Mauritius and United States partner to advance agricultural innovation with new X-Ray Irradiator launch

Mauritius marked a major milestone in agricultural innovation and bio-security with the official launch of a state-of-the-art X-Ray irradiator, yesterday, in Réduit.

Donated to the Entomology Division of the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, the cutting-edge equipment was provided by the United States (US) Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Radiological Security (ORS) in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. It marks an important milestone in strengthening Mauritius’ Sterile Insect Technique programme (SIT), and advancing the use of safer, modern irradiation technology.

The Minister of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Dr Arvin Boolell; the Junior Minister of the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Mr Gilles Fabrice David; and the Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy, Mr Craig Halbmaier, were in attendance. A video clip on fruit fly management was launched on the occasion.

In his address, Minister Boolell underscored the critical role of the Entomology Division, describing it as a vital link in the agricultural sector that ensured strict compliance with sanitary and standards. He commended the division’s steady development, noting that the acquisition of state-of-the-art equipment marked a major step forward in its technological transformation.

Dr Arvin Boolell expressed his profound gratitude to the US Government for its continued support and valuable contribution to this technology transfer. He lauded the US for its unwavering commitment to cutting-edge research, emphasising that their pioneering approach kept them at the forefront of global innovation.

Moreover, the Minister stressed that technical innovation must always progress in tandem with robust safety and biosecurity protocols. He further noted that with this new capability, Mauritius was uniquely positioned to serve as a regional benchmark and model. “Realising this vision,” he added, “will require proactive information exchange and close collaboration with regional partners.”

Ultimately, the Minister concluded that Mauritius had the potential to serve as a micro laboratory for food safety and security across the African continent.

For his part, the US Chargé d’ Affaires highlighted the enduring partnership between the US Department of Energy and Mauritius to advance radiological security across the Indian Ocean region. Underpinning Mauritius’ role as a regional leader in radiological security, he said that the ORS had gifted advanced X-ray sterilisation equipment to support these ongoing efforts.

According to Mr Craig Halbmaier this technology would empower Mauritian researchers to tackle the most challenging fruit fly species, conduct groundbreaking research, and share vital data with the United States and other nations facing similar agricultural threats.

“The collaboration would also yield the first-ever published evaluation of X-ray sterilisation for two specific fruit fly species, further strengthening economic and food security for both nations,” he indicated.

X-ray irradiator

The equipment is particularly important to Mauritius’ SIT project, which uses sterile insects as an environmentally friendly approach to managing fruit flies and protecting crops. The X-ray irradiator provides a safe and reliable alternative to conventional radioactive-source-based irradiation for sterilising insects used in the SIT programme.

By eliminating the need for radioactive sources, the technology will contribute to enhanced radiological security, operational safety, and the greater flexibility in the management of irradiation activities.

It will also strengthen local technical capacity, support research and development and improve the sustainability of SIT operations.

03 September 2026

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Topics: Agriculture

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