Agricultural countermeasures in the management of a post-accidental situation

Following a nuclear accident, it is important to reduce, as much as possible, population exposure radioactive aerosols that have settled on the ground and hard surfaces. Management of the crisis-situation is dependent on how much time has elapsed since the accident. Firstly, the emergency arrangements are designed to protect the rural population and their livelihoods. Secondly, there is the question of maintaining agricultural activity on the contaminated areas (possibly by modifying farming practices), and lastly the reduction of the overall impact of the accident. Agricultural countermeasures are protective provisions applicable to the farming system and to farm-produce. Their intrinsic and accumulative effectiveness and conditions and advantages of their implementation are now better understood, notably by their application, on a large scale, following the Chernobyl accident. Based on a wide reference study, this document supplies figures on the agricultural countermeasures classified in various phases of post-accidental situations.