Costa Rica paves the way for climate-smart agriculture (Spanish Edition)

Costa Rica's Government is using nuclear techniques to reconcile two objectives: to become carbon neutral, while also remaining the world's number one producer of pineapples, which require a significant amount of fertilizer. With the help of the IAEA and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Costa Rican experts are exploring the use of nuclear technology to help producers grow fruit and other crops more efficiently and ecologically. They are testing how a new type of soil additive could help cut down the use of pesticides and fertilizers, as well as reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. University of Costa Rica's Environmental Pollution Research Center (CICA) experts are working with the IAEA and the FAO to use biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from natural residues. In other parts of the world, biochar has been shown to improve soil fertility while helping to reduce the negative impact of chemicals on the environment.