International conference on women farmers and sustainable organic agriculture

The International Conference on Women Farmers and Sustainable Organic Agriculture, held at the State Convention Centre, Shillong (26–27 June 2026) under the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, was organised by MEGNOLIA in collaboration with FKW and IFOAM Organics Asia. The two-day global gathering brought together women farmers, policymakers, institutions, cooperatives, and international organic networks to strengthen women’s leadership in sustainable agriculture.

The conference opened with a pre-conference session on building an organic future, highlighting Meghalaya’s evolving organic ecosystem, women-led cooperatives, and community-driven farming systems. Speakers emphasized biodiversity conservation, indigenous knowledge systems, certification progress, and Meghalaya’s goal of bringing 1 lakh hectares under organic cultivation by 2028, alongside the critical role of Farmer Producer Organisations and institutional support mechanisms.

The Exhibition was formally inaugurated in the presence of Shri Conrad K Sangma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya; Shri Timothy D. Shira, Hon’ble Agriculture Minister; Dr. Vijay Kumar D, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare; Shri Mathew John, President, IFOAM Organics Asia; Smti Sangeeta Agarwal, Senior Sector Specialist, NRM–FKW; Jennifer Chang, Executive Director, IFOAM Organics Asia; Karen Mapusua, President, IFOAM Organics International; Smti Isawanda Laloo, IAS, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare; and Shri Maqbool L. Suiam, CAO, MEGNOLIA, along with other dignitaries and global partners. During the inauguration, the launch of the Meghalaya State Organic Mission Phase II (2024–28) was highlighted as a key milestone, reinforcing the State’s commitment to expanding certified organic cultivation, strengthening value chains, and enhancing farmer-centric infrastructure and market access.

The thematic sessions explored key dimensions of women-led organic agriculture, including indigenous community-owned farming systems, fair value chains and market access, policy integration, and inspiring journeys of women organic farmers from across the world. Discussions consistently highlighted women’s leadership, collective action, Participatory Guarantee Systems, entrepreneurship, and global collaboration in strengthening resilient and sustainable food systems.

These deliberations further emphasized the need to strengthen local food sovereignty, enhance climate-resilient farming practices, and deepen institutional convergence between farmer groups, government agencies, and international organic networks. Speakers underscored the importance of capacity building, digital inclusion, certification support systems, and knowledge-sharing platforms to enable women farmers to scale production while preserving ecological integrity and traditional wisdom. Youth engagement and the integration of innovation with indigenous practices also emerged as key priorities for the future of organic agriculture.

The conference also included a field visit to Ri-Bhoi District, where participants observed women-led farming practices, organic pineapple cultivation, and cooperative-based value addition, gaining firsthand insight into Meghalaya’s community-rooted agricultural model. The visit provided exposure to Self-Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organisations, and local processing units, demonstrating how collective action and natural farming systems are driving sustainable livelihoods and rural enterprise development.

The event concluded with a cultural presentation, closing ceremony, and the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MEGNOLIA and IFOAM Organics Asia, reinforcing long-term collaboration to advance organic agriculture, knowledge exchange, and women-led sustainable development. The closure reaffirmed a shared commitment to scaling organic ecosystems globally while strengthening Meghalaya’s position as a model state for community-led, women-driven sustainable agriculture.