Chilean farmer Cecilia Guineo recognized by FAO

Cecilia Guineo Colguen, an agriculturist from the Coipomó sector in Ancud, has been selected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as one of 100 outstanding women globally. This recognition is part of the International Year of Women Farmers 2026.

Guineo, who has worked the land since the age of eight, will travel to Rome to participate in activities and be included in a mural honoring the selected women. She emphasized the importance of agroecology and the need for women to share experiences as climate conditions change.

In the Biobío region of Chile, data from the Institute for Agricultural Development (INDAP) highlights the growing leadership of rural women. In Biobío, women represent 53.9% of all INDAP users, the highest percentage in the country. In the Arauco area specifically, women account for 61.2% of users across the communes of Curanilahue, Arauco, and Lebu.