More than 800 scientists, policymakers, farmer representatives and development partners from across Asia, Africa and the Americas will converge in New Delhi for the three-day Global Dryland Congress 2026, beginning Thursday.
The Congress, themed ‘Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South-South Cooperation’, is being jointly organised by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT).
The event will be held from September 10 to 12 at the National Agricultural Science Complex in New Delhi and will also mark 50 years of the ICAR-ICRISAT partnership.
The Congress comes at a time when drylands account for around 45 per cent of the world’s land surface and support the livelihoods of more than two billion people. Smallholder farmers in these regions face challenges including climate variability, land degradation, water scarcity and changing markets.
Over the three days, participants will deliberate on six key themes — breeding, climate resilience, nutrition and markets, farming systems, seed systems, and gender and youth inclusion.
The discussions will include panel discussions, keynote and lead presentations, parallel sessions and poster exhibitions, providing a platform for scientists, policymakers and farmers to exchange knowledge and explore solutions for sustainable and climate-resilient dryland agriculture.
The Congress will also commemorate the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation on its concluding day. A special ceremony and dedicated sessions will focus on advancing South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) in agricultural research, in collaboration with CGIAR.
The proceedings are expected to culminate in the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Dryland (3D). New partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding are also expected to be announced during the Congress, along with awards recognising contributions to dryland science.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan will address the Congress as the Chief Guest.
