India opens the 6th International Agronomy Congress 2025, advancing global agricultural transformation

The Government of India inaugurated the 6th International Agronomy Congress (IAC-2025) in New Delhi, bringing together over 1,000 agricultural scientists, policymakers, development agencies, and global research institutions.

The 6th International Agronomy Congress (IAC–2025) was formally inaugurated at the NPL Auditorium, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, in the presence of the Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The three-day global forum, scheduled from 24 to 26 November 2025, has been organized by the Indian Society of Agronomy (ISA) in partnership with major agricultural institutions, including the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), and the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences (TAAS).

Global institutions strengthen multilateral engagement

The event has attracted more than 1,000 participants, comprising scientists, policy experts, students, industry leaders, and development organisations from India and across the world. Representatives from leading global bodies such as FAO, CIMMYT, ICRISAT, IRRI, ICARDA, and IFDC are also in attendance.

Policy direction: agronomy as the bridge between lab and land

While addressing the gathering, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan emphasized that the vision for Viksit Bharat @2047 is anchored in sustainable, technology-driven, and resource-efficient agriculture. He conveyed that future food systems must focus on producing more with fewer inputs while protecting natural resources for coming generations. He highlighted that agronomy continues to serve as the essential link between scientific innovation and field-level agricultural practices. The Minister also shared that recommendations developed during the Congress would be adopted into national agricultural policies and regional action plans.

IAC–2025 Declaration outlines reform blueprint

During the inaugural session, the Minister released the IAC-2025 Declaration, which outlines several strategic priorities, including:

1. Encouraging soil-carbon sequestration and water-efficient agriculture
2. Expanding AI-driven digital agriculture and the Agri-Stack ecosystem
3. Integrating natural, regenerative, and climate-smart farming systems
4. Launching innovation programmes for youth and women farmers
5. Introducing advanced agronomy education across schools and universities
6. Aligning agricultural systems with One-Health, LiFE Mission, and India’s Net-Zero 2070 goals
7. Promoting global outreach of India’s climate-adaptive agricultural models

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Shri Bhagirath Choudhary, remarked that agronomy must directly address real challenges faced by farmers. He suggested that enhanced farm incomes, environmental sustainability, and improved nutritional outcomes should be the core objectives of agronomic innovation. He also emphasized the need for scalable solutions that benefit diverse regions-from dryland areas of Rajasthan to hill ecosystems in Uttarakhand-while promoting rainfed agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth-led innovation, and rural entrepreneurship.

Ten thematic symposia have been planned during the Congress, covering areas such as:

1. Climate-resilient and carbon-neutral agriculture
2. Nature-based solutions and One-Health frameworks
3. Precision farming and optimal input use
4. Utilisation of genetic potential
5. Smart farm machinery, digital solutions, and post-harvest management
6. Nutrition-sensitive and eco-friendly agriculture
7. Gender inclusion and livelihood diversification
8. Agriculture 5.0 and advanced education models
9. Youth-focused scientific presentations and conferences.