At a roundtable convened by the Embassy of Indonesia and FAO, WFO Board Member Kati Partanen urged governments and partners to work hand in hand with farmers – and especially with women farmers – to co-design solutions for sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agrifood systems.

On 19 September 2025, the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO) took part in the roundtable discussion “Sustainability and the Role of Woman Farmer in Agrifood Systems”, organised by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in collaboration with FAO. The event comes just months before we enter the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) 2026, declared by the United Nations to recognise women’s vital role in agriculture.

Speaking on behalf of WFO, Board Member Kati Partanen delivered a strong message: the International Year must not remain symbolic but become a turning point for concrete action to remove the barriers women farmers face worldwide.

“Women farmers are not passive beneficiaries. We are equal partners and leaders in the transformation of agrifood systems,” Partanen stated. She underlined that while women are the backbone of agriculture—working the land, preserving seeds and biodiversity, and ensuring food security—their contribution too often goes unseen. Women farmers continue to face systemic challenges, including insecure land tenure, limited access to finance, training gaps, digital divides, and weaker market access.

Screenshot from the event “Sustainability and the Role of Woman Farmer in Agrifood Systems″; Image courtesy of Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Rome 

Earlier this year, WFO members adopted a clear position on women farmers, stressing that empowering rural women is not only a matter of justice and equity but a prerequisite for building sustainable, resilient, and inclusive agrifood systems. With equal access to land, credit, training, and innovation, productivity rises, families eat better, and rural communities become stronger in the face of climate and economic challenges.

Partanen called for farmer-driven, bottom-up policies that recognise women as full farmers, not “helpers” to their husbands or families, and ensure their direct involvement in decision-making. She emphasised the importance of providing tailored financial services, accessible training opportunities for women, and equal access to digital tools and innovation.

Looking ahead, Partanen described the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 as a “unique and historic opportunity” that must drive long-term commitment and systemic change. “Empowering women farmers not only changes the lives of women. It transforms entire food systems. It strengthens sustainability, resilience, and dignity for whole communities and future generations,” she concluded.

On behalf of WFO, she called on governments, UN agencies, and partners to work hand in hand with farmers – and especially with women farmers – to co-design the solutions for a fairer, more sustainable and resilient future.

Cover photo: ©WFO