KAERI Received the IAEA/FAO Achievement Award on Mutation Breeding for Food Security

KAERI’s mutation breeding team received an Achievement Award from the IAEA/FAO for its successes and contributions in plant mutation breeding and to further promote the use of nuclear techniques for sustainable food security on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.
Forty-three (43) official nominations were received. An international selection panel was set up for the evaluation, and identified Outstanding Achievement Awardees and Achievement Awardees. The main criteria for selection were the number of mutant varieties released, the farm area covered with these varieties, and the socio-economic impact such as additional income per year or value at farm-gate.
The Awards were handed out to the representatives of the concerned countries in the form of a certificate at an official ceremony during the 58th General Conference in the presence of the IAEA Director General on 24 September 2014.
On 1 October 1964, the FAO and IAEA created the Joint FAO/IAEA Division as a strategic partnership in order to mobilize the talents and resources of both organizations and hence to broaden cooperation between their Member States in the peaceful application of nuclear science and technology in a safe and effective manner to provide their communities with more, better and safer food and agricultural produce while sustaining natural resources. During the past 50 years the mission of the Joint Division has proactively evolved to embrace the adaptation to and mitigation of climate change and the adverse effects of globalization, to increase biodiversity and to further contribute to agricultural development and global food security. Today, both FAO and IAEA strive to mobilize commitment and concerted action towards meeting the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals through appropriate use of nuclear and related technologies for sustainable agriculture and food security.
The Rice Research Division of the National Institute of Crop Science from Rural Development Administration also received this award.