April 2026 Photo of the Month: Women Leading Regenerative Change
Our monthly photo series highlights the beauty and emotion in the lives of our clients around the world. This month, we highlight women leaders adopting regenerative practices to protect the environment and improve their livelihoods.
Women Leading Regenerative Change
Across regions and sectors, women play a critical role in advancing more sustainable ways of producing, harvesting, and managing natural resources. While they often face greater exposure to climate risks and limited access to resources, TechnoServe’s experience shows that when women have the right skills, tools, and opportunities, they become leaders in building more resilient and regenerative systems.
This month, our photos celebrate women as change agents toward more regenerative farms and businesses.
Regenerative Coffee in Peru
A young leader transforming her family farm
Meet Gema Hacha, a 29-year-old agronomist from Moyobamba, Peru, who is leading the adoption of regenerative practices on her family’s coffee farm. Through the CAFE program, she has introduced techniques such as vetiver grass, organic inputs, and improved pruning to restore soil health and increase productivity.
Her leadership extends beyond her farm. Gema is actively encouraging other farmers, especially women, to take on new roles in the coffee sector, from production to processing and quality control. “Women are getting more involved…and we continue to inspire others to enter this world of coffee,” she shared.
Read Gema’s story and learn about other young leaders in coffee production here.
Regenerative Farming in India
Improving soil health and farm productivity
In Karnataka, India, Meenakshi Shivappa is applying regenerative practices to improve her farm’s productivity. Through the Srishti project, she learned to produce vermicompost and reduce reliance on chemical inputs, helping restore soil health while increasing yields.
Her experience reflects a broader shift: farmers adopting practices that reduce environmental impact while strengthening long-term productivity and resilience.
Watch the full story of transformation in India:
Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting in Chile
Protecting ecosystems while sustaining livelihoods
Along Chile’s southern coast, women like Sonia del Carmen Soto are leading efforts to adopt more sustainable methods for harvesting red seaweed. By shifting away from practices that damage marine ecosystems, they are helping ensure the long-term availability of this high-demand resource while strengthening local livelihoods, with the support of Cargill and their Red Seaweed promise.
Women are playing a central role in building a more sustainable and resilient seaweed sector by participating in initiatives that promote regenerative harvesting, improve traceability, and support community leadership.
Learn more about empowering women in fisheries here.
Supporting Women’s Leadership in Regenerative Systems
Across geographies, women like Gema, Meenakshi, and Rosa are demonstrating that adopting regenerative practices leads to positive environmental outcomes and stronger farms, businesses, and communities.
At TechnoServe, we work alongside women and men to strengthen the skills, access, and market connections needed to support this transition. When women lead, their impact extends beyond their farms, contributing to more resilient food systems and sustainable economic growth.
We hope these stories inspire you to support the women farmers and entrepreneurs who are shaping a more regenerative future.
Photo of the Month
