About ISSCA Awards
- The ISSCA Awards are a flagship initiative by ISSCA, designed to identify and recognise proven, scalable agricultural technologies and solutions developed by institutions from across the Global South.
- ISSCA Awards are envisaged as an annual initiative with a vision to establish a legacy of recognising excellence in agriculture, evolving into globally recognised awards that celebrate impactful agricultural innovations.
- The ISSCA Awards are envisioned as a strategic vehicle to advance ISSCA’s technology transfer goals by strengthening its credibility and recognition as a global platform for identifying, showcasing, and facilitating the adoption of impactful agricultural innovations through South–South Cooperation.
- Beyond recognition, the ISSCA Awards shall also play a critical role in curating a portfolio of validated technologies for the ISSCA technology solutions repository.
- Solutions received through the Awards activity will undergo evaluation, after which suitable submissions will be incorporated into the ISSCA Repository.
- Selected technology solutions will be curated into an ISSCA Innovation Compendium, to be launched at the Drylands Congress 2026 – Transforming Dryland Agriculture with South–South Cooperation, jointly organised by ICRISAT and ICAR in New Delhi from 10–12 September 2026.
- Through this approach, the Awards shall help build a credible pipeline of solutions for ISSCA to drive technology transfer, while creating avenues for partnerships and institutional recognition.
- The recognitions conferred through the ISSCA Awards will foster partnerships and collaborations between ISSCA partners and participating institutions, enabling technology matchmaking for scaling and adoption.
ISSCA Award Categories
Technical Awards: These will be conferred across the following ISSCA domains, recognising high-impact and scalable innovations from the Global South:
- Crop Improvement & Production Technologies
- Natural Resource Management & Climate Resilience
- Digital Agriculture
- Livestock Improvement & Production Technologies
- Agribusiness & Market Systems
A total of five technical awards will be presented, one under each domain.
ISSCA Systems Transformation Award/ ISSCA Global Impact Award: This award will be conferred to landmark innovations/initiatives from the Global South that have demonstrated exceptional scale, cross-country applicability, and transformative impact across systems, sectors, and communities.
Eligibility Criteria
The following institutions are eligible to submit technology solutions for recognition under the ISSCA Awards:
- International organisations
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- Foundations
- Research and academic institutions
- National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) entities
- Federal and Provincial government agencies
- Donor-funded projects and programmes
The submitted technology/solution must fall under one of the following ISSCA thematic domains:
- Crop Improvement & Production Technologies
- Natural Resource Management & Climate Resilience
- Digital Agriculture
- Livestock Improvement & Production Technologies
- Agribusiness & Market Systems
The applicant institution must have ownership, rights, and/or authorised access to the technology/solution being submitted.
The technology/solution must be relevant to the Global South context, with potential for adaptation and replication across similar agro-ecological and socio-economic settings.
For the ISSCA Impact & Transformation Award/ ISSCA Global Impact Award, submissions may span across multiple ISSCA domains and may include integrated solutions, programmes, or institutional models that demonstrate cross-sectoral impact.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be assessed based on the following key criteria:
- Relevance to Current Needs
The extent to which the technology/solution addresses present-day challenges in agriculture and allied sectors, particularly within the Global South context.
- On-Ground Adoption and Reach
The level of implementation and uptake of the technology/solution, including its reach among stakeholders such as farming communities and institutions.
- Demonstrated Impact
Evidence of tangible outcomes, supported by measurable indicators such as area coverage (hectares), number of beneficiaries, productivity improvements, income enhancement, or other relevant measurable results.
- Evidence and Validation
Availability of credible and verifiable documentation (reports, IP applications, case studies, publications, third-party validations, etc.) supporting the claims on innovativeness, adoption and impact.
- Scalability and Replicability
The extent to which the solution can be expanded beyond its current scope and adapted across geographies with similar agro-ecological and socio-economic conditions, based on its design, delivery model, and enabling partnerships.
- Transformational Potential and System-Level Impact
The extent to which the solution contributes to structural or system-level change, including its influence on markets, institutions, policies, value chains, or long-term practices, beyond immediate or localised outcomes.
Submission Guidelines
Each submission must represent a distinct technology/solution and be aligned to only the following categories:
- Crop Improvement & Production Technologies
- Natural Resource Management & Climate Resilience
- Digital AgricultureLivest
- Livestock Improvement & Production Technologies
- Agribusiness & Market Systems
Institutions may submit multiple nominations, provided each nomination corresponds to a different technology/solution.
Applications must be submitted in the prescribed format through the ISSCA Awards nomination link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/hHnajutypq
Submissions should clearly indicate the applicant institution, along with details of any partner organisations involved in the development or implementation of the technology/solution.
Applicants are required to complete all sections of the nomination form and provide adequate supporting evidence; submissions that are incomplete or lack sufficient documentation may not be considered for evaluation.
Deadline for submission of nominations: 15 July 2026
Announcement of Awards: 12 September 2026
