Senior representatives from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have taken a major step toward accelerating the global deployment of nuclear-based agricultural technologies, following a high-level visit to the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture in Seibersdorf, Austria.
The 11–12 February 2026 mission focused on strengthening the pathway from laboratory innovation to large-scale country implementation, with the joint FAO–IAEA Atoms4Food initiative positioned as the primary vehicle to integrate nuclear science into FAO-led development programmes worldwide.
A Strategic Push at a Critical Time
The visit comes amid mounting global food insecurity, driven by intensifying climate shocks, land degradation, water scarcity and biodiversity loss. According to FAO, more than 735 million people faced chronic hunger in 2024, while agrifood systems are under unprecedented strain from extreme weather events and resource depletion.
Against this backdrop, FAO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are accelerating efforts to scale science-based, field-ready solutions capable of strengthening agrifood system resilience.
“The nuclear and related agricultural techniques developed through the Joint Centre are a testament to our more than 60 years of partnership,” said Najat Mokhtar, IAEA Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications. “It is crucial that we continue to build upon these innovations and integrate them into FAO’s regional and country-level work.”
From Lab to Field: Accelerating Technology Transfer
The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre has, for decades, pioneered the application of nuclear and isotopic techniques in agriculture, including:
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Mutation breeding to develop climate-resilient crop varieties
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Sterile insect technique (SIT) to control major agricultural pests
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Isotope hydrology to improve water management
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Soil fertility assessment and nutrient management tools
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Animal health diagnostics and disease control methods
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Food safety and traceability technologies
During the visit, FAO Assistant Directors-General, regional representatives and technical experts toured the Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratories and reviewed applied research platforms, training infrastructure and global technical networks that support national institutions.
“These innovations are practical tools that deliver measurable impact, helping to solve real problems faced by farmers, communities and governments,” said Dongxin Feng, Director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre. “The Atoms4Food initiative embodies our shared ambition to scale up these solutions.”
Atoms4Food: A Flagship Integration Platform
The Atoms4Food initiative — a joint FAO–IAEA strategic framework — is designed to embed nuclear and related technologies into FAO’s operational development portfolio. The goal is to ensure that proven scientific advances move beyond pilot projects and become integrated into national agrifood strategies at scale.
By aligning laboratory-based research with FAO’s country programmes, the initiative seeks to:
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Support climate-resilient crop and livestock systems
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Improve pest and disease control without heavy chemical inputs
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Enhance water-use efficiency in drought-prone regions
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Strengthen food safety systems and export competitiveness
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Build national technical capacity through training and knowledge transfer
“What we witnessed today is how nuclear science, when applied with purpose, can transform food systems on land and in water,” said Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General and Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division.
Focus on Regional Impact, Including Africa
The visit emphasized regional integration, particularly in Africa, where agrifood systems face acute climate vulnerability and productivity gaps.
“Our visit reaffirms the immense potential of science and innovation to accelerate agrifood systems transformation in Africa,” said Abebe Haile Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.
Leaders stressed the importance of tailoring nuclear-based solutions to regional priorities, ensuring technologies are adapted to local agroecological conditions and institutional capacities.
Toward a Joint Action Plan
To operationalize the renewed momentum, FAO and the IAEA will develop a collaborative action plan outlining:
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Regional priority areas
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Mechanisms for coordinated technical support
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Pathways for scaling laboratory innovations
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Clear timelines and joint implementation milestones
The plan aims to make nuclear-based agricultural innovations more accessible, targeted and transformative for countries facing escalating food system pressures.
Reinforcing a 60-Year Partnership
The visit reaffirmed the six-decade partnership between FAO and the IAEA, widely regarded as one of the UN system’s most enduring scientific collaborations. Since its establishment in 1964, the Joint Centre has supported more than 150 countries through technical cooperation projects, capacity building and applied research.
With global food systems increasingly vulnerable to climate volatility and resource stress, both organizations underscored the urgency of translating scientific excellence into measurable country-level impact.
By embedding nuclear science into FAO-led development programming through Atoms4Food, the agencies aim to move from innovation to implementation — ensuring that advanced agricultural technologies directly strengthen resilience, productivity and food security worldwide.