The agriculture of the future has many female faces. This is demonstrated by the 150 nominations received from 63 countries for the “Women in Ag Awards”, the international prize that the DLG (German Agricultural Society) and Women in Ag Magazine award to women who are transforming the primary sector with innovation and a sustainable vision.
The awards, now in their fourth edition, will be presented on 12 November during Agritechnica 2025 in Hannover, the most important world fair dedicated to agricultural machinery. The winners come from very different geographical and cultural contexts: Austria, Cape Verde, Congo, Germany, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Spain, Thailand and the United States.
From the circular economy to digital technology
The stories of the winners tell of revolutionary approaches to the problems of contemporary agriculture. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joella Buhendwa created AstiFerme, a circular farming initiative that transforms household organic waste into high-quality feed and fertilizer through the breeding of the black soldier fly. Its model not only reduces pollution and emissions, but also creates green jobs for youth and marginalized groups in the Bukavu community.
In Kenya, Joyce Waithira Rugano founded Ecorich Solutions, a climate-tech company that uses artificial intelligence and solar energy to convert food waste into organic fertilizer. Its Wastebot technology supports over 8,000 farmers and represents a concrete example of how technological innovation can meet the needs of sustainable agriculture.
The role of education in change
Education emerges as a key element for the future of the sector. Robyn Camille Mijares, 24, founded the country’s first bamboo agricultural school in the Philippines, reaching more than 98,000 students with training programs on sustainable agriculture. Her work has earned her the UNDRR Women’s Rising Star award and recognition from the World Food Prize.
The jury also wanted to honor an Asian woman who, for security reasons, must remain anonymous. Her work in women’s agricultural education in a challenging context demonstrates how personal courage is often necessary to bring about change in agriculture.
From scientific research to the field
The bridge between research and practical application is represented by figures such as Cécile Deterre, a former particle physicist who now leads the Data Science team at Blue Planet Ecosystems in Austria. His work applies machine learning and digital twin models to optimize land-based aquaculture systems, demonstrating how seemingly distant expertise can flow into agricultural innovation.
In Spain, Cristina Mallor heads the CITA Plant Germplasm Bank in Zaragoza, where she preserves over 18,600 seed accessions. His landrace conservation work represents a concrete response to the loss of global agricultural biodiversity, connecting science and local communities through citizen science projects.
A growing global movement
The winners’ stories reflect broader trends in the global agricultural sector: the integration of advanced technologies with traditional practices, the focus on the circular economy and sustainability, the growing role of women in leadership and innovation positions.
Linda Kelly in Germany has transformed locally grown sweet lupins into sustainable gourmet products, demonstrating how tradition and innovation can coexist profitably. Alicia Gómez Giménez in Cape Verde has created a regenerative agritech project that uses solar energy and recycled water from hotels to produce gourmet vegetables in extreme climate conditions.
Beyond national borders
The impact of these initiatives goes far beyond national borders. Mary Johnson, with its Regeneration Hub model, operates on five continents and has supported over 65,000 families in restoring degraded land and building regenerative businesses. Zeinab AL-Momany founded the region’s first women farmers’ union in Jordan, representing 5,000 women and 27 cooperatives, achieving significant legal reforms for agricultural workers’ rights.
The awards ceremony at Agritechnica will represent not only a moment of celebration, but also an opportunity to reflect on how the agricultural sector is evolving thanks to the contribution of women. At a time in history when food security, climate change and sustainability are urgent global challenges, these women demonstrate that solutions can arise from the combination of local knowledge, technological innovation and social commitment.
The DLG, with its over 31,000 members and its network of 3,000 international experts, continues to play a role as a bridge between theory and practice in the agricultural sector, and these awards are concrete testimony to this.
