Each year on 16 October, the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) celebrates 'World Food Day' in commemoration of its founding on that day in 1945. This year's theme for 'World Food Day' is 'Biodiversity for Food Security'. It will highlight biodiversity's role in ensuring that people have sustainable access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives. (Source: FAO)

Biological diversity is fundamental to agriculture and food production. People rely on the variety of food, shelter, and goods for their livelihood. Yet, human as put increasing pressure on species and their environments. As a result, many plants and animals are at risk, as well as essential natural processes such as pollination by insects and the regeneration of soils by micro-organisms.

It is obvious that in order to feed a growing population, agriculture must provide more food. It will also essential to increase its resilience by protecting a wide array of life forms with unique traits, such as plants that survive drought or livestock that reproduce in harsh conditions. Sustainable agricultural practices can both feed people and protect the ecosystems that harbor biological diversity.

It is noted that more than 40% of the land's surface is used for agriculture, placing a large responsibility on farmers to protect biodiversity. By using appropriate techniques, farmers maintain and can maintain the fragile balance with the surrounding ecosystems.

The RCA, making available most appropriate nuclear technologies for agriculture in the region, is currently carrying out several core projects to meet the regional requirements such as restoration of soil fertility using nuclear techniques thus sustaining agricultural productivity, improving animal productivity and reproduction efficiency using nuclear techniques, enhancement of genetic diversity in food crops, and so on. The RCA's endeavors in this area will continue in the coming years.