The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will host a major conference on animal production and health, looking at developments in methods to diagnose and prevent animal- and zoonotic diseases and to improve animal feeding and breeding practices. The International Symposium on Sustainable Animal Production and Health – Current Status and Way Forward, jointly organized with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will take place virtually from 28 June – 2 July 2021.
The event brings together hundreds of international experts in veterinary, genetics, and biochemistry, among other scientific fields, to review best practices in animal production to help provide food to a growing global population while protecting the environment. Over the last 50 years, the IAEA and the FAO – through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture based in Vienna, Austria – have played an important role in supporting Member States in using nuclear science and technology to improve farming and fight diseases that can also spread to humans.
Topics to be discussed include early disease detection tools, emergency preparedness and response to outbreaks, advances in animal disease vaccine development, including through the use of radiation, and biotechnology tools for improving livestock breeding and feeding.
The event will be opened with remarks by:
- Rafael Mariano Grossi, Director General, IAEA
- Qu Dongyu, Director General, FAO
- Monique Eloit, Director General, World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)
Keynote speakers include:
- Andrea Gavinelli, European Commission, Belgium
- Ren Wang, China National GeneBank, China
- Daniel Bercovici, International Feed Industry Federation, Germany
- Franck Berthe, World Bank, United States of America
- Norbert Nowotny, Joint FAO/IAEA Centre, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Austria
A detailed programme and additional information can be found on the conference website.
Interested journalists can register as observers to follow conference presentations and discussions.
Interviews:
Some speakers will be available for interviews. Please contact the IAEA Press Office for more details.