Cecilia Guineo Colguen recognized by FAO as global agro-food heroine

Cecilia Guineo Colguen, a Huilliche farmer from the Coipomó Rural sector in Ancud, Chiloé, has been recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as one of the 100 global heroines for agro-food systems and rural development.

Out of 609 candidates submitted from 131 countries, Guineo Colguen was selected for her work in preserving ancestral seeds and maintaining traditional agricultural practices. She is a user of the Institute of Agricultural Development (INDAP) and part of the SIPAM Chiloé territory, which is noted for its biodiversity and traditional production systems.

The recognition is part of the initiative for the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. Local authorities from the Los Lagos Region, including the regional ministers of Agriculture and Women and Gender Equality, visited her farm to celebrate her contribution to family farming and rural development.