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Food supply

Enhancing Biodiversity and Food Safety through Advanced Mutation Techniques

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

A Regional Training Course on Advanced Mutation Breeding Techniques for the Improvement of Nutritional Quality concluded at the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) in Pakistan, bringing together 30 participants from 14 IAEA member states. The course, facilitated by IAEA experts from China and Bulgaria, focused on innovative approaches to address climate change, malnutrition, water scarcity, and emerging pathogens in agriculture. Pakistan's Director General of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Prof Dr Muhammad Youssef Saleem, emphasized the need for biodiversity enhancement and mutation techniques to ensure food security and safety.

Key Takeaways:

  • The world will require new medicines, pharmaceuticals, and food sources over the next 25 years, making biodiversity enhancement and the use of mutation techniques crucial for sustainable progress.
  • Pakistan's rapidly growing population and exposure to climate change demand innovative approaches in agriculture and food science.
  • Mutation breeding offers solutions to challenges such as climate change, malnutrition, water scarcity, and emerging pathogens by altering the genetic architecture of crops and livestock.
  • Pakistan is committed to advancing food safety standards through the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and is ready to collaborate globally through IAEA-led initiatives.
  • NIAB has been a designated IAEA Collaborating Centre in Food and Agriculture since [No specific date mentioned] and has been recognized globally for its nuclear applications in crop improvement, soil management, and plant nutrition.
  • Pakistan has hosted its third IAEA regional training course in 2025, with the first two courses held in previous years, but exact dates not provided.
  • The course included interactive sessions, laboratory demonstrations, and field visits, strengthening regional technical cooperation in agricultural biotechnology.
  • Pakistan's collaboration with the IAEA is bearing fruit for the Asia-Pacific region, and NIAB remains committed to promoting a culture of scientific exchange and innovation.
  • Mutation breeding techniques can improve the genetic architecture of crops and livestock, enabling them to respond better to environmental pressures.
  • Pakistan's agricultural biotechnology sector is growing rapidly, with the government investing in research and development to improve crop yields and nutritional quality.
  • The IAEA has recognized Pakistan's "consistent and leading role" in supporting regional capacity building in agricultural biotechnology.

Statistics:

  • The course was attended by 30 participants from 14 IAEA member states.
  • The training course was the third IAEA regional training course hosted by Pakistan through NIAB in 2025.
  • [No specific statistics on the number of food insecure people or the percentage of food wasted mentioned]
  • [No specific data on the genetic improvement of crops or livestock through mutation breeding techniques provided]
  • [No data on the number of researchers or farmers trained in mutation breeding techniques mentioned]

Sources:

  • Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC)
  • Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB)
  • International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
  • Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC)
  • Prof Dr Muhammad Youssef Saleem, Director General of Agriculture and Biotechnology, PAEC
  • Dr Uzma Maqbool, Director NIAB
  • Dr Ziaul Qamar, Course Director from NIAB
  • Dr Kai Wang, IAEA expert from China

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