The Fifth Agro-Diversa Fair for Rural Women’s Day brought together products from 15 provinces across the country, ancestral knowledge, handicrafts, and cultural expressions in Puerto Francisco de Orellana, Ecuador, under the slogan “For Water, For Life!”
On October 17 and 18, the Malecón in Puerto Francisco de Orellana—known as El Coca—in the Ecuadorian Amazon served as the venue for the Fifth Agro-Diversa Fair for Rural Women’s Day. The event brought together women producers from 15 provinces across Ecuador to exchange ideas, sell their products, and receive recognition for their contributions to agroecology, food sovereignty, and the stewardship of their territories.
Over the course of two days, the fair featured agricultural products, handicrafts, and musical performances that reflected the cultural and productive diversity of the participating communities. Under the slogan “For Water, for Life!”, the initiative highlighted the fundamental role of rural women in food production, seed conservation, and the transmission of knowledge related to the land and water.
Rural Women: Key Players in Caring for Life
The fair was organized by the Network of Rural Women of Ecuador (RMRE), together with FIAN Ecuador, Friends of the Earth Ecuador, and the Pan-Amazonian Ecclesial Network (REPAM), with support from Misereor and the European Union.
Beyond the sale of products, this event served to highlight the daily work of rural women, who, from within their communities, help sustain food systems, preserve agroecological practices, and keep alive the knowledge passed down through generations.
Their crops, seeds, food, and handicrafts reflect a close connection to their lands and ecosystems. In this sense, recognizing their work also means valuing the knowledge that contributes to biodiversity conservation and the development of sustainable alternatives in the face of the environmental and social challenges facing the Amazon.
For Water, Food Sovereignty, and the Defense of Territories
The theme of this fifth edition highlighted the inseparable relationship between water, food production, and the lives of communities. Access to water and its stewardship are fundamental to agriculture, the health of communities, and the continuity of productive practices that respect nature’s cycles.
The gathering also served as a reminder that behind every food item lie stories of labor, local knowledge, seed stewardship, and a commitment to the land. Therefore, strengthening agroecological production and spaces for exchange among women producers helps promote food sovereignty and recognize the value of local economies.
The participation of women from different provinces of Ecuador in a single space, in the heart of the Amazon, provides an opportunity to share experiences, strengthen collaborative networks, and highlight proposals that place life at the center of economic and social decisions.
A Commitment to an Amazon That Cares for Life
From an Amazonian perspective, the leading role of rural women invites us to recognize that the defense of territories is also built through the production of healthy food, the protection of water sources, and the transmission of knowledge that fosters a respectful relationship with our Common Home.
Initiatives such as the Agro-Diversa Fair help strengthen women’s organizations, recognize their contributions to communities, and promote production models that integrate social justice, care for nature, and human dignity.
The gathering reaffirms the importance of supporting community initiatives that defend biodiversity, promote food sovereignty, and recognize rural women as key agents in the transformation of their territories.
For water, for life! An invitation to continue building networks of solidarity and commitment to care for the Amazon and ensure dignified living conditions for its peoples.
