ARCAL

ARCAL PRIORITY AREAS

ARCAL is an agreement between most of the IAEA Member States in the Latin America and the Caribbean region for technical and economic cooperation to promote the use of nuclear techniques for peace and development. A survey of the region identified the most pressing problems and needs for Latin America and the Caribbean related to food security, human health, the environment, energy, industry and radiological safety.

Food Security
Latin America and the Caribbean have great potential for food production. The gross domestic product contribution from agriculture is growing each year. High agricultural production and poor fertilization and irrigation practices, however, have led to degraded soils, fewer natural woodlands and a damaged environment that threatens the future of agriculture in the region. Innovative nuclear technologies are being applied to improve fertilization and irrigation, suppress and eradicate agricultural pests and provide early diagnosis of animal diseases, and are contributing to economic growth and food safety. Applying nuclear techniques in agriculture Helping producers to reduce chemical residues in foodstuffs for sale and export Promoting soil, fertilizer and water management Creating areas of low pest prevalence Reversing soil degradation through appropriate agricultural activities

Human Health
As living conditions have improved and life expectancy has increased, the major human health challenges for Latin America and the Caribbean have shifted now to include chronic non-communicable diseases, infectious agents and both over- and under- nutrition. Nuclear medicine techniques are vitally important in the management of these diseases in the region.

Promoting the adoption of quality management systems Educating national and international decision makers on the usefulness and safety of nuclear techniques for preventing and resolving public nutrition problems

Environment
The management of potable and wastewater is a challenge for many cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. The demand for water is shared among the food, chemical, textile, agriculture and energy sectors. These sectors also share the responsibility for pollution, through discharges and industrial effluents that affect groundwater quality.

Nuclear medicine can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. New technologies and radiopharmaceuticals are being developed all the time. Professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean are receiving training and education to face the challenges of emerging human health issues. Major investments, together with the active and ongoing involvement of national governments, are being made to maintain and enhance the quality of health care services in the region. Training medical physicists, technicians, radiotherapists, nuclear medicine specialists, molecular biologists, radiopharmacists and specialists in nuclear applications in nutrition Creating clinical protocols and manuals for the application of nuclear techniques Encouraging the application of nuclear techniques in accordance with international regulations

Countries in the region also face numerous environmental problems such as pesticide residues in food for local consumption and export, indiscriminate logging, overgrazing, expansion of agricultural areas, fires, pollution and coastal toxins. In general, the whole region requires improved quality management of solid and liquid wastes, better soil and land management, and superior quantification methods for the toxins that threaten the regions coastal zones. Complex climatic patterns make it difficult to identify common patterns of vulnerability to climate change in the region. Improved infrastructures and adequate technical capacity for research is helping

Atoms for Peace

Atoms for Peace

the region to understand and mitigate the effects of changing climatic phenomena. Improving diagnosis and evaluation of the environmental impact of pollution Protecting and managing the availability and quality of water resources Providing early prediction and evaluation of the toxicity of harmful algal blooms Reducing coastal area degradation Evaluating the impact of atmospheric pollution on human health

Energy assessment and planning Educating the public on the nuclear energy option Expanding and strengthening the training of qualified personnel for experimental and production reactors, exchanging experiences to enhance safety Establishing long term energy and electricity supply Strengthening the exchange and transfer of experience and knowledge in the nuclear power sector Disseminating the benefits of nuclear applications to end users in industry Overcoming restrictions on the trade and transport of radioactive material among countries in the region

Energy
Primary energy consumption in Latin America and the Caribbean has doubled between 1980 and 2005, and oil production went from 5.8 to 12.7 million barrels a day during the same period. The regions electricity is produced mainly through hydroelectric plants, the burning of fossil fuels and nuclear power. Electricity production is essential for improving per capita income and human welfare in Latin American and the Caribbean. Long term energy and electricity supply efforts, including energy planning and the consideration of nuclear power, are making headway in meeting the needs of the region.

credit: Carlos Linares

ARCAL priority areas are identified in the Regional Profile, and are addressed in collaboration with regional partners.
Radiation Safety
Radiation based technologies contribute to almost every sector of society. Developing countries require a strong safety infrastructure in order to take advantage of these technologies. Latin America and the Caribbean are implementing measures to establish, improve or modernize regulatory frameworks to ensure that the region receives the benefits of radiation technology, while at the same time controlling exposure to the public, the environment, workers and patients. Improving regulatory control standards for potentially high risk practices Establishing standardized training requirements for occupationally exposed workers Controlling materials to be recycled to ensure the absence of radioactive material Promoting postgraduate training in radiation protection Enhancing regional coordination for emergency assistance

ARCAL
Regional Cooperation Agreement for the Promotion of Nuclear Science and Technology in Latin America and the Caribbean

http://arc.cnea.gov.ar/