Soul of Rurality

IICA’s recognition of the Leaders of Rurality of the Americas is part of an initiative that seeks to turn the spotlight on men and women who are leaving their mark and making a difference in the rural areas of Latin America and the Caribbean.

It pays tribute to those who play an unparalleled dual role: as guarantors of food and nutritional security and as caretakers of the planet’s biodiversity. It also emphasizes their capacity to drive positive changes in the rural areas of the region. For all these reasons, these individuals are the Soul of Rurality.

Leaders of Rurality of the Americas

Nioka Abbott-Balcombe, a banana producer from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines who empowers rural women and shares her wisdom, is recognized by IICA as a Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Nioka is dedicated to the production of bananas, cassava, sweet potato, yam and vegetables. She has also chaired the WALCO cooperative (Women in Agriculture Langley Park Cooperative), where women producers support each other and welcome visits from students to bring young people closer to farming.

Eddie Abarca López, a Peruvian coffee farmer and manager who is banking on coffee to improve the quality of life in his community, has been named an IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Eddie is President of the Gold Coffee Perú association of agricultural producers – a group of 600 coffee farmers from Cajamarca and Amazonas. In his work, Abarca has managed to consolidate a model combining quality, sustainability and social development.

Gisela Illescas Palma, a rural leader enamored with the countryside and a promoter of sustainable development and a unique coffee brand, is named an IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Illescas stands out for her work aimed at driving the development of dozens of farming families in her region, her efforts to defend rural women’s rights, and her passion for the land and coffee, which serves as an inspiration for others.

Novella Payne, a producer and agro-processor dedicated to agriculture, rural communities, and local gastronomy in Antigua and Barbuda, recognized by IICA as a Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Novella Payne is the founder of the company Granma Aki, and she chaired the Antigua and Barbuda Rural Women Producers Association for six years, where she was known as the “bulldozer woman”, capable of opening doors and securing support for her group.

Gessyane Ribeiro, a young engineer who is rallying the strength of women in the Brazilian countryside, recognized by IICA as a Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Gessyane serves as Technical Coordinator of the Energia das Mulheres da Terra project, which brings together 42 women farmers’ organizations and strengthens family farming by promoting sustainable agroecological practices and agricultural innovation.

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