Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems 2026 to be held in New Delhi.

New Delhi, March 11, 2026: A three day Global Conference on Women in Agri-Food Systems (GCWAS-2026) will be organized from 12-14 March 2026 at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Hall, ICAR Convention Centre, NASA Complex in New Delhi, according to M.L. Jat, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

President to inaugurate the conference:

The conference will be formally inaugurated by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu.

The inaugural session will also be attended by Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the Guest of Honour.

The Valedictory Session will be addressed by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annapurna Devi as the Chief Guest.

The global conference is being jointly organized by the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPV&FRA).

More than 15 national and international organizations are participating as co-organisers and knowledge partners, with a similar number supporting the event as sponsors.

Dr. M.L. Jat said the conference is particularly significant as 2026 has been declared the “International Year for Women Farmers” by the United Nations.

The theme of the conference is “Driving progress, Attaining New Heights.”

More than 700 participants are expected to attend, including Scientists, policymakers, Industry leaders, entrepreneurs, development professionals, women farmers, start-ups and students from across the world.

The objective is to strengthen policy frameworks and institutional support systems to ensure greater participation of women in the agri-food sector.

The conference is being organized under the guidance of Raj S. Paroda, Chairman of TAAS (Chief Patron), M.L. Jat, Secretary DARE & DG ICAR, Trilochan Mohapatra, Chairperson of PPV&FRA, and Ismahane Elouafi, Executive Managing Director of CGIAR.

The Conference Chair is Reny Swarup, former Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology, while Rajbir Singh, Deputy Director General (Agricultural Extension), ICAR, will serve as Co-Chair.

International experts to speak:

A number of prominent global leaders and experts will address the conference, including Agnes Kalibata, Founder and Chair of Connect41impact Advisory Group, Bram Govaerts, Director General of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT), Soumya Swaminathan, Chairperson of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Shakuntala H. Thilsted, World Food Prize Laureate, Nitya Rao, Director at Norwich Institute for Sustainable Development (UK), Nicoline de Haan, Director at the Gender and Youth Accelerator Platforms of International Livestock Research Institute (Kenya).

The conference will feature several thematic sessions, including interface with global women trailblazers—showcasing success stories of women leaders in agriculture, mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion in agricultural policies, economic inclusion for women—focusing on entrepreneurship, finance, and market linkages, technology for transformation—exploring digital tools, climate-smart innovations, and women-friendly agricultural technologies

Dedicated forums and exhibition:

Special forums will also be organized, including a women farmers’ forum—focusing on grassroots challenges faced by women farmers, a youth forum—aimed at engaging the next generation of agri-food leaders.

An exhibition will showcase women-focused agricultural technologies, innovations, and policies, providing a platform for women-led start-ups and entrepreneurs to display their products and solutions.

GCWAS-2026 aims to generate actionable recommendations, document global best practices, and develop a roadmap for strengthening women’s role in agriculture.

The outcomes are expected to support gender-responsive policies, technological innovation, and inclusive development of agri-food systems worldwide.

Also Read: The Climate-resilient agri-food systems meet in 2025, held in Patna.

EOM.