Scientists have analyzed a portion of the land surrounding the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and declared it suitable for agriculture.

For the first time, experts have recognized Ukrainian lands that were excluded from cultivation after the Chornobyl accident in 1986 as appropriate for agricultural use. For more than 30 years, the 2,000 square kilometer area had remained semi-abandoned. However, due to natural radioactive decay and soil erosion, the level of contamination has significantly decreased.

Scientists assessed the radiation contamination of approximately 100 hectares of land in the Zhytomyr region and predicted the absorption levels of radioactive elements by common agricultural crops. Experts concluded that the effective radiation dose for agricultural workers is significantly lower than the national regulatory safety limit established in Ukraine. Additionally, the radiation level was considerably lower than the natural radiation background typical for most regions of the world.

Provided that Ukrainian food safety standards are followed, a significant number of crops can be safely cultivated in these areas. Scientists are urging Ukrainian authorities to update the zoning map of the Chornobyl area to permit limited legal agriculture.