Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) 2026: ICRISAT-ICAR Congress Outcome

Why in News

The Global Dryland Congress 2026 concluded on September 12, 2026, at the NASC Complex (National Agricultural Science Centre), New Delhi, with the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D). Co-organised by ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) and ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), the Congress also marked the 50th anniversary of the ICRISAT–ICAR partnership. The event concluded on the UN Day for South-South Cooperation (September 12), a symbolic alignment underscoring the declaration's core mandate of South-South collaboration.

Background

Drylands cover approximately 41% of the Earth's land surface and are home to more than 2 billion people, the majority in developing nations. They are characterised by low and erratic rainfall (aridity index below 0.65) and face severe threats from land degradation, desertification, and climate change. India has approximately 228 million hectares of drylands, concentrated in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.

Dryland agriculture — dependent on rainfall rather than irrigation — is the livelihood of over 60% of India's farmers. Key dryland crops include sorghum (jowar), pearl millet (bajra), finger millet (ragi), chickpea, pigeon pea, groundnut, and castor. These crops are nutritionally dense and climate-resilient but suffer from low productivity, market access gaps, and poor post-harvest management.

ICRISAT, headquartered in Patancheru, Telangana, is a CGIAR research centre mandated to improve food and livelihoods in the dryland tropics. It works primarily on sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea, and groundnut. ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), established in 1929 under the aegis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, is India's apex body for agricultural research and education.

Current Developments

The Congress convened over 800 global experts from research institutions, academia, governments, industry, development agencies, startups, farmer organisations, CGIAR centres, and international institutions. Deliberations spanned six key themes:

Climate-smart dryland agriculture and resilience
South-South and triangular cooperation frameworks
Digital agriculture and data systems for dryland monitoring
Value chains, markets, and nutrition-sensitive food systems
Integrated landscape management and land restoration
Policy and investment frameworks for dryland agriculture

The Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) was adopted at the closing plenary by participating governments, institutions, and delegates.

Key Facts

Event: Global Dryland Congress 2026
Dates: September 10–12, 2026
Venue: NASC Complex (National Agricultural Science Centre), New Delhi
Organisers: ICRISAT + ICAR (50th anniversary of their partnership)
Participants: 800+ global experts from multiple sectors
Theme: "Transforming Dryland Agriculture through South-South Cooperation"
Outcome document: Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D)
Concluded on: UN Day for South-South Cooperation (September 12)
Global drylands: ~41% of Earth's land; 2 billion+ people
India's drylands: ~228 million hectares; supports 60%+ of India's farmers

Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) — Key Commitments

A shared global agenda for transforming dryland agriculture through collaboration, knowledge exchange, innovation, and collective action
Stronger South-South and triangular cooperation to accelerate solutions for dryland food security
Establishment of "living laboratories" connecting research, practice, and policy in dryland regions
Better data systems and foresight mechanisms for dryland agriculture
ICAR-NIAP (National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research) proposed as the nodal body to lead foresight activities in dryland agriculture

Constitutional Provisions

Article 48 (DPSP): The State shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter of cows, calves, and other milch and draught cattle. Article 48A: Protect and improve the environment. Article 21: The right to life (interpreted by the Supreme Court to include the right to livelihood and food).

Entry 14 of the State List (7th Schedule): Agriculture including agricultural education and research is a State subject, though ICAR functions at the national level under concurrent coordination.

Legal Framework

ICAR Act / ICAR Society — ICAR is registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860; governed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare
National Food Security Act, 2013 — mandates access to adequate food for 75% rural and 50% urban population; dryland crops (millets, pulses) are critical to this mandate
National Policy for Farmers, 2007 — prioritises doubling farmer incomes, with specific attention to dryland and rainfed agriculture
UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) — India is a signatory; committed to Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) by 2030

Institutional Framework

ICRISAT — CGIAR research centre; headquarters Patancheru, Hyderabad; focuses on sorghum, millets, pulses, groundnut
ICAR — apex agricultural research body; 103 institutes and 71 All India Coordinated Research Projects
ICAR-NIAP — National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research; proposed lead for dryland agriculture foresight
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare — nodal ministry for agricultural research policy
CGIAR — global network of agricultural research centres; ICRISAT is one of 15 CGIAR centres
UNCCD — UN body for combating desertification, land degradation, and drought

Economic Dimensions

Dryland agriculture contributes to approximately 40% of India's agricultural output and supports subsistence livelihoods of millions of smallholders. Improved dryland productivity through drought-tolerant varieties, in-situ rainwater harvesting, and precision agronomy can significantly enhance rural incomes without requiring additional irrigation infrastructure (which accounts for the bulk of agricultural investment).

India's dryland crops — particularly millets, chickpea, and pigeon pea — are global leaders in production and export. The Millet Mission (PMIM) and India's hosting of the International Year of Millets 2023 created momentum for dryland crop value chains internationally. The Congress explored connecting these value chains to export markets in Africa and West Asia through South-South frameworks.

