The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will host a major conference on how to suppress insect pests that spread diseases and damage crops around the world. The Third International Conference on Area-wide Management of Insect Pests: Integrating the Sterile Insect and Related Nuclear and Other Techniques, jointly organized with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), will take place from 22 to 26 May 2017 in Vienna, Austria.
The event brings together over 400 international experts in the fields of agriculture, entomology, genetics and public health to review current approaches, trends and challenges for the integrated management of insects that pose a threat to agriculture and animal and human health.
A key topic of discussion will be the use of the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) as a complementary tool in pest-control efforts. This form of insect birth control has been used successfully for decades to combat insects, including the Mediterranean fruit fly, the screwworm and the tsetse fly, and is now being adapted to help fight disease-transmitting mosquitos.
Other conference topics include factors affecting the worldwide spread of insect pests, such as climate change and the globalization of trade; recent developments in molecular biology, genetics and microbiology that can lead to new tools in pest-control; and regulatory issues, among others.
The event will take place in Board Room C, 4th floor of the C Building, at the Vienna International Centre.
The event is open to media.
Live video streaming will be available for the entire conference from Monday, 22 May, 9:00 a.m. Please note that the video stream will be broadcast on a view-only channel.
A detailed programme and additional information can be found on the conference website.
Some speakers will be available for interviews. Please contact the IAEA Press Office for more details.
Accreditation
All journalists are requested to inform the IAEA Press Office of their plans to attend. Journalists with permanent credentials to the VIC need no additional credentials. We encourage those journalists who do not yet have permanent accreditation, to request it at UNIS Vienna.
Others should contact Michelle Gruensteidl for accreditation. Please email m.gruensteidl@iaea.org or call [+43-1] 2600-22048 or [+43-1] 2600-21273.