Two UN agencies launch'Atoms4Food' initiative to fight global hunger

New Delhi: The growing demand on natural resources owning to the increasing world population has worsened the food security situation and according to a FOA report, the number of people facing food insecurity has more than doubled since 2020.

According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report, the strain on natutal resources coupled with risks to agriculture posed by climate change has deepened the global worry over feeding the growing numbers of people. The report says that between 691 and 783 million people across the globe experienced hunger.

It is in view of these threats to food security, two UN agencies have come out with a new initiative called the heads of two United Atoms4Food to assist member countries in strategic planning, increasing food production and food safety.

Atoms4Food unveiled during World Food Forum 2023, hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), will be implemented in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and will be run through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.

“The Atoms4Food Initiative seeks to provide Member States with ground-breaking solutions tailored to their specific needs and circumstances, by harnessing the advantages of nuclear techniques along with other advanced technologies,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu and IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

They listed seven services to benefit member states, spanning areas from capacity building, crop varieties, soil and water management, animal health, pest control, food safety and public health and nutrition.

Under the programme, the countries will be supported to use innovative nuclear techniques in enhancing agricultural productivity, reducing food losses, ensuring food safety, improving nutrition, and adapting to the challenges of climate change. It builds on joint FAO/IAEA programmes to provide tailor-made comprehensive support to countries and will be delivered through the IAEA’s and FAO’s established mechanisms and other relevant partners, as appropriate.

Atoms4Food will make us of the almost 60 years of experience that the IAEA and FAO have jointly developed in supporting countries to use nuclear and isotope technology solutions. The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture advances and supports the safe and appropriate use of nuclear and related technologies in food and agriculture to increase global food security and sustainable agricultural development worldwide. Nuclear science offers innovative tools to grow stronger, healthier, safer crops and to protect food sources to sustain our lives.

—India News Stream

Share