2026 Marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer

The United Nations has designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, drawing global attention to the women who grow so much of the world's food. The designation celebrates their growing role in agriculture and highlights the challenges they continue to face.

Women make up a substantial share of the agricultural workforce, yet often have less access to land, finance and resources than their male counterparts. The UN year aims to change that conversation, recognising women not only as workers but as farm owners, innovators and leaders in food production.

For the wider food world, the designation is a prompt to think about the people behind every ingredient. From market gardeners and vintners to dairy farmers and foragers, women shape the produce that reaches restaurant kitchens and home tables alike. Chefs and shoppers who value provenance have a natural stake in seeing them thrive.

Beyond the symbolism, the year is intended to spur concrete support: fairer access to resources, better representation and a louder voice for women in agricultural policy. For anyone who cares about where their food comes from, it is a welcome and overdue focus, and a reminder that good eating begins in the field.