Shri Mangi Lal Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director General of ICAR, highlighted the urgent need for systemic, smallholder-focused solutions in agri-food systems. He stressed that India’s rapid agricultural transformation positions the country as an innovation hub for the Global South, capable of driving sustainable, scalable solutions.
“This requires significant investments in science, innovation, and partnerships spanning discovery to delivery,” he said, emphasizing the need to accelerate adoption of farmer-focused technologies.
DialogueNEXT: A Global Platform for Action
Hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation in collaboration with CIMMYT, the Borlaug Institute for South Asia (BISA), and ICAR, DialogueNEXT 2025 continues the farmer-first theme, following last year’s event in Mexico. The conference underscores the importance of ensuring transformative agricultural innovations reach farmers across the Global South.
The event coincides with World Agriculture Day and honors India’s legacy of agricultural innovation, including recognition of Indian World Food Prize Laureates. “DialogueNEXT mobilizes action for a ‘moonshot’ effort to sustainably feed a growing global population,” said Nicole Prenger, Senior Director, World Food Prize Foundation.
India’s Leadership in Global Food Systems
Speakers highlighted India’s contributions to agricultural productivity and sustainability. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister, and Bram Govaerts, Director General of CIMMYT and BISA, emphasized that India’s innovations can unlock gains across the agri-food value chain. “This platform connects stakeholders and strengthens efforts to scale solutions in India, South Asia, and globally,” said Govaerts.
International Delegates and Expertise
The conference hosted senior government officials, scientists, and agricultural leaders from Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Key attendees included Thinley Namgyel, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Bhutan; Govinda Prasad Sharma, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Nepal; Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, FAO; and a US delegation led by Governor Kim Reynolds, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and Brent Johnson, President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation.
The gathering facilitates cross-sector collaboration among science, policy, business, and civil society to advance farmer-first strategies and practical, action-oriented outcomes for global food security.