Across global food systems, women farmers contribute everyday to agricultural production, rural economies and community wellbeing. Yet, their leadership often remains constrained by structural barriers such as limited access to land, financial resources and knowledge. In 2026, the International Year of the Woman Farmer places renewed global attention on these realities. It provides a timely moment to reflect on the changes needed to enable women’s full and equitable participation in agriculture.
Strengthening women’s roles in building inclusive, resilient and sustainable food systems requires action, recognition and inclusion in leadership and innovation. It also demands sustained efforts to address the structural inequalities that continue to limit women’s full participation.
Recognition must be matched by action
Recognition is an important step. However, visibility alone does not eliminate persistent inequalities in land ownership, financial resources, education, services and access to markets. In many contexts, women’s work remains insufficiently recognised within economic, social and policy frameworks.
The World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) draws attention to the need for policies and programmes that equip women in agriculture with knowledge, tools and opportunities. Creating enabling environments requires inclusive governance, equitable access to resources and meaningful leadership roles for women within decision-making structures. Without such structural support, progress risks remaining limited.
Evidence from WFO’s global farmer network demonstrates that women are already contributing as leaders and innovators where enabling conditions are present.
Women farmers as leaders and innovators
In Australia, farmer and WFO Vice President Fiona Simson’s journey from leading community advocacy to becoming the first female President of the National Farmers’ Federation in Australia and progressing to representing farmers internationally, demonstrates how women farmers can shape agricultural policy at a global scale.
In Finland, farmer and WFO Board Member Kati Partanen has advanced discussions on equal rights in agriculture through her engagement in policy development and agricultural education. She also contributed to the revision of the WFO Policy on Women in Agriculture which outlines the challenges women farmers face and key interventions to solve them.
At the farm level, innovation further demonstrates leadership. In Zimbabwe, young farmer and innovator Evangelista Chekera developed a poultry brooding device to address high chick mortality rates among producers. In Jordan, farmer leader Zeinab Ahmad Al Momany founded the Sakhrah Women’s Society Cooperative and later the Specific Union for Female Farmers, supporting women in building independent livelihoods and addressing challenges such as unemployment and exploitation.
These examples reflect the expertise, resilience and commitment that women bring to food systems worldwide.
Addressing structural inequalities
Despite these contributions, women in many regions continue to face gender-based discrimination, exclusion and, in some cases, violence. These realities are not isolated incidents but reflect structural barriers that limit women’s access to resources. They also constrain participation in governance structures and decision-making spaces. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts across policy frameworks, institutional practices and community settings.
Strengthening rural services and improving access to education and finance are important steps towards more equitable food systems. Ensuring that women hold leadership roles within producer organisations and policy dialogues is also essential. Decisions concerning agriculture and sustainability must reflect the voices and realities of those directly engaged in farming.
A turning point in 2026
The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 provides an opportunity to reinforce global commitment to gender equity in agriculture. As reflected in the Position on Women Farmers, recognition, access and representation must advance together.
Empowering women in agriculture contributes to stronger agricultural systems, enhanced resilience and more sustainable food production. Moving from recognition to reform requires sustained commitment from institutions, producer organisations and policymakers alike.
