The Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition (SWMCN) Section of the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme and its associated SWMCN Laboratory assist FAO and IAEA Member States in the development, validation and
dissemination of a range of soil, water and crop management technology packages through the use of nuclear and nuclear-related techniques. The aims are:
To achieve these aims, we assist Member States through research and development (R&D), capacity building with a major emphasis on training the trainers, policy advice, technology transfer and technical support and assistance via Coordinated Research Projects (CRPs) and Technical Cooperation Projects (TCPs).
Nuclear Techniques for Agricultural Water Management.
Both crop and livestock production depends on the management of irrigation water and the soil on which crops or livestock are farmed. Find out more on what IAEA is helping Member States to improve water management
in crop and livestock farming systems. Read More »
New development - eLearning course for increasing more crops per drop!.
The eLearning course on "Soil Water Measurement for Better Crop Production and Improving Water Use Efficiency" has just been launched to help farm advisors, land users and policy-makers with practical ways
to improve water use in both rainfed and irrigated agriculture. This course is available free-of-charge and covers a range of topics, from basic to advanced levels relating to soil water measuring techniques,
irrigation scheduling and methods of improving water use efficiency. The course can also be taken at your own pace to suit personal circumstances.
To register »
Guideline for Field estimation of soil water content.
Agricultural productivity largely depends on how we manage our soil water status for crop and livestock requirement. This Guideline helps researchers, extension workers and land users to select appropriate soil water
measuring devices for specific local conditions. Read More »
Increasing crop production and addressing soil degradation in Mali.
Soil erosion and inappropriate farming activities have caused severe soil degradation and nutrient mining in Mali. Both soil degradation and nutrient mining impose high costs on farmers, as they
have to purchase expensive, imported fertilizers to increase the performance of crops in these degraded soils. With Mali's rural population facing food insecurity and malnutrition, better soil
management and improved crop productivity are vital.
Read More »
Improving crop, water and soil management in the coastal area of Bangladesh.
Soil and water salinity is a major threat to crop productivity in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. This has resulted in 90% of arable land in these areas remaining unused for 6 to 7 months after
the rice harvest. Developing appropriate water management practices aimed at the reclamation of these coastal saline soils would help reduce the long fallow and ensure year round crop productivity
for improved food security and
livelihoods of
the people. Read More »
Improving land use and soil conservation in Tajikistan.
Soil erosion and land degradation are a major threat to soil and water resources in Tajikistan, where only a small fraction of the land is suitable for agriculture. To ensure sustainable
agricultural production, effective soil conservation and efficient land use are vital. A study of soil erosion rates under varying conditions has been conducted to assess the extent
of the problem.
Read More »
