The world is coming to Iowa, and you’re invited. The 2026 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue is set for Oct. 20-22 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
Themed “Before Hunger Wins,” the 2026 event will take a deep look at the future of agriculture and global food security. A “who’s who” of ag leaders, activists, experts, celebrities and others will focus on the ongoing food crisis and related issues.
The annual Borlaug Dialogue, named in honor of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Norman Borlaug, who died in 2009, is hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation. This is the 40th anniversary of the World Food Prize, which was created by Borlaug.
A native Iowan, Borlaug was an agronomist and scientist known as the "father of the Green Revolution" and is credited with saving more than a billion lives from starvation.
The event also features a formal award ceremony celebrating the 2026 World Food Prize laureate and their role in fighting global hunger.
Quest to defeat world hunger
This year’s Borlaug Dialogue will feature high-level speakers from around the world. They will report on new funding announcements, cutting-edge research, influential policy debates and issues that will shape international food security efforts.
The event is expected to attract over 1,500 participants from more than 60 countries, representing more than 600 organizations across governments, nongovernment groups, business and academia. A full agenda for the main event, awards ceremony, side sessions, exhibitor booths and special meetings is available online.
Among the speakers are:
- Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai
- actor and humanitarian Martin Sheen
- Tanzania Prime Minister Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba
- Her Serene Highness Princess Tatjana Nora Maria of Liechtenstein
- Food and Agriculture Organization Director-General Qu Dongyu
- Rockefeller Foundation President Rajiv Shah
- actor and author Nick Offerman
- World Food Prize laureates and influential voices from around the world
“What makes this gathering extraordinary is not simply who is coming; it’s what becomes possible when they come together and share ideas and information,” said Mashal Husain, president of the World Food Prize Foundation. “Because hunger does not belong to one sector, neither does the answer to how to alleviate it.”
What you can learn
For 40 years, the World Food Prize has created a place where people with different perspectives and experiences confront the same challenge together, Husain said.
“This October, that tradition continues with three days of conversations focused on questions that cannot wait,” she added.
What happens when food becomes a weapon? How do we protect the water and land on which our food production depends? What will it take to feed a changing world? Where will the next breakthrough come from — and who will make it possible?
With the theme “Before Hunger Wins,” the 2026 Borlaug Dialogue will put those questions where they belong: in front of people with the experience, influence, ideas and determination to do something about them.
“Forty years of the World Food Prize has led to this moment,” Husain said. “The speakers are coming. The agenda is set. The conversations are waiting. All that is missing is you.”
To explore the agenda, click here. To register for the Borlaug Dialogue, click here.
Why Iowans should be there
Anyone interested in food production and availability is welcome to attend, including farmers, students, scientists, business owners, global CEOs, educators, innovators, community leaders, policymakers, people who have spent their careers thinking about food and agriculture, and people who are simply curious about the world around them.
“For three days, Des Moines becomes a meeting place for different countries, cultures, professions, generations and perspectives,” Husain said. “You never know who you’ll sit next to or where a conversation might lead. Food touches every person, every family and every community. How we grow it, what it costs, who has access to it and how we feed a changing world aren’t questions reserved for experts.”
Claim your Iowa resident rate
Where else can you hear from an Iowa farmer, a scientist working on the next breakthrough, an international leader and an entrepreneur with a big idea, all in the same place?
“Because this global gathering calls Iowa home, we are pleased to offer a significantly discounted registration price for Iowa residents,” Husain said.
You also can register for tours of the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates, located at 100 Locust St. in Des Moines.
In addition to the three full days of interactive programming on global food security and hunger alleviation, attendees will be able to attend side events. A total of 12 side sessions will be held. Hosted by partner organizations, these events will be held at the Iowa Events Center from Oct. 20-22.
For example, the Iowa Master Farmer organization is hosting a side event from 6:15-7:15 p.m. Oct. 21. Iowa Master Farmer Foundation members Steve Berger, Jeff Jorgenson and Larry Buss will speak to attendees about current issues of concern to farmers. Kirk Leeds, CEO of the Iowa Soybean Association, will facilitate the panel discussion.
Additional information is available on the World Food Prize website at worldfoodprize.org. Email wfpf@worldfoodprize.org or call the WFP office at 515-245-3797 if you have questions.