hydrology and water resource management, including groundwater monitoring, sedimentation studies and assessments of irrigation infrastructure.
It will also cover smart agrotechnology for rice cultivation, with research into soil, nutrient and water management, Internet of Things (IoT) applications and the use of isotope techniques to monitor crop pests and diseases.
Another area is the verification of rice seed authenticity to support the production of quality seeds and improve crop productivity.
Nuklear Malaysia and MADA are also exploring rice varieties that can better withstand climate change, alongside improved hydrological forecasting to make the management and distribution of water for rice-growing areas more efficient.
The partnership will include joint supervision for Master’s and PhD studies, as well as technology transfer and human capital development to build local expertise in nuclear technology, hydrology and agrotechnology.
The collaboration comes as Malaysia seeks to strengthen food security and make its agriculture sector more resilient to climate and resource pressures.
Nuklear Malaysia said the work is aligned with the National Nuclear Technology Policy 2030 (DTNN 2030), which seeks to expand the use of nuclear technology across strategic sectors of the economy.
The agency said nuclear technology could contribute to higher agricultural productivity, more efficient use of resources, greater crop resilience and more sustainable water management.
