The 2024 Borlaug Dialogue convenes under the theme "Seeds of Opportunity: Bridging Generations and Cultivating Diplomacy," echoing Dr. Norman Borlaug's enduring vision of breaking barriers and transcending boundaries for global food security.

This thematic framework emphasizes the vital role of integrating past wisdom, current innovations and the pressing needs of tomorrow, by leveraging agricultural technology to address contemporary challenges. It underscores the importance of intergenerational collaboration and diplomatic engagement in achieving sustainable solutions.

By uniting diverse stakeholders — from the heart of farming communities to the heights of corporate boardrooms, from the impassioned voices of youth to the seasoned wisdom of established experts — we strive to nurture fertile ground for innovation, collaboration and opportunity. This effort is especially pivotal for preserving crop diversity and safeguarding other vital resources crucial for securing our global food supply against looming threats.

Through this concerted effort, we endeavor to plant a seed for equitable access to nutritious food for all, embodying Dr. Borlaug's legacy of humanitarianism and scientific determination.

This year’s Congress will focus on innovative strategies and advancements in plant genomics and gene editing. Academic and industry experts will share genome editing case studies in key crops including wheat, maize, rice and soybean, the latest applications of utilising genome editing to improve traits such as disease resistance and stress tolerance. Utilising computational approaches through plant phenotyping is a rapidly developing area of the field as well as the integration of bioinformatics, and the potential of artificial intelligence in this field. An expert panel discussion will explore the most recent updates in genome editing policy and regulation.