Environmental Dimensions

Drylands are carbon sinks when managed sustainably but become carbon sources under degradation. Land degradation in drylands contributes to desertification — India loses an estimated 5,334 sq km of land annually to degradation. India has committed to restoring 26 million hectares of degraded land by 2030 under its UNCCD-linked NDC. The 3D Declaration's "living laboratories" concept aligns with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) 2022 (30×30 target).

Social Dimensions

Dryland regions in India are disproportionately populated by Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Other Backward Classes, often engaged in subsistence agriculture. Women form the majority of dryland farm labour but have less access to extension services, credit, and improved seeds. The 3D Declaration's South-South framework specifically calls for gender-inclusive approaches and integration of traditional knowledge with scientific innovation.

International Relations

India's leadership in organising the Global Dryland Congress reinforces its position in the UNCCD COP negotiations and the UN Food Systems Summit follow-up processes. South-South cooperation, a cornerstone of India's development diplomacy (articulated through ITEC and SSTC frameworks), is institutionalised through the 3D Declaration. The Congress strengthens India's collaboration with African nations — where drylands cover over 40% of the continent — through CGIAR networks.

Challenges

Low and erratic rainfall making crop planning uncertain
Soil degradation and loss of topsoil due to water erosion
Limited access to improved seeds, credit, and markets for dryland farmers
Climate change intensifying drought frequency and severity
Weak data systems for dryland crop monitoring and forecasting
Policy bias toward irrigated agriculture in budget allocations

Government Initiatives

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) — "Har Khet Ko Pani, More Crop Per Drop"; micro-irrigation and watershed development
PM Millet Mission (PMIM) — promoting millet cultivation, value chains, and exports
National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA) — coordinates rainfed and dryland farming development
Watershed Development Component under PMKSY — in-situ soil and water conservation in dryland areas
CAZRI (Central Arid Zone Research Institute) — ICAR institute for arid and semi-arid zone research, Jodhpur
National Initiative for Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) — developing climate-resilient varieties and practices for rainfed areas

Way Forward

The NITI Aayog's Doubling Farmers' Income Report emphasised rainfed area development as the most cost-effective path to improving farm income in dryland regions. The Economic Survey 2025-26 called for a dedicated National Dryland Agriculture Mission. The 3D Declaration's "living laboratories" framework should be linked with India's Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM) for real-time crop monitoring using satellite data. ICAR-NIAP must develop a 25-year foresight model for dryland food security integrating climate projections, demographic shifts, and dietary transitions.

Possible Mains Questions

"Dryland agriculture is both India's biggest agricultural vulnerability and its greatest untapped opportunity. Critically examine the policy and institutional framework needed to transform it." (GS-III Agriculture, 250 words)
"South-South Cooperation in agricultural research and technology can achieve what Official Development Assistance cannot. Discuss with reference to the Delhi Declaration on Drylands." (GS-II IR, 250 words)

Possible Prelims MCQs

Q: ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics) primarily focuses on which of the following groups of crops?
A) Rice, wheat, maize, and sugarcane
B) Sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeon pea, and groundnut
C) Cotton, jute, rubber, and tea
D) Apple, mango, banana, and citrus
Answer: B — ICRISAT's mandate covers sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea, pigeon pea, and groundnut — the key dryland semi-arid tropical crops.
Q: Which of the following international conventions is most directly associated with India's Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) commitment?
A) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
B) United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
C) United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
D) Ramsar Convention
Answer: C — India's LDN commitment is made under the UNCCD framework, which directly addresses land degradation, desertification, and drought.

Essay Dimensions

Drylands: from marginality to opportunity — the case for a paradigm shift in Indian agricultural policy
South-South cooperation as a model for equitable agricultural knowledge exchange
Millets, drylands, and nutrition: India's opportunity to lead a global dietary transformation
Land degradation and food security: the hidden crisis beneath India's agricultural growth story
Climate-smart agriculture: can technology compensate for nature's adversity in dryland regions?

Interview Questions

What are drylands and why do they matter for India's food security?
What is the Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D) and what are its key commitments?
How does ICRISAT's mandate differ from ICAR's, and what synergies do they share?
What is Land Degradation Neutrality and what has India committed to under the UNCCD?
How can South-South Cooperation accelerate the adoption of climate-resilient dryland varieties in Africa?

FAQ

What is a dryland?: Drylands are regions characterised by a ratio of annual precipitation to potential evapotranspiration below 0.65, making water scarce for rainfed agriculture. They include arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid zones and cover 41% of Earth's land surface.
What is the Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D)?: An outcome document adopted at the Global Dryland Congress 2026 (Sept 10-12, New Delhi), committing participating nations and institutions to a shared agenda for transforming dryland agriculture through South-South cooperation, living laboratories, and improved data systems.
What is South-South Cooperation?: South-South Cooperation refers to collaboration among developing countries (the Global South) in sharing knowledge, technology, and resources for development, distinct from North-South aid flows. The UN observes September 12 as the Day for South-South Cooperation.

Global Dryland Congress 2026 and Delhi Declaration on Drylands (3D): Transforming Dryland Agriculture

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