Dryland Congress 2026 Adopts Delhi Declaration on Drylands
The three-day Dryland Congress 2026 ended in New Delhi with the Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) and the first ISSCA Global Awards for the Global South.

Why in News
On 13 September 2026 the three-day Dryland Congress 2026 concluded in New Delhi with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Drylands and the presentation of the first ISSCA Global Awards.
The Dryland Congress 2026 closed in New Delhi on 13 September 2026. It ran for three days. The closing plenary adopted the Delhi Declaration on Drylands, written in short as 3D. Governments, institutions, partners and delegates at the Congress endorsed it. The declaration sets a shared agenda for dryland farming across the Global South through partnership, knowledge exchange, innovation and joint action.
A closing day with a United Nations link
The final day fell on the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. The day opened with a commemoration ceremony for it. Messages came from the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. Ms Dima Al-Khatib, Director of UNOSSC, also sent a message. The theme of the Congress was Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South-South Cooperation.
What the leaders said
Dr M. L. Jat spoke at the concluding session. He is Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He asked that ICAR-NIAP be given the mandate to lead foresight work on dryland agriculture. He also pressed for strong data systems and for living laboratories that link research with policy. Dr Himanshu Pathak, Director General of ICRISAT, called drylands strategically important for world food security. The Co-Chairs of the Congress were Dr D. K. Yadava of ICAR and Dr Stanford Blade of ICRISAT.
The first ISSCA Global Awards
The Congress presented the ISSCA Global Awards 2026. This was the first edition of the annual award. It drew 170 nominations from 34 countries in Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, West Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Sixteen Best Poster Awards went to students and research scholars.
| Event | Dryland Congress 2026, New Delhi, three days |
| Outcome document | Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) |
| Theme | Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South-South Cooperation |
| Award | ISSCA Global Awards 2026, first edition |
| Nominations | 170, from 34 countries |
| Mega Award winners | ICARDA (Lebanon), CIMMYT (Mexico), Odisha Livelihoods Mission (India) |
Partnerships announced
New agreements were announced with the Global Crop Diversity Trust. ICRISAT exchanged memoranda of understanding with Avior Life Sciences, NIFTEM and Wipro Limited. It also signed with the district administrations of Angul and Rayagada in Odisha.
Important Facts
| Event | Dryland Congress 2026, three days, New Delhi |
|---|---|
| Outcome document | Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) |
| Theme | Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South-South Cooperation |
| Closing day observance | United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation |
| Secretary DARE and DG, ICAR | Dr M. L. Jat |
| Director General, ICRISAT | Dr Himanshu Pathak |
| Award presented | ISSCA Global Awards 2026, first edition |
| Nominations received | 170, from 34 countries |
| Best Poster Awards | 16, to students and research scholars |
Exam Point of View
Remember the outcome document (Delhi Declaration on Drylands, or 3D), the theme, the venue, the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation on the closing day, the 170 nominations from 34 countries for the first ISSCA Global Awards, and the names of the ICAR and ICRISAT chiefs.
Practice Questions
Which declaration was adopted at the closing plenary of the Dryland Congress 2026?
- A.The New Delhi Declaration on Food Security
- B.The Delhi Declaration on Drylands
- C.The Global South Charter on Agriculture
- D.The Bharat Declaration on Arid Farming
Show answer
Correct answer: B. The Delhi Declaration on Drylands
Explanation
The correct answer is the Delhi Declaration on Drylands. The three-day Congress ended in New Delhi and its closing plenary endorsed this document, which is written in short as 3D. Participating governments, institutions, partners and delegates backed it. The declaration sets out a shared agenda for changing dryland agriculture across the Global South through collaboration, knowledge exchange, innovation and collective action. Option A is wrong because the release names drylands and not food security in the title of the document, even though food security was discussed at the Congress. Option C is wrong because no charter of that name was adopted; the outcome was a declaration and not a charter. Option D is wrong because the document carries the name of the host city, Delhi, and not the word Bharat. Candidates should link the host city of a summit with the declaration named after it.
How many nominations did the first edition of the ISSCA Global Awards receive, and from how many countries?
- A.120 nominations from 24 countries
- B.170 nominations from 34 countries
- C.210 nominations from 44 countries
- D.150 nominations from 30 countries
Show answer
Correct answer: B. 170 nominations from 34 countries
Explanation
The correct answer is 170 nominations from 34 countries. The ISSCA Global Awards are an annual flagship initiative that recognises proven agricultural innovations from institutions across the Global South, chosen for their potential to be scaled up and adapted across countries. Its first edition, presented at the Dryland Congress 2026, drew nominations from Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, West Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Mega Award, formally the ISSCA Global Award for Transformative Excellence, went to ICARDA of Lebanon, CIMMYT of Mexico and the Odisha Livelihoods Mission of India. Options A, C and D carry figures that do not match the release, and each pairs the wrong count of nominations with the wrong count of countries. In examinations such paired figures are a common trap, so remember both numbers together rather than only one of them.
The closing day of the Dryland Congress 2026 coincided with which observance?
- A.World Food Day
- B.World Soil Day
- C.United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
- D.World Day to Combat Desertification
Show answer
Correct answer: C. United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
Explanation
The correct answer is the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. The final day of the Congress opened with a commemoration ceremony for this day. Messages were read from the Secretary-General of the United Nations, from the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization and from Ms Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. The session that followed, convened with CGIAR, was on advancing South-South and triangular cooperation. The theme of the Congress itself was Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South-South Cooperation, so the observance and the theme fit together. Option A is wrong because World Food Day falls in October. Option B is wrong because World Soil Day falls in December. Option D is wrong because the day against desertification falls in June. Only the South-South Cooperation day is named in this release.
Frequently Asked Questions
What declaration was adopted at the Dryland Congress 2026?
The Delhi Declaration on Drylands, written in short as 3D. It was endorsed at the closing plenary in New Delhi on 13 September 2026 and sets a shared agenda for dryland agriculture across the Global South.
How many nominations did the first ISSCA Global Awards receive?
170 nominations from 34 countries across Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, West Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Mega Award went to ICARDA of Lebanon, CIMMYT of Mexico and the Odisha Livelihoods Mission of India.
Which United Nations day fell on the closing day of the Congress?
The United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation. A commemoration ceremony was held for it, with messages from the United Nations Secretary-General, the FAO Director-General and UNOSSC Director Ms Dima Al-Khatib.
Sources
- Dryland Congress 2026 Concludes with Delhi Declaration on Drylands (opens in a new tab) — Press Information Bureau
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