Nuclear technologies for global food security: FAO regions unite to drive innovation in agrifood systems

Vienna, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary

Senior leaders of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concluded a high-level visit to the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture on 12 February 2026, emphasizing a shared commitment to scaling up science-based and innovative solutions to address food insecurity, malnutrition and sustainability challenges across regions. FAO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) work together to assist Members in using nuclear and related technologies safely and appropriately.

The visit brought together FAO Assistant Directors-General and Regional Representatives from all five FAO regions. In attendance were Alue Dohong (Asia and the Pacific), Abdulhakim Elwaer (Near East and North Africa), Abebe Haile-Gabriel (Africa), Viorel Gutu (Europe and Central Asia), and Rene Orellana Halkyer (Latin America and the Caribbean). The programme provided a framework to deepen institutional understanding of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre’s mandate and to identify concrete opportunities for strengthened collaboration in support of FAO and IAEA Members, particularly in the context of the upcoming 2026 FAO Regional Conferences.

Advancing innovation through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre

For more than 60 years, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre has served as a unique driver of innovation, advancing the safe, effective and responsible use of nuclear and related technologies to strengthen global food security and support sustainable agrifood systems transformation. Anchored in its five specialized laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre functions as a global hub for research, innovation, capacity development and technology transfer.

The visit served as a key milestone in preparing for the 2026 FAO Regional Conferences, which present a strategic opportunity to raise awareness among Members of the added value of nuclear technologies, identify region-specific priorities, and strengthen joint FAO/IAEA engagement under the Atoms4Food Initiative. Atoms4Food, launched jointly by FAO and the IAEA, provides a framework for expanding the use of nuclear and isotopic technologies to enhance agricultural productivity, climate resilience, food safety and nutrition outcomes.

The visit is particularly timely for Europe and Central Asia, as the region faces increasing pressures from climate variability, soil and water degradation, transboundary pests and diseases, and growing food safety and environmental sustainability requirements. Nuclear and isotopic techniques offer precise, science-based solutions to support climate-smart agriculture, efficient resource use and strengthened food safety systems while reinforcing evidence-based policymaking. 

On 11 February, the FAO delegation visited the FAO/IAEA Agriculture and Biotechnology Laboratories in Seibersdorf. The programme included technical briefings and guided tours of laboratories focused on food safety and control, animal production and health, soil and water management and crop nutrition, plant breeding and genetics, insect pest control, and greenhouse facilities. The exchanges showcased how cutting-edge nuclear techniques can deliver precise, cost-effective and scalable solutions aligned with FAO’s Science and Innovation Strategy and regional transformation priorities.

Viorel Gutu, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Europe and Central Asia, expressed his appreciation for this joint collaboration.

“This visit to the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre is a testament to FAO’s commitment to working as One FAO and to strengthening collaboration across regions, technical divisions and partners,” he said. “In a diverse region such as Europe and Central Asia, we face varied challenges related to water scarcity, land degradation and zoonotic diseases, exacerbated by the effects of climate change and conflict. It is important that we leverage nuclear-based technologies that offer powerful and effective solutions for climate-smart agriculture, food safety, soil and water management and animal health.”

On 12 February, discussions continued at the Vienna International Centre at a high-level meeting with Najat Mokhtar, Deputy Director-General and Head of the Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, and Hua Liu, Deputy Director-General and Head of Department of Technical Cooperation of the IAEA. The programme also included an engaging brainstorming session to enhance collaboration to leverage technologies developed through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre and implementation of solutions in the field.

“This visit underscores that nuclear science and innovation achieve greater impact when advanced in close collaboration with our regional and country offices,” said Dongxin Feng, Director of the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, “ensuring that these solutions reach those who need them most.”

Strengthening interregional FAO coordination in Budapest

Ahead of the meeting in Vienna, the delegation of FAO regional representatives convened briefly in Budapest on 10 February for a joint visit to the FAO Shared Services Centre and the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia. At the Shared Services Centre, participants were briefed on the centre’s role in supporting FAO’s global operations through efficient and integrated service delivery.

The visit continued at the Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, where discussions focused on regional priorities, programme implementation and the role of decentralized offices in supporting Members, with special attention paid to the FAO partnership programmes and South-South and Triangular Cooperation projects in the region.  The regional representatives identified key thematic areas where knowledge sharing and lessons learned are especially important, such as water management, transboundary diseases and locust control, which pose concerns across the five FAO regions. All parties agreed about the importance of expanding discussions on the topics of interregional collaboration.

Together, the Budapest and Vienna visits underscored FAO’s integrated approach to science, innovation and partnership, reinforcing its commitment to harnessing cutting-edge technologies to achieve better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life for all, leaving no one behind.