Women are at the heart of Slow Food Farms, Slow Food’s flagship program promoting agroecology as the only truly viable solution for transforming food systems.
As we celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, which highlights the importance of ensuring equal rights, power, and opportunities for all, Slow Food is shining a light on the women who work tirelessly every day to produce our food, safeguard biodiversity, and preserve local gastronomic traditions for future generations.
“Food is a fundamental part of everyone’s lives and around the world women play a crucial role in food systems, yet having limited influence in decision-making and restricted land ownership rights”, comments Marta Messa, Slow Food Secretary General. “At Slow Food we are a network of people and relationships and women have the potential to drive the shift toward fairer food systems, especially within agroecological models that emphasize gender equity alongside other key principles. Agroecology, as a framework, integrates diversity, equality and justice as essential elements of a broader vision which can guide us towards the future”.
According to the FAO, women make up 39% of the global agricultural labor force. Yet, they continue to face significant discrimination, encountering challenges in access to secure and quality jobs, fair wages, participation in decision-making, and obtaining credit and financial services. On land ownership, fewer than 15 percent of agricultural landholders around the world are women and 85 percent are men.
As International Women’s Day is approaching, it is important to highlight the importance of women in agriculture.
“Women are like Mother Earth—we nurture, cultivate, and sustain. Whether raising animals, growing plants, or caring for our children, we become guardians of ancestral knowledge, passing it down to future generations. With our hands, we transform simple ingredients into stories and legacies. When we touch the food that nourishes humanity—through agriculture, home cooking, or as chefs—we preserve culture, biodiversity, and flavors that might otherwise be forgotten in the rush of modernity”, adds Damara Enid Ortega Pérez, farmer from Puerto Rico.
Today, Slow Food amplifies the voices of these women farmers, connecting them to a global community where each represents a unique piece of a larger mosaic.
“If we want farming to be sustainable and to feed the world, we must examine systems and processes to improve efficiency and produce a diverse range of food for all,” says Rebecca Newman of Errichel Farm in Scotland. Rebecca and her husband, Paul, are farmers, breeders, and business owners, running a shop and restaurant. “We breed rare Shetland cattle, pigs, and a variety of chickens. Our animals roam freely and feed naturally, which not only enhances the flavor of the food but also brings benefits like reducing the need for parasite control through mixed grazing. We also maintain a Slow Food Ark of Taste orchard with heritage apple trees at risk of disappearing. Our local community is deeply engaged with the environment and takes great interest in how food is produced.”
From Europe to Africa, Cissy Mukabalonda, a Ugandan farmer, highlights the importance of soil and resource management: “We care for our soil so we can grow enough food for our families. On my farm, we cultivate bananas, cocoa, sugarcane, and medicinal plants used for both humans and animals. Growing organically helps prevent soil contamination and ensures that our food is both good and clean.”
Slow Food Farms are not just intended as plots of land cultivated for agricultural purposes or to raise animals with sustainable principles, but they look much further. Slow Food Farms involve the local community with educational activities, farm tours and they sell products at the local Markets.
Ireri Origel, Coordinator of the Toluca Earth Market in Mexico, underscores the importance of community involvement: “One of our biggest challenges is giving voice and visibility to people and projects within our diverse community. Approximately 60-70% of the people involved in the market, including those leading projects, are women. Over the years, we have organized courses and workshops on topics such as solidarity economy for women, ecofeminism, gender studies, and the role of women in agrobiodiversity conservation. We strongly believe in the agroecological transition and want to support projects that are interested in taking that step but lack the necessary resources, knowledge, or guidance. The market fosters a communal approach, offering support through partnerships and collaborations that we have built over the past decade.” By integrating farms into resilient local food systems, Slow Food Farms not only strengthen farmers’ livelihoods but also ensure fair compensation and long-term economic stability.
Lengos Laho from Taiwan, representing the Slow Food Cooks’ Alliance, speaks of the vital role of chefs: “Chefs play a key role in educating people and raising awareness. By supporting local farmers and producers, they help preserve endangered plant species and create new recipes while keeping traditional flavors alive.”
Beyond them, many other women successfully run Slow Food Farms worldwide, each excelling in specific activities or focus areas. The Finca Agroecológica Entreverde in Chile is a remarkable example of commitment to agroecology, biodiversity, and sustainability, while La Libertad in Colombia emphasizes animal welfare and medicinal plants. In Lithuania, S?rio Kelias is the country’s first agroecological and biodynamic farm, blending ancient agricultural traditions with modern sustainable practices. In the USA we mention Twin Peaks Orchards, a farm that not only provides healthy and local food but is also committed to a long-term approach that promotes sustainability and land regeneration.
2025 is a pivotal moment in the global pursuit of gender equality and women’s empowerment, as it marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. Adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 in Beijing, China, by 189 governments, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action remains the most progressive and widely endorsed blueprint for women’s and girls’ rights worldwide.
