The International Horticultural Congress 2026 (IHC2026) will bring together scientists, practitioners, and industry actors from across the horticultural sector to explore the theme “Exploring the Diversity of Horticulture”.

Organised by the International Society for Horticultural Science in collaboration with the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science, the congress provides a global platform for interdisciplinary exchange spanning natural sciences, social sciences, and technological innovation.

The programme will cover a wide range of topics, including crop science, genetics, robotics, sustainable production systems, and global value chains. It aims to connect research with practice, from small-scale local production systems to large-scale international supply chains.

IHC2026 offers a key opportunity for dialogue and knowledge exchange on the role of horticulture in sustainable food systems, human health, and economic development worldwide.

The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification will bring together governments, scientists, civil society, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, youth and private sector actors to address the growing challenges of desertification, land degradation and drought. Under the theme “Restoring Land. Restoring Hope.”, the conference will focus on sustainable land management, drought resilience, rangeland restoration, food systems, soil health and the land–water nexus. Held during the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists 2026, COP17 will place particular emphasis on dryland ecosystems and pastoral livelihoods, while promoting investment-oriented solutions and science–policy collaboration to strengthen resilience and sustainable development.

Food Day at ETH Zurich brings together researchers, students and practitioners to exchange on current challenges and innovations in food systems. The programme will take place at Audi Max and feature presentations and discussions throughout the day.

The 11th International Conference on Functional-Structural Plant Models (FSPM 2026) will convene researchers, engineers, and students to discuss recent advances in plant modelling and simulation.

Held every three years, the conference focuses on understanding the interactions between plant architecture and biological processes, combining approaches from plant science, agronomy, ecology, mathematics, and computer science.

Key themes include modelling plant development and functioning, integrating biotic and abiotic stresses, applications in agronomy and agroecology, and advances in data-driven methods such as machine learning, remote sensing, and digital twins. The conference also emphasizes multi-scale modelling—from cellular processes to ecosystem dynamics—and the integration of modelling tools into decision support systems.

FSPM 2026 provides a platform for interdisciplinary exchange linking fundamental research with applied challenges in agriculture and food systems.