The IAEA and FAO work together to provide more food for poor populations by developing plants that are able to grow and flourish in unfavourable environmental conditions.
Scientists at the Plant Breeding and Genetics laboratories in Seibersdorf, Austria, use radiation to induce changes in plants. This method, known as Radiation Induced Mutation, speeds up a natural process that otherwise can take millions of years. The aim is to produce crops that are more nutritious, have better yields, are disease-resistant or can thrive in adverse climate conditions or harsh environments.