18 January 2024 a meeting on implementation of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) National Project TAD7003 "Strengthening Capacity for Monitoring Radionuclides in Fodder, Food and Water" was held at the National Diagnostic Centre of the Food Security Committee of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Matin Akhmedov - Deputy Director of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Safety and Security Agency of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, and Olimjon Azizov - Head of the International Relations and Public Relations Department of the Agency, attended the meeting on behalf of the IAEA as the National Liaison Assistants to the IAEA.

During the meetings with the management and specialists of the Centre, issues related to laboratory equipment and strengthening of capacities were discussed. This project has been running since 2018 and to date all activities have been implemented. High-tech equipment was obtained, and a radiometric laboratory was established, which now has all necessary laboratory facilities, such as refrigerators for sample storage, muffle furnace, drying cabinets, centrifuge, pH-meter, fume cupboard, analytical scales of various classes, as well as laboratory utensils, reference materials and consumables.

The following equipment was purchased to fulfil the tasks of radiometric research in food products according to the requirements of the National and International Standards: 
•    Gamma spectrometer NaI (Tl) Scintillation Detector System
•    Alpha-beta spectrometer (Liquid Scintillation Counting System).
 

During the implementation of this project all declared laboratory equipment, consumables and reference materials were delivered and installed.

Within the framework of the project, specialists of the Centre were trained at the All-Russian Research Institute of Radiology and Agroecology, Obninsk, Russian Federation, and the Institute of Nuclear Physics, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan. During the training, the specialists were familiarized with the instrumentation of the Institutes, methods and regulatory documents. Upon completion of the training, they were received the relevant certificates.

Thus, trained specialists perform researches of samples by gamma-spectrometry and beta-spectrometry methods on the acquired equipment within the framework of the National Project.

It should be noted that the content of chemical contaminants and radionuclides in food raw materials and foodstuffs should be controlled. At present, the centre measures caesium-137 and strontium-90 activity in feed and raw materials imported or produced in the Republic.

It is important to mention that such co-operation with International Partners, particularly with the International Atomic Energy Agency with the support of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Safety and Security Agency of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, helps the Food Security Committee to achieve its objectives in the field of Food Security in the Republic of Tajikistan.