IAEA and FAO Celebrate 60-Year Milestone in Advancing Nuclear Techniques for Agriculture

The Joint Centre has always been a hub of innovation, delivering solutions to some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture. In the -mid-1960s- it contributed to the Green Revolution by developing isotopic tracers and assisting Asian rice producing countries in using these tracers. Nuclear and isotopic techniques developed at the Joint Centre enabled countries to establish more efficient fertilizer practices, develop standardized methodologies for plant mutation and promote the successful use of mutant crop varieties, boosting yields and improving crop adaptability. 

Speaking at the 2024 Ministerial Conference, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized the relevance of these innovations in today’s context, where nearly 9 per cent of the global population suffers from chronic hunger and 600 million people are projected to remain undernourished by 2030. “Our partnership has empowered nations to produce more with less,” QU said, pointing to the urgent need for science-driven solutions to address overlapping crises of poverty, food insecurity and climate change. 

The success of the partnership has had impacts in several areas, including animal production and health and insect pest control. In Zanzibar, for example, the Joint Centre’s work led to the eradication of the tsetse fly in 1996, a vector for the debilitating disease nagana, through the use of the sterile insect technique. This breakthrough not only improved animal and human health but also revitalized local economies.  

In recent years, the FAO-IAEA collaboration has responded to the climate crisis with projects such as sending seeds into space to develop crops capable of withstanding extreme conditions. Meanwhile, isotopic techniques have helped countries like Laos increase rice yields through sustainable nutrient management. These projects share a common purpose — to advance agriculture in countries around the world.

A high-level dialogue during the event featuring representatives from China, Italy, Peru, Sudan and the United States of America testified to the Joint Centre’s impact over the decades, highlighting how nuclear techniques have transformed agriculture. 

The Atoms4Food Initiative, launched in 2023 to expand the impact of nuclear science on sustainable agrifood systems, further strengthens the FAO-IAEA collaboration. “Atoms4Food focuses on providing Member States with tailored solutions to their unique agricultural and environmental challenges,” Mr Grossi explained, adding that the initiative is a testament to the continued commitment of the IAEA and FAO to global food security.

Building on six decades of achievements, the IAEA and FAO, through the Joint Centre, are charting a course for the future that leverages collaboration and nuclear science for agriculture to increase global food security and help transform the world.