This March 8th, the European consortium highlights the leadership of its female researchers in protecting biodiversity and ensuring food security.
Brussels, March 8, 2026. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project joins the commemoration of the International Year of Women Farmers 2026, declared by the United Nations General Assembly and officially launched by the FAO. The consortium is using this date to highlight the female scientific leadership that makes its biotechnological revolution possible: replacing chemical pesticides with natural solutions in European greenhouses
According to the FAO, women farmers represent a fundamental part of the global agricultural workforce and hold key positions in production, food security, and economic resilience. However, they continue to face structural gaps in access to land, financing, technology, training, and decision-making spaces.
Within the framework of the LIFE NextFUMIGREEN project, researchers from centers like Tecnova play a crucial role in the analysis, validation, and development of biotechnological solutions based on natural fumigants from plant extracts. These alternatives aim to reduce the use of chemicals, protect soil and water, and contribute to a more sustainable agriculture aligned with the objectives of the European Green Deal. The scientific work of these professionals drives technologies that enable progress toward residue-free agriculture, reinforcing female leadership in the ecological transition of the agri-food sector.
The FAO emphasizes that women remain “indispensable, but often invisible” in agri-food systems, despite their central role in production, processing, and food security. In many territories, female farmers work in more precarious conditions, with less access to resources and less representation in decision-making bodies.
The International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 seeks to transform this reality through:
- Inclusive public policies that guarantee equal opportunities.
- Specific investments to improve access to technology, credit, and training.
- Recognition of the strategic role of women farmers in sustainability and the fight against climate change.
- Promotion of disaggregated data to enable the design of more effective policies with an intersectional approach.
This technological advancement has a budget of €2,758,921.01, co-financed 60% by the European Union’s LIFE Programme. Its development is made possible through the collaborative work of FumiHogar, B&B ASESORES, Comercial Química Massó, BrioAgro Tech, the Tecnova Foundation, and the Finnova Foundation.
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