Bhubaneswar, Odisha : The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in partnership with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), hosted a regional policy dialogue, “Food Policy for a Changing World: Lessons and Priorities for South Asia”, on September 16, 2025, in New Delhi. The event also marked the South Asia launch of IFPRI’s 2025 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR).
The dialogue gathered senior policymakers, researchers, and development partners. They discussed how South Asia can build resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems while facing climate change, malnutrition, and demographic shifts.
The chief guest, Prof. S. Mahendra Dev, Chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (EAC-PM), reminded participants about core priorities. He urged governments and the private sector to work together and reshape food systems that deliver affordable, healthy, and diverse diets.
Nutrition was another central theme. Dr. Vinod K. Paul, Member of NITI Aayog, stressed early action. “If we want to break the intergenerational cycle of malnutrition, we must act before pregnancy,” he said.
State-led innovations were also highlighted. Smt. Anu Garg, DC–cum–ACS, Government of Odisha, shared her state’s journey. She said Odisha moved from starvation deaths to becoming India’s fifth-largest rice producer through institution building and irrigation. “Now our focus is embedding climate resilience into agriculture so progress endures,” she added.
Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, Odisha, outlined the state’s integrated approach. “Odisha is one of the few states with both a climate resilience cell and a Gender Responsive Cell. We wanted to design with gender and climate in mind from the beginning.” He also cited Seeds Without Borders as a model of cross-country cooperation for climate-resilient varieties.
Dr. Angela Lusigi, India Representative of UNDP, called for solutions that merge innovation with traditional knowledge. Dr. Purnima Menon, Senior Director at IFPRI, stressed IFPRI’s role as a connector of global policy evidence.
Summing up, Dr. Shahidur Rashid, Director of IFPRI-South Asia, said the 2025 GFPR is special as it marks IFPRI’s 50 years and addresses future policy challenges.
The South Asia Dialogue, co-hosted by IFPRI and ICAR, underscored shared responsibility and regional opportunity. Grounded in evidence and collaboration, the discussions set the stage for food systems that prioritize resilience, equity, and nutrition for all.
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