IAEA Scientific Forum 2024 Launches Atoms4Food Initiative to Combat Global Food Insecurity

Liu Jing, Vice Chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority, reaffirmed China’s commitment to collaborating with the IAEA to advance nuclear applications in agriculture.

The 2024 IAEA Scientific Forum, themed Atoms4Food: Better Agriculture for a Better Life, opened alongside the 68th IAEA General Conference, highlighting how nuclear technology can address global food insecurity. With over 260 participants, including high-level officials and ministers, the event focused on the tangible contributions of nuclear science to agriculture and food security.

In his opening remarks, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi emphasized the urgent need for solutions. "The issue of food security has reappeared with particular intensity. Countries do not need more speeches or policy papers. What they need is solutions," said Mr. Grossi, noting that nuclear techniques such as drought-resistant crops and isotopic hydrology are already providing practical results. The Atoms4Food initiative, he explained, aims to offer services that enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability globally.

Abdulhamid Alkhalifa, President of the OPEC Fund for International Development, underscored the importance of partnerships, stating that combining financial resources with nuclear technologies can strengthen food security in vulnerable regions. Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, highlighted the need for innovative agricultural transformations in Africa to address inequalities and food shortages, pointing to the use of food irradiation to extend crop shelf life.

Liu Jing, Vice Chairman of the China Atomic Energy Authority, reaffirmed China’s commitment to collaborating with the IAEA to advance nuclear applications in agriculture. Similarly, Sidi Tiémoko Toure from Côte d'Ivoire expressed Africa’s hope in the Atoms4Food initiative to combat food insecurity across the continent.

Leila Benali, from Morocco’s Ministry of Energy Transition, reflected on Morocco’s long-standing partnership with the IAEA in utilizing nuclear technologies for agriculture and water management. Fernando Mattos of Uruguay and Giorgio Silli of Italy also emphasized the role of nuclear technologies in addressing poverty, food security, and sustainability.

The forum continues with technical sessions, delving into the innovative nuclear applications aimed at improving food security worldwide.