The Tata-Cornell Institute is partnering with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), CGIAR, and regional and global cohosts for the 2026 edition of the annual Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia Conference. The conference will be held December 1–3, 2026, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Online participation is also available.  

The 2026 conference theme, “Navigating Systems in Transition,” will look across systems in transition and aim to feature insights on:

• Promising innovations—including digital technologies, artificial intelligence, and data and information systems—that help systems adapt in real time to shifting demographic, urban, political and economic conditions, while improving decision-making, service delivery, and accountability.
• Scaling proven solutions, including biofortified crops, nutrient-rich value chains and nutrition-sensitive social protection, in ways adapted to changing contexts—from urbanizing food environments to climate-stressed agricultural systems.
• Building resilient food, health, education, social protection and governance systems that mitigate the nutrition impacts of climate change, economic shocks, political transitions, conflict and public health emergencies, as well as improve diets and nutrition.
• Strengthening adaptive leadership, governance and capacity to translate evidence into effective action across agriculture, health, social protection, education and markets as these sectors themselves transform.

Delivering for Nutrition is built around an open, competitive call for abstracts to ensure each conference showcases the latest, high-quality research and experiences from across South Asia. While the conference maintains a regional focus, it also recognizes that valuable lessons emerge from other settings and encourages cross-regional learning where these experiences can inform nutrition action in South Asia.

Submissions must be received by August 25, 2026. The conference uses a standardized, double-review process to ensure abstracts are assessed fairly and consistently.

Submit an abstract