When a nuclear emergency occurs, protecting people from immediate radiation exposure is the first priority. But what about the food we eat in the days, weeks, and years that follow? How do we ensure it remains safe while minimizing economic disruption to farmers and food producers?

For the past decade, the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture has been developing an innovative solution to this challenge: the Decision Support System for Nuclear Emergencies Affecting Food and Agriculture (DSS4NAFA).

Learning from History to Protect Our Future

The Chernobyl and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accidents taught us valuable lessons about protecting food supplies after radiation releases. In both cases, authorities faced enormous challenges: Where should they collect samples? How should they allocate limited laboratory resources? How could they make timely decisions about food restrictions with incomplete information?

DSS4NAFA was born from these experiences, developed with direct input from international experts who dealt with these emergencies firsthand. Rather than creating a theoretical system, the developers took a practical approach, focusing on real operational needs.

Streamlining Emergency Response

One of DSS4NAFA's most significant innovations is how it streamlines the entire emergency response workflow through three integrated capabilities:

• Data Management: During an emergency, thousands of samples need collection and analysis. DSS4NAFA helps authorities determine where to collect samples, how to assign personnel efficiently, and how to track samples from field to laboratory.

• Data Visualization: Complex radiation data becomes accessible through intuitive maps and graphs, helping decision-makers quickly identify contamination patterns and trends.

• Decision Support: Perhaps most importantly, DSS4NAFA helps authorities make difficult decisions about food restrictions based on scientific data, considering both public health and economic impacts.

This streamlined approach means faster, more effective responses when every hour counts.

International Cooperation: The Key to Success

Nuclear emergencies don't respect national borders. Radiation can travel hundreds of miles, affecting multiple countries. This reality makes international cooperation essential.

DSS4NAFA has been designed with collaboration in mind. It complements existing systems like the IAEA's International Radiation Monitoring Information System (IRMIS), which monitors environmental radiation levels. While IRMIS tracks radiation in the environment, DSS4NAFA focuses specifically on food safety and agricultural decision-making.

The system has been tested and refined through international partnerships with Belgium, China, Japan and many other member states. These collaborations have strengthened the system while building international relationships that would prove invaluable during an actual emergency.

Building a Flexible Framework for the Future

Technology changes rapidly, but the principles behind effective emergency response remain constant. DSS4NAFA was designed with three core principles that will remain relevant regardless of technological advances:

• Modularity: Components can be updated or replaced as technology evolves
• User-centered design: The system prioritizes practical usability for emergency responders
• Pragmatic functionality: Features focus on real-world needs rather than theoretical capabilities

These principles have allowed DSS4NAFA to evolve over time, incorporating advanced tools like OREFA and Trufl, which use sophisticated optimization techniques to improve sampling strategies.

The Path Forward

While DSS4NAFA represents a significant advance in emergency preparedness, challenges remain. Many countries struggle to determine which components would best complement their existing systems. Maintaining such specialized tools over the long term requires ongoing commitment and resources.

However, the vision behind DSS4NAFA—streamlined workflows and international cooperation—provides a blueprint for the future of nuclear emergency response. By working together and sharing information effectively, we can better protect our food supplies and agricultural systems from the impacts of nuclear emergencies.

As we look to the future, the lessons learned from a decade of DSS4NAFA development will continue to guide international efforts to ensure that, even in the worst circumstances, we can keep our food safe.