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The October 20-22 Dialogue will bring a record 20 World Food Prize Laureates and leaders from around the world to Des Moines to confront pressing challenges facing global food security
The World Food Prize Foundation announced the agenda for the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, bringing together an extraordinary group of global leaders, innovators, researchers and advocates to confront one of the world’s most urgent challenges: hunger.
Headlining this year’s three-day Dialogue is Malala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and a global advocate for human rights and education. She will be joined by an exceptional lineup of voices, including 1994 World Food Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, Her Serene Highness Princess Tatjana of Liechtenstein, Rockefeller Foundation President Dr. Rajiv Shah and actor, author and humorist Nick Offerman.
These individuals are only a start. A record 20 World Food Prize Laureates will be in attendance—the largest gathering of World Food Prize Laureates in history of the Borlaug Dialogue.
Marking the 40th anniversary of the World Food Prize, the three-day event will convene under the theme Before Hunger Wins. The World Food Prize Laureates, industry leaders, farmers, researchers, government workers and youth will all gather together to shape a decisive point in the future of global food security by charting solutions, sharing knowledge and inspiring the next generation of hunger fighters.
“The choices we make today will define the world we leave to the next generation,” said Mashal Husain, President, World Food Prize Foundation. “At the Borlaug Dialogue, we bring together leaders and changemakers from around the world to confront the barriers that stand between people and the food they need to thrive. The conversations we have and the commitments we make must translate into sustained action to build a safer, more reliable and more equitable food system for generations to come.”
The week includes actionable steps to fight global food challenges. The community is invited to take part in a world record attempt to package the most hunger relief meals in an hour. These meals will be distributed throughout the international community to address childhood hunger and food insecurity.
“We have a unique opportunity to bring our discussion to action,” said Tom Vilsack, Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation. “I encourage everyone in the Des Moines area to take responsibility to help children and families in need by volunteering at the world record event.”
In tandem with the Borlaug Dialogue, students from around the world will gather for the Global Youth Institute. The student delegates will share their personal research findings with their peers, Laureates and global food and agriculture leaders in round table discussions. The next generation of leaders will be empowered to develop solutions for a more sustainable and food-secure future.
To conclude the week of events, the culminating Laureate Award Ceremony will be held on Thursday, October 22. This year’s award recipient is Huub Lelieveld, who will be recognized with a $500,000 award for his prevention of millions of foodborne illnesses, translating the science of food safety into a global force for action and dismantling of barriers to trade and humanitarian aid, ultimately strengthening the foundations of a more food-secure world.
With its largest-ever gathering of World Food Prize Laureates, an international lineup of speakers and a program focused on turning dialogue into action, the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue will bring global attention to the choices that will shape the future of food security.
The 2026 agenda is now live. View the full agenda and register for the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue click HERE.
Highlighted Speakers for the Borlaug Dialogue:
- Hon. Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov | 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneer and Minister of Agriculture, Republic of Uzbekistan
- Mary Berry | Executive Director, The Berry Center
- Ranveer Chandra | Vice President of Copilot Tuning and Chief Technology Officer of Agri-Food, Microsoft
- Han Chen | 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneer, Co-founder and CEO, ZeaKal
- QU Dongyu | Director General, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations
- Henk van Duijn | President and CEO, International Fertilizer Development Center
- April Hemmes | Farmer and Owner-Operator, Hemmes Farms
- Muhammad Ibrahim | Director General, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
- Anil Jain | Vice Chairman and CEO, Jain Irrigation Systems
- Michele Kaiser | Director of Tech Commerce, John Deere
- Fusako Kira | CEO, Marukin Foods Co., B-GENKI Co. and CrossFit Kumamoto Co.
- Kris Lutt | Vice President of Innovation and Growth, ADM
- Muneerah Merchant | CEO, Aga Khan Foundation USA
- Hon. Gerardine Mukeshimana | Vice-President, International Fund for Agricultural Development
- Chris Nelson | 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneer and President and CEO, Kemin Industries
- Paul Newnham | 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneer and CEO, SDG2 Advocacy Hub
- Hon. J. Alexander Nuetah | Minister of Agriculture, Republic of Liberia
- Judd O'Connor | Executive Vice President, Seed Business Unit, Corteva Agriscience
- Giles Oldroyd | 2024 Top Agri-food Pioneer and President, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
- Ruth Oniang'o | Founder and Editor-in-Chief, African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development
- Hon. Eric Opoku | Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Republic of Ghana
- James Rebanks | Farmer and Writer, Racy Ghyll Farm
- Alice Ruhweza | President, AGRA
- Edgar Sandoval | President and CEO, World Vision
- Laura Turner Seydel | Chair, Turner Foundation
- Dr. Rajiv Shah | President, The Rockefeller Foundation
World Food Prize Laureates in Attendance:
- Hon. Akinwumi Adesina | 2017
- Maria Andrade | 2016
- David Beckmann | 2010
- Catherine Bertini | 2003
- Howarth Bouis | 2016
- Gebisa Ejeta | 2009
- Cary Fowler | 2024
- Robert Fraley | 2013
- Lawrence Haddad | 2018
- Mariangela Hungria | 2025
- Gurdev Khush | 1996
- Heidi Kühn | 2023
- Rattan Lal | 2020
- Huub Lelieveld | 2026
- Jan Low | 2016
- Philip Nelson | 2007
- Per Pinstrup-Andersen | 2001
- Cynthia Rosenzweig | 2022
- Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted | 2021
- Muhammad Yunus | 1994