Pioneering projects from Morocco, India, and Kenya honoured at Agraya’s international summit in Bologna
AgriEdge from Morocco, FKKB Sahakari Samiti from India, and Scope from Kenya have been named the winners of Agraya’s Changemaker Awards 2026. The winners were announced at this week’s Agraya Summit 2026 in Bologna.
Agraya said the three projects stood out among more than 80 applications for their efforts to advance the role of women in agriculture.
Now in its second edition, the Changemaker Awards aligned with the UN International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, recognising initiatives that strengthen the role of women in agriculture.
The Changemaker Awards recognised outstanding initiatives across three categories. The Innovation award honours solutions that help women farm more effectively through technologies that enhance productivity. The Sustainability award recognises climate-smart practices that drive systemic change towards more sustainable food and farming systems. The Community Impact award celebrates initiatives that empower women, foster inclusivity, and help build fair and resilient farming communities.
Drone and precision farming training in Morocco with expansion potential
AgriEdge, a modern technical training project from Morocco, won the Innovation award for equipping women farmers with drone piloting skills and opening pathways into technical roles in the sector. The training covers use of drones for crop monitoring, precision spraying, and field analysis. The programme has already trained 20 women and plans to expand the initiative across Africa.
A market on wheels increasing women’s income in India
FKKB Sahakari Samiti Ltd received the Community Impact award for its “Market on Wheels” initiative, which helps women gain greater control over the value of their produce. By collecting crops directly from remote farms and connecting farmers with markets, the initiative has now reached more than 1,600 rural women. Participants have increased their income by 40-60 per cent, demonstrating the potential of stronger market access to create meaningful economic opportunities for women in rural communities.
Permaculture project from Kenya supporting communities and schools
In Kenya, the Schools and Colleges Permaculture Programme won the Sustainability award for helping smallholder women producers and their households build more resilient farming systems and livelihoods. By diversifying crops, increasing biodiversity, and creating new income opportunities through local farm gate shops, the initiative supports communities and schools while strengthening local food systems.
This year’s Changemaker Awards international jury consisted of Christy Slay, CEO of The Sustainability Consortium (US); Diana Gaglietti, founder of Diana Gaglietti consultancy and auditing for the agrifood sector (Argentina); Felipe Fuentelsaz, Markets and Standards at WWF Spain (Spain); Manal Saleh, founder of Blue Moon consultancy and training for smallholders (Egypt); and Stephanie Finkbeiner, head of sustainability/CSR, Edeka Zentrale Stiftung & Co (Germany).
“Every application represented commitment, creativity, and tangible action,” said Finkbeiner. “As a jury, we picked projects that highlight the contributions of women and strengthen their role within farming value chains.”
Elmé Coetzer-Boersma, CEO of Agraya, commented: “At Agraya, for more than 25 years, our purpose has been to shape a sustainable future where agriculture strengthens communities and protects ecosystems with lasting impact. The Changemaker Awards have shown us firsthand how also women across farming are turning that vision into reality every day. Through their work, we have seen the lasting impact they create in their communities, businesses, and beyond”.
The third edition of Agraya’s Changemaker Awards will be launched in 2028.
