Arshad Mahmood Awan

Climate change seriously threatens global food security, sustainable development and poverty eradication. Nuclear techniques offer substantial advantages over conventional methods. Therefore, owing to monumental challenges, the IAEA and other organizations help their Member States to operate these techniques to measure the impact of climate change and adapt to its effects, helping to improve agriculture and the resilience of food production systems.

It is expected that by 2050, the world’s population will have increased by one-third, with the highest increase occurring in developing countries. The FAO estimates that if current income and consumption trends continue unabated, agricultural production will have to grow by 60 per cent to satisfy the expected increased demand for food and feed.

Agriculture must undergo a considerable transformation to feed the growing global population and provide the basis for economic growth and poverty reduction. This task will be made more difficult by climate change. More extreme weather events and increased unpredictability of weather patterns have already impacted agriculture and food security, leading to production reductions and lower incomes in vulnerable areas.

Agriculture will need to transition to more productive systems, use inputs more efficiently, have less variability and more excellent stability in their outputs, and are more resilient to risks, shocks and long-term climate variability. This transformation must be accomplished without depleting the natural resource base. It will also entail a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and an increase in carbon sinks, contributing significantly to mitigating climate change.https://republicpolicy.com/climate-reaching-the-tipping-point/

Responding to climate change through nuclear techniques

An essential factor in the adaptation process is to measure the concrete effects of climate change on agriculture and food production. Several nuclear techniques offer means to learn more about the impact of climate change and how to counter it, from controlling soil erosion and land degradation to improving soil fertility and water use efficiency.

The nitrogen-15 isotopic technique, as an example, can identify the source of nitrous oxide and help find ways to reduce the emission of this gas. Carbon-13 signatures in soils are combined with fallout radionuclides to identify sources of land degradation in agricultural landscapes, helping to control soil erosion and quantify the contribution of crop residues to the improvement of soil fertility and resilience.

The nitrogen-15 technique can also be used to quantify the extent of atmospheric nitrogen capture by leguminous crops and the contribution of nitrogen fertilizer to current and subsequent crops. At the same time, the oxygen-18 signature can help determine how much water agricultural management practices lose due to soil evaporation and plant transpiration. This, in turn, helps improve water use efficiency and strengthens the plants’ resilience.

Pakistan is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world. It is facing climate change vulnerabilities and an explosion in the population. Thus, the challenge is enormous, and the application of nuclear techniques in the agriculture sector shall ensure the food safety and growth of the agriculture sector. Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has taken the lead in utilizing nuclear technology to improve the productivity of the Agriculture sector by introducing new crop varieties, pest control technologies, plant nutrition and water management, animal health and productivity and food decontamination and preservation. Agriculture centres of PAEC also organize ‘Farmer’s Days”, field visits and awareness programs to educate the farmers about newly released varieties, advanced methods of cultivation and water-saving techniques. 

The crop yields are essential for the agricultural productivity of the lands. The usage of nuclear technology can enhance crop yields. Thus, combining conventional breeding methods with mutation breeding, marker-assisted selection and genetic engineering techniques, varieties of both major and minor crops are being developed for higher yields, better quality, stress tolerance and broader adaptability. So far, more than 125 crop varieties have been developed. The research by PAEC can benefit the agricultural departments, universities and farmers in Pakistan. Agriculture and biotechnology institutes of PAEC have developed technologies for using salt-affected lands and provide this technology and plant material to local farmers and international levels. The primary focus is on utilizing saline areas with some economic gains and improving the land with time.https://republicpolicy.com/is-reforming-agriculture-sector-vital-for-national-economy/

The scarcity of water is threatening the present as well as future productivity and food security. Excessive use of fertilizers is affecting soil fertility and increasing environmental hazards. Technologies have been developed to improve irrigation techniques that reduce water losses. Alternate cheap sources of nutrients have been identified to efficiently manage plant nutrition and facilitate the application of chemical fertilizers.

One way to increase total agriculture productivity is by reducing field and post-harvest losses to pests and pathogens. PAEC Institutes have introduced mass rearing of beneficial predatory insects to control the insect pests of various crops. Technologies have been developed and transferred to end users to decrease losses through integrated management of insect pests. R&D in food irradiation technology has provided methods to Increase shelf life, remove contaminants and minimize storage losses

This nuclear and scientific technology application has paved the way for better food security and agricultural security. Exports play a vital role in the economy of a country. As our exports are mainly (70%) based on agriculture, any efforts in this sector contribute directly toward the development of Pakistan. Services are provided for removing contaminants from export commodities through irradiation, identifying aflatoxins and drug residues in food and dairy products, and DNA-based testing of basmati rice and genetically modified organisms.https://republicpolicy.com/neglected-production-sector-of-pakistan/

It is also critical to apply nuclear technology in the agriculture sector; therefore, it is equally essential to develop the trained Human Resource. Hence, human resource development through training courses, workshops and internships is a way forward. Currently, on average, more than 40 courses are arranged yearly for hands-on training in the latest techniques and technologies in various agriculture research fields. These courses equally benefit researchers, students and academia from various research organizations and universities. NIAB and NIBGE are also affiliated with PIEAS for the award of MPhil and PhD degrees in Biology and Biotechnology. Apart from this, the government must prioritize the application of technology in the agriculture sector. Farmers must be aware of the technology and provide all the necessary training and administrative support to apply the technology. The agricultural departments, institutes, and public and private organizations must create awareness among the farmers that the agriculture sector’s future lies in using technology and modern techniques.