FAO/IAEA Technical Co-operation Projects

The Plant Breeding and Genetics Sub-programme provides technical support to Member States through:

We work on transfering the use of nuclear techniques and related efficiency enhancing biotechnologies to Member States by providing technical and scientific support through Technical Co-operation Projects (TCPs) that are managed by IAEA's Department of Technical Co-operation and FAO's Technical Co-operation Department.

This transfer of technologies assists Member States in the implementation of national crop improvement programmes with specific breeding objectives or regional programmes addressing abiotic and/or biotic stresses, which represents serious threats impeding crop productivity in wide areas mostly in the developing world. Through the Technical Co-Operation Projects we also provide policy advice, e.g. drafting of individual country programme framework (cpf) and technology support in the implementation of breeding programmes based on priorities expressed by Member States. This is achieved through the provision of training (individual and groups trainings), expert services and equipment for biotechnology laboratories and breeding units.

Application forms for the formulation of IAEA and FAO projects can be respectively obtained at http://www-tc.iaea.org/tcweb/tcprogramme/default.asp and http://www.fao.org/tc/tcp/index_en.asp.

Ongoing Technical Co-operation Projects which are currently being supported by the Plant Breeding and Genetics Subprogramme are listed below.

Active TC Projects of Plant Breeding and Genetics
Region Country Project No. 1st
Year		 Project Title Technical Officer
Africa Algeria ALG/5/023 2007 Protection of date palm trees against bayoudh disease P.J.L. Lagoda
Algeria ALG/5/024 2007 Improvement of cereals for tolerance to drought and resistance to disease P.J.L. Lagoda
Angola ANG/5/006 2007 Improvement of food crops through mutation breeding and biotechnology M. Spencer
Burkina Faso BKF/5/007 2009 Improving voandzou and sesame based cropping systems through the use of integrated isotopic and nuclear techniques M. Spencer
Botswana BOT/5/003 2007 Mutational improvement of groundnut varieties Q.Y. Shu
Central African Republic CAF/5/003 2007 Development of new varieties of cassava through mutation breeding and biotechnology techniques M. Spencer
Eritrea ERI/5/004 2007 Improving crop productivity and combating desertification P.J.L. Lagoda in collaboration with Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section
Ghana GHA/5/032 2005 Enhancing production and use of cassava M. Spencer
/ Y. Lokko
Ivory Coast IVC/5/031 2009 Improving plantain and cassava yields through the use of legume cover crops M. Spencer
Kenya KEN/5/029 2009 Developing appropriate Artemisia varieties for management of malaria Y. Lokko / M. Spencer
Madagascar MAG/5/018 2009 Improving cereal production (rice and maize) through mutation breeding for tolerance/resistance to striga (Striga asiatica) M. Spencer
Mauritius MAR/5/018 2007 Improvement of banana and tomato varieties through the use of nuclear techniques for mutation induction and biotechnology M. Spencer
Niger NER/5/012 2007 Improvement of the productivity and sustainability of cowpea with finger millet M. Spencer
Niger NER/5/014 2009 Improving the productivity of cowpea/finger millet based cropping systems M. Spencer in collaboration with Soil and Water Management Section
Nigeria NIR/5/035 2007 Adding value to root and tuber crops through the use of mutation induction and biotechnologies Y. Lokko
Qatar QAT/5/002 2007 Developing biosaline agriculture in salt-affected areas in Qatar P.J.L. Lagoda in collaboration with Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section
Senegal SEN/5/030 2007 Integrated approach to develop sustainable agriculture in Senegal M. Spencer in collaboration with Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section
Senegal SEN/5/032 2009 Improving the productivity of Jatropha curcas plantations in semi-arid areas M. Spencer
Sierra Leone SIL/5/007 2005 Development of high-yielding rice varieties for low-input agriculture systems using mutation techniques Q.Y. Shu
Sierra Leone SIL/5/009 2007 Improving sorghum productivity through nuclear and biotechnology Q.Y. Shu
South Africa SAF/5/008 2005 Mutant amaranth, bambara groundnut and cowpea with enhanced abiotic stress tolerance Y. Lokko
South Africa SAF/5/010 2007 Development of new maize and sorghum germplasm with enhanced nutritional content Y. Lokko
Sudan SUD/5/030 2007 Increasing productivity of selected crops using nuclear related techniques Q.Y. Shu
Tanzania URT/5/023 2005 Enhancing crop productivity through radiation technology Q.Y. Shu
Tanzania URT/5/026 2009 Improving rice varieties through mutation breeding and biotechnology in Zanzibar Q.Y. Shu
Tunisia TUN/5/023 2005 Radiation-induced mutations for improvement of cactus P.J.L. Lagoda
Tunisia TUN/5/024 2007 Development of improved stains of olive tree through mutation breeding and biotechnology P.J.L. Lagoda
Congo ZAI/5/016 2007 Mutation techniques for improving nutritional and medicinal plants with a curative effect on human diseases and alimentary plants M. Miranda / Q.Y. Shu / M. Spencer
Zambia ZAM/5/026 2009 Improving crop varieties through use of nuclear techniques Y. Lokko in collaboration with Soil and Water Management Section
Zimbabwe ZIM/5/013 2007 Development of drought tolerant and disease resistant grain legumes, Phase I Y. Lokko
Regional Africa RAF/5/056 2007 Field evaluation and dissemination of improved crop varieties using mutation breeding and biotechnology techniques M. Spencer
