The Dialogue examined how agricultural research, technological innovation, sustainable farming practices, international cooperation and investment could address hunger, climate change, conflict and food insecurity. The programme featured Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, 1994 World Food Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, Tanzanian Prime Minister Mwigulu Nchemba, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, Rockefeller Foundation President Rajiv Shah and representatives of leading African agricultural institutions.
Tuesday, 20 October – Farmers, natural resources and global food security
The opening day recognized Pamela Afokpe, a plant breeder from Benin, Product Development Specialist, East-West Seed International and recipient of the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application. African Indigenous Crops Take Global Stage as she wins the Prestigious 2026 Borlaug Field Award.
Afokpe’s work directly exemplifies the core mission of the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) initiative, a global partnership led by the U.S. State Department, the FAO, and the African Union that champions “opportunity crops” as essential to climate-resilient nutrition and soil health.
See her acceptance of the award @12:37
Opening keynote – Finding the Next Norman E. Borlaug
- Martin Sheen – Actor and activist; opening keynote speaker.
What If Her Harvest Changes Everything?
The panel highlighted the contributions of women farmers to agricultural transformation, coinciding with the International Year of the Woman Farmer.
- Facilitator: Daphne Ewing-Chow | Senior Contributor, Forbes
- Jana Gäbert | Farmer from Germany | Member, Global Farmer Network and Managing Director for Livestock and Grassland, Agrargenossenschaft Trebbin eG
- April Hemmes | Farmer from United States | Owner-Operator, Hemmes Farms
- Nelius Kariuki | Farmer from Kenya | Director, Kenya Vineyards
- Josselyn Veronica Vega Rojas | Farmer from Ecuador | 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneer and Coordinator, Association of Agroecological Producers of Cotopaxi
What If the Land Stops Giving?
The discussion explored the restoration of agricultural landscapes, soil health, regenerative farming and the future of sustainable food production.
- Nick Offerman – Actor, author and advocate for sustainable land stewardship.
- Mary Berry – Executive Director, The Berry Center.
- Robert Montgomery – Professor and researcher.
- James Rebanks – Farmer, writer and advocate for regenerative farming.
When Food Is On The Line, Who Draws It?
The session addressed the disruption of food systems by conflict and emphasized the importance of agricultural development, fertilizer access and international cooperation.
- Facilitator: Cary Fowler | 2024 World Food Prize Laureate and President, Food Security Leadership Council
- David Beckmann | 2010 World Food Prize Laureate and Coordinator, Circle of Protection
- Henk van Duijn | President and Chief Executive Officer, International Fertilizer Development Center
- Purvi Mehta | Member, World Food Prize Foundation Council of Advisors
- Michael Werz | Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
What Do We Owe the Next Harvest?
- Tom Vilsack – CEO, World Food Prize Foundation.
- Laura Turner Seydel – Chair, Turner Foundation.
What If the Water Runs Out?
This session examined water scarcity and agricultural resilience.
- Facilitator: Travis Frey | Chief Technology Officer, Pivot Bio
- Surinder Makhija | Senior Vice President, Jain Irrigation Systems
- Edgar Sandoval | President and Chief Executive Officer, World Vision
- Amit Trikha | Vice President, Global Sustainability Partnerships & Strategy, Bayer AG
Wednesday 21 October: Main sessions and speakers
When Does a Voice Become a Movement?
- Speaker: Malala Yousafzai.
- The keynote connected the role of leadership and public mobilisation with the broader challenge of securing a better future for the next generation.
- Featured speaker: Princess Tatjana of Liechtenstein.
- Her participation was part of the high-level dialogue on mobilising leadership, investment and partnerships to address global food insecurity.
Inclusive development and innovative approaches
- Featured speaker: Muhammad Yunus.
- Yunus is among the headline participants announced for the 2026 Dialogue. His participation brought a social-enterprise and inclusive-development perspective; the exact 21 October session details require confirmation
Beyond Irrigation: The Growing Agenda for Agricultural Water and Better Health
How to meet farmers’ irrigation needs while protecting shared water resources and public health. Co-hosted by IFPRI and University of Nebraska institutions.
- Claudia Ringler — IFPRI
- Shibani Ghosh
- Ian Moore
- Jesse Bell
- Kyle Davis
Addressing Global Hunger and Food Security: A Time to Adopt New Paradigms
Rethinking approaches to global hunger and food security, including the need for new policy and development approaches.
- John M. Ulimwengu — Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI.
Dawn of a New Era: How Sequencing Crop Genomes Can Usher Agriculture’s Next Great Leap Forward
A proposed major investment in sequencing the genetic material held in crop germplasm collections. The goal is to accelerate breeding, strengthen agricultural supply chains and improve farmer profitability, food security and nutrition.
- Judy Chambers, Director – Program for Biosafety Systems, IFPRI
Iowa Master Farmer panel
A farmer-led discussion on agricultural practice, land stewardship and the contribution of experienced farmers to food production. The event also marks the centennial of the Iowa Master Farmer award.
- Steve Berger — Iowa Master Farmer
- Jeff Jorgenson — Iowa Master Farmer
- Larry Buss — Iowa Master Farmer
- Kirk Leeds — CEO, Iowa Soybean Association; facilitator
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