New Delhi: Indian student Ameena Nazreen A S has won a USD 500 cash prize at the Global Youth Institute (GYI), organised as part of the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
Seven high school students from different parts of India participated in the GYI programme after being selected through the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS) YUVA selection drive. They presented research papers addressing critical food-security challenges and engaged with international peers to exchange perspectives on food security and sustainable agri-food systems.
The World Food Prize Foundation hosted the 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue from October 20 to 22 under the theme “Before Hunger Wins”. NAAS participated in the international event through an exhibition showcasing Indian agricultural research, a roundtable on agricultural higher education, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology (CAST), USA.
The NAAS exhibition featured prominent publications from the Academy and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). It provided an international platform to share Indian agricultural research, scientific knowledge and policy perspectives with researchers, academicians, policymakers and other stakeholders, according to an official statement.
A special roundtable on agricultural higher education was organised alongside the dialogue, bringing members of the Indian agricultural diaspora together to discuss the transformation of agricultural education through global partnerships.
Addressing the roundtable virtually, Dr. M. L. Jat, President of NAAS, Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education, and Director General of ICAR, called for a renewed approach to agricultural higher education to prepare future professionals to address global challenges.
He identified climate change, natural resource degradation, biodiversity loss and the growing demand for nutritious and healthy food as key challenges requiring attention.
Dr. Jat emphasised the need to move beyond production-centric agriculture towards an integrated approach encompassing agri-food systems and value chains. He highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration between academia and industry, international knowledge exchange and greater engagement with the Indian agricultural diaspora to develop industry-ready professionals and strengthen agricultural research and education.
He also underscored NAAS’s role in promoting policy dialogue and bringing together researchers, policymakers, academic institutions and industry to address emerging challenges in agricultural research and development.
Another significant development was the signing of an MoU between NAAS and CAST, USA. The partnership aims to create new avenues for cooperation in agricultural research, capacity development and knowledge exchange, strengthen institutional links and facilitate international scientific collaboration.
Congratulating the young participants and highlighting the importance of international engagement, Dr. Jat emphasised that nurturing young talent and strengthening global partnerships were essential to developing innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture and global food security.
He expressed confidence that collaborative efforts would contribute to advancing agricultural research, education and extension, particularly in countries of the Global South.
