Press and Media Partner Registration Now Open for the 2023 World Food Prize Week of Events

Press and media partner registration for the 2023 World Food Prize Week of Events held October 24-26, 2023 in Des Moines, Iowa, is now open. The highlight of the events, the 2023 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue will convene an incredible array of international leaders, experts and scientists to discuss and address critical issues facing global food security. 

• Members of the media can apply for press credentials at www.worldfoodprize.org/pressregistration.

• The current agenda can be found at www.worldfoodprize.org/agenda.

• Select speakers will be available for private interviews with onsite press. Details will be provided to in-person press who have registered. 

The 2023 conference, themed “Harnessing Change,” will focus on harnessing innovation, adaptation, and diversification to improve systemic resilience, recover from shocks, and sustainably nourish all people. As Dr. Norman Borlaug said frequently, pessimism has no place in action. We honor, celebrate, and aim to inspire those who harness change and ultimately shape the future of food and agriculture. Building on Borlaug’s legacy of tackling immense global challenges, this year’s Borlaug Dialogue will both acknowledge how far we have come and make positive strides toward a food-secure future. 

The 2023 World Food Prize week of events consists of the Borlaug Dialogue, the Laureate Award Ceremony, the Global Youth Institute and over 30 breakout and side event sessions. Press and media partners should indicate on the registration form which events they are interested in covering.

Bloggers are also welcome to apply in advance to cover the event as a media partner, which grants the same event access as an accredited press. For application details please contact Nicole Barreca Prenger at nprenger@worldfoodprize.org.  Space is limited and for security purposes, event organizers cannot guarantee entry to bloggers that have not been cleared for registration ahead of time.

Highlighted speakers for the year include:

• President of Kosovo, Her Excellency President Vjosa Osmani

• President of The Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Rajiv Shah

• President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

• Minister of International Development of Norway, Minister Anne Beathe Tvinnereim

• CGIAR System Board Chair, Dr. Lindiwe Majele Sibanda

• Deputy Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Beth Bechdol

• United States Assistant Secretary of State, Assistant Secretary Ramin Toloui 

• United States Department of State Special Envoy for Global Food Security, Dr. Cary Fowler

• Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation, Dr. Manuel Otero

• Vice President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Dr. Jyotsna Puri

• Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States of America, His Excellency Shaikh Abdulla Rashed Al-Khalifa

• Director General of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, Dr. Bram Govaerts

• Former Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization and Chairperson of MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan

• Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Dr. Lawrence Haddad

• Senior Research Scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, Dr. Cynthia Rosenzweig

Additional significant milestones and participants:

• An array of international agribusiness CEOs from the following companies will give keynote presentations or speak on panels including:

  • Corteva Agriscience CEO, Chuck Magro

  • Bayer North America President, Jacqueline Applegate

  • John Deere CFO, Joshua Jepsen

  • U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO, Krysta Harden

  • Chevron Renewable Energy Group President, Kevin Lucke

  • AgriSompo Chairman and CEO, Bob Haney

• The launch of the John Ruan III Keynote Inaugural Address will be presented by the President of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Suzanne Clark.

• Global Ministers and Ambassadors representing Barbados, Brazil, Canada, India, Israel, Kosovo, Liberia, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway and the United Kingdom will address international development, food security, and water scarcity.

• The launch of the Africa Agriculture Dialogue will take place as an annual gathering addressing key milestones and developments in African Agriculture with the Borlaug Dialogue being the platform and site for these conversations, and welcoming African leaders, farmers, and policymakers.

• Our 2023 World Food Prize Laureate, Heidi Kühn will be recognized for her founding of the nonprofit organization, Roots of Peace; her leadership in facilitating the removal of landmines in conflict-affected countries; and her farmer-focused agricultural development model that revitalizes farmland, food security, livelihoods and resilience.

• An interview of the 2023 World Food Prize Laureate Heidi Kuhn will be conducted by award-winning journalist Cheryl Jennings about Roots of Peace demining and agricultural development efforts in Afghanistan and the need for similar operations in Ukraine, which is the most heavily mined country in the world.

• A mock demonstration of demining operations by the Mine Advisory Group (MAG) will be presented by a team of female deminers from Vietnam who will share their experiences and take the audience through the demining process.

• Sessions with global farmers will address the impact of climate/conflict and represent the farmer voice, highlighting Dr. Borlaug's efforts to "take it to the farmer." Farmers will represent Ukraine, Nigeria, Colombia, Germany and India.

• The Global Youth Institute will return in person for the first time since 2019 and will welcome 152 students (including international students), 75 teachers and 40 youth program alumni to participate in four days of youth programming, student research presentations and opportunities to meet speakers and delegates of the Borlaug Dialogue.