The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska joined scientists, agribusiness executives, policymakers, producers, and development leaders from around the world at the 2025 World Food Prize Foundation Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The event was held in Des Moines, Iowa, October 21–23 under the theme “SOILutions for Security.”
The annual Borlaug Dialogue brings together experts from over 65 countries and is focused on interdisciplinary learning and cross-sector partnerships. This year’s event focused on the foundational role that agriculture plays in global stability. In an era of economic disruption, conflict, and environmental stress, the Borlaug Dialogue examined how diverse industries and sectors can unite to address these challenges from the ground up.
A key insight that emerged from the sessions was the recognition that soil health is central to global food and water security. Speakers and panelists emphasized that restoring and protecting soils is not only an environmental imperative but also a pathway to social stability, economic growth and peace. Discussions highlighted advances in biological and data-driven solutions, from microbial innovations that enhance fertilizer efficiency to precision agronomy tools that optimize inputs and improve resilience against climate stress. Several sessions also underscored the critical role of collaboration across sectors and disciplines, including the leadership of women and youth in driving innovation and inclusive agricultural transformation. All these themes strongly resonated with DWFI’s mission to enhance water and agricultural productivity for a more water- and food-secure world.
In addition to connecting with partners and attending sessions, DWFI hosted an exhibitor booth that remained active throughout the three-day event, engaging more than 400 attendees interested in the institute’s mission to help the world produce more food with less water. Visitors learned about DWFI’s local and global research, outreach and partnerships focused on improving water and agricultural productivity. Visitors also picked up institute brochures and branded giveaways, including notebooks, socks, hats, and pins, to take a piece of DWFI home with them.
The booth served as both a platform to raise awareness and visibility of DWFI’s work and a gathering place for connection, providing opportunities to build new relationships and reconnect with past collaborators. For example, DWFI staff reconnected with former DWFI-supported master’s student Agustín Olivo at the booth. He has since earned his doctorate degree at Cornell University and participated in the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) Fellowship Program. Olivo is now a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Guelph in Canada. He is one of nearly 100 students DWFI has supported since the start of its program in 2014 and a reminder of the lasting global impact of DWFI’s educational and research partnerships.
