Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen named among FAO’s 100 women heroes
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu has said women are a driving force in agrifood systems, playing an indispensable role in food security, natural resource management, rural development, and community resilience.
Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen was recently named among the FAO’s 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, a global recognition initiative launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The honorees were celebrated at a ceremony on Thursday at the FAO headquarters in Rome as part of this year’s World Food Forum.
Yin has spent more than four decades combatting desertification in the Maowusu Sandy Land in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. After decades of persistent tree planting, she and her family have transformed stretches of the once-barren landscape into a green expanse, overcoming harsh conditions and shifting sands.
Her story also forged an enduring friendship with retired U.S. teacher Ronald Sakolsky, who raised 5,000 U.S. dollars decades ago to support her afforestation work.
Yin told Xinhua that the recognition had strengthened her resolve to continue her work. “Like a Mongolian horse, I will keep pressing forward with perseverance and determination, doing my work well and giving back to nature,” she said.
Sitting in the audience, Sakolsky’s eyes grew moist as he applauded Yin’s achievement. “Yin deserves everything that she gets. She is the heroine,” he told Xinhua.
Addressing the ceremony, FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu hailed women farmers’ roles. He said women are a driving force in agrifood systems, playing an indispensable role in food security, natural resource management, rural development, and community resilience.
Qu then invited Sakolsky to join Yin on stage. The two friends embraced once again and held up a trophy together. Qu said that although Sakolsky was not among the women heroes, his “passion” and “solidarity” should be recognised.
Sakolsky expressed his gratitude, saying he was deeply moved by Yin’s remarkable achievement. He called on everyone to plant a tree and work together to make a difference to the environment.
Launched by the FAO to mark the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, the global initiative recognizes 100 women for their outstanding contributions to agriculture, food systems, and rural development.
The FAO said it received 609 nominations from 131 members. The selection process involved an eligibility review, an assessment, and ranking by senior management, and two rounds of deliberations.
Besides Yin, Yu Jinxiu and Dong Minfang were also among the FAO 100 Women Heroes. Yu is a moxibustion therapist from Qichun County in central China’s Hubei Province, and Dong is president of the Fengrui Agricultural Machinery Professional Cooperative in Yueyang County, central China’s Hunan Province. They have spent years sharing their expertise to help thousands of people secure jobs and start businesses, raising incomes for rural residents.
The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to highlight women’s contribution to agrifood systems and promote policies and investments that improve their access to finance, knowledge, and services.