Asia and The Pacific Afghanistan AFG/5/003 2007 Sustainable increase in crop production in Afghanistan P.J.L. Lagoda in collaboration with Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section
Afghanistan AFG/5/004 2009 Enhancing crop productivity through mutation breeding and pest control Y. Lokko in collaboration with Insect Pest Control Section
Bangladesh BGD/5/026 2007 Increasing agricultural production in the coastal area through improved crop, water and soil management Q.Y. Shu
China CPR/5/017 2007 Construction of radiation-induced mutant libraries and function analysis of mutated genes in crop plants P.J.L. Lagoda
Indonesia INS/5/035 2007 Application of nuclear techniques for screening and improving cash crop plants in coastal saline lands Q.Y. Shu
Indonesia INS/5/036 2007 Genetic improvement of Artemisia cina using irradiation technique M. Spencer / Q.Y. Shu
Indonesia INS/5/037 2009 Applying nuclear techniques for screening and improving cash crop plants in coastal saline lands Q.Y. Shu
Indonesia INS/5/038 2009 Using induced mutations to improve rice productivity through a hybrid rice breeding programme Q.Y. Shu
Iraq IRQ/5/015 1999 Induction of mutations in crops through in vitro culture P.J.L. Lagoda
Iraq IRQ/5/017 2007 Optimization of land productivity through the application of nuclear techniques and combined technologies P.J.L. Lagoda
Kazakhstan KAZ/5/002 2009 Improving wheat and maize using nuclear and molecular techniques Q.Y. Shu / Y. Lokko
Malaysia MAL/5/028 2009 Enhancing the production of bioactive compounds in a local herbal plant by a soilless planting system and in vitro mutagenesis Y. Lokko / M. Spencer
Myanmar MYA/0/007 2001 Nuclear Science and Technology Training Centre (currently a Human Development Project) P.J.L. Lagoda
Myanmar MYA/5/016 2007 Development of rice varieties with improved iron content/bioavailability through nuclear techniques P.J.L. Lagoda
Myanmar MYA/5/017 2009 Studying yield improvement of local rice varieties through induced mutation Q.Y. Shu / Y. Lokko
Myanmar MYA/5/019 2009 Developing thermo-insensitive (cold-tolerant) green gram genotypes, using mutation techniques Q.Y. Shu / Y. Lokko
Pakistan PAK/5/044 2005 Improvement of drought tolerance in chickpea through induced mutations M. Spencer
Philippines PHI/5/029 2003 Enhancing agricultural productivity through radiation technology in Mindana M. Spencer
/ Y. Lokko
Korea, Republic of ROK/5/035 2009 Using a gamma phytotron for mutant induction to improve food and ornamental crops Q.Y. Shu
Saudi Arabia SAU/5/003 2007 Improving Fertilization under saline conditions for sustainable crop production Q.Y. Shu in collaboration with Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section
Thailand THA/5/049 2009 Increasing productivity of selected crops using nuclear related techniques Q.Y. Shu
Uzbekistan UZB/5/004 2007 Development of mutant cotton breeding lines tolerant to diseases, drought and salinity Y. Lokko / P.J.L. Lagoda
Vietnam VIE/5/015 2005 Enhancement of quality and yield of rice mutants using nuclear and related techniques Q.Y. Shu
Yemen YEM/5/007 2005 Use of induced mutations and in vitro culture for improving crops P.J.L. Lagoda
Yemen YEM/5/008 2007 Introduction of gamma ray irradiation techniques for agriculture purposes P.J.L. Lagoda
Yemen YEM/5/010 2009 Using induced mutations and efficiency enhancing bio-molecular techniques for sustainable crop production Y. Lokko
Regional Asia and the Pacific and RCA RAS/5/045 2007 Improvement of crop quality and stress tolerance for sustainable crop production using mutation techniques and biotechnology (RCA) Q.Y. Shu
RAS/5/048 2007 Mutation induction and supportive breeding and biotechnologies for improving crop productivity (ARASIA) P.J.L. Lagoda
RAS/7/014 2003 Monitoring of food fortification programmes using nuclear techniques P.J.L. Lagoda
INT/5/150 2009 Responding to the transboundary threat of wheat black stem rust (Ug99) P.J.L. Lagoda / Q.Y. Shu
Europe Macedonia MAK/5/006 2009 Improving wheat, barley and triticale for food and feed in drought-prone areas, using nuclear techniques Y. Lokko
Turkey TUR/5/023 2005 Application of nuclear and gene-based biotechnology in agriculture Q.Y. Shu
Turkey TUR/5/025 2009 Using molecular techniques for enhancing the efficiency of mutation induction and utilization of mutants in agriculture Q.Y. Shu
Regional Europe RER/5/013 2007 Evaluation of natural and mutant genetic diversity in cereals using nuclear and molecular techniques Y. Lokko / Q.Y. Shu
Latin America Colombia COL/5/023 2009 Enhancing mutagenesis and biotechnology used in the improvement of rice Y. Lokko / Q.Y. Shu
Costa Rica COS/5/027 2007 Generation of promising strains of beans through induced mutations in calluses and seeds to increase competitiveness M. Miranda / M. Spencer
Costa Rica COS/5/028 2009 Generating promising strains of beans through induced mutations in calluses and seeds to increase competitiveness (Phase II) M. Spencer
Ecuador ECU/5/023 2007 Inducing mutations in agriculture with the aid of radiation M. Spencer / P.J.L. Lagoda
Ecuador ECU/5/025 2009 Inducing genetic variability in soya, banana and rice M. Spencer
Jamaica JAM/5/010 2007 Plant breeding and diagnostics technologies Y. Lokko
Peru PER/5/030 2007 Genetic improvement of quinoa and kiwicha using mutation induction and biotechnology Y. Lokko
Regional Latin America RLA/5/056 2007 Improving food crops in Latin America through induced mutation (ARCAL CV) M. Spencer / Y. Lokko