Women are responsible for roughly half of the world’s food production. The United Nations’ designation of 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer gives the world a chance to highlight and celebrate the incredibly important role women play in ensuring global food security. It’s a time to underscore and address the various social and economic challenges that women in agriculture face worldwide.
USDA Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Alexis Taylor says they’re proud of the agency’s role in leading efforts to introduce and generate support for the resolution that was co-sponsored by 123 other nations. It was passed by the U.N. General Assembly in May 2024.
“This marked the first time in history that the United States was the lead sponsor of an ‘international year’ at the U.N., demonstrating just how important the role of women in agriculture is to our department, nation, and the world,” Taylor says.
