Emerging technologies

for safe agricultural and food production:

Nuclear technology applications

Qu Liang
Director, Joint FAO/IAEA Division

Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Outline
Agriculture and food production chain
Nuclear techniques applications
Technical transfer and capacity building
for Member Countries

Agricultural and Food Production Value Chain

Critical Points
Production
Processing
Storage and transportation

Food Value Chains: from farm to fork

The food chain connects three important sectors:
Agricultural Production

Increasing productivity
Reducing loss
Sustainable use of natural resources
Protecting environment

Food Manufacture
Reducing post harvest loss
Ensuring food safety
Maintaining quality

Distribution
Minimizing food deterioration
Avoiding food contamination
Promoting international trade

Nuclear Applications in Food and Agriculture

Insect Pest Control

by sterile insect techniques

Animal Production &

Health
by stable isotopic and
molecular techniques

Nuclear
Techniques

Plant Breeding &

Genetics
by mutation induction

Soil & Water Management

& Crop Nutrition

Food & Environmental

Protection

by isotopic and nuclear techniques

by food irradiation and isotopic

- analytical techniques

Nuclear Applications
for agricultural and food production
To increase crop and livestock productivity with better
adaptation to climate change
To improve soil and water management
To increase fertilizer use efficiency
To control some key insect pests biologically

To contribute to control of transboundary animal disease

To improve food safety and quality by food irradiation
To promote international food trade and market access
To ensure food safety along the food chain

Competitive Advantages of Nuclear Techniques

Traceability Isotopic tracers as marker
Radioactivity Induced genetic variation,
sterility, sterilization
Measurability Radio and stable isotope
measurable
Accuracy More accurate than conventional
analytical methods
Specificity Unique sensitivity and specificity

Plant Breeding and Genetics

Improving crop cultivars by using mutation
breeding techniques

Developing mutant varieties with better

adaptation to climate change

Increasing efficiency of mutation breeding through

application of modern biotechnology

Enhancing biodiversity for crop improvement

Infographic animation show: Plant Mutation Breeding

(see: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/resources-nafa/Plant-Mutation-breeding.mp4)

Plant Mutation Breeding

Animal Production and Health

Diagnostic tests (early and rapid diagnostic technologies)
Avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, Newcastle disease,
contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, brucellosis, Rift Valley
fever, African swine fever, Capripoxvirus diseases
Tracing of transboundary animals and their diseases
Monitoring and tracing migratory pathways of
transboundary animal diseases
Development/evaluation/validation of irradiated vaccines
More effective and broad spectrum of protection
Improving animal nutrition and local breeds
Increasing animal nutrition by using local animal breeds
Improving production traits (more and better milk and meat)

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Infographic animation show: Animal Disease Control

(see: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/resources-nafa/Avian-Influenza-LR.mp4)

Animal Disease Control

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Food Irradiation
ENSURE FOOD
HYGIENE

OVERCOME
QUARANTINE
BARRIERS
GRAPES

SHRIMP

MEAT

CHICKEN

SPICES

extending
shelf life

MANGOS

FOOD
SAFETY

CONTROL
PESTS

ORANGES CUT FLOWERS

FACILITATE AND
PROMOTE TRADE

Infographic animation show: Food Irradiation

(see: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/resources-nafa/food-irradiation.mp4)

Food Irradiation

Food Safety and Quality Control

Monitoring and tracing technology
Food forensics --- Stable Isotope finger printing

techniques
Traceability --- tracing contaminants techniques
Authenticity --- food origin determination

Analytical technology
Agrochemical residues analysis
Contaminant analysis

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Infographic animation show: Food Traceability Technique

(see: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/resources-nafa/food-traceability.mp4)

Food Traceability Technique

Soil and Water Management & Crop Nutrition

Quantifying soil erosion and land degradation for costeffective soil conservation at watershed level

Tracing water and nutrient pathways (incl. GHG) for

improved water and fertilizer use efficiency
Determining contribution of organic sources to sustainable
soil organic carbon sequestration
Understanding climate change impact in food and
agriculture for enhancing climate change adaptation mitigation

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Infographic animation show: Nitrogen Management

(see: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/resources-nafa/Managing-Nitrogen-LR.mp4)

Nitrogen Management

Insect Pest Control

Using the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT)
Control of major plant pest
Control of livestock pest

Control of mosquitoes
Development of genetic sexing and other
methodologies

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Infographic animation show: Sterile Insect Technique

(see: http://www-naweb.iaea.org/nafa/resources-nafa/SITforWEB.mp4)

Sterile Insect Technique

Our Mandate
The Joint FAO/IAEA Programme assists Member
States in the use of nuclear techniques and related
biotechnologies for sustainable agriculture and food
security
Support and coordinate research (CRP)
Provide technical support and policy advice (TCP)
Offer laboratory support and training
Collect, analyse and disseminate information

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Programme Delivery
From the lab to the field

NARS in
Developing
Countries

Other
international
organizations

Coordinate and Support

CGIAR
Centres

CRP

IAEA
Collaboration
Centres

Institutions
in Developed
Countries

Other
international
organizations

TCP
NARS in
Developing
Countries

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Sample of Success Stories

Contribution to Global freedom from rinderpest
Control of fruit flies in the Latin America and the
Caribbean Region
More than 3200 plant mutation varieties released
Eradication of tsetse fly in Zanzibar Island, Tanzania

Regional analytical lab networks for food safety

Water saving agriculture in 60 African countries

Thank You

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