ITALY-ROME-FAO-100 WOMEN HEROES-CHINA-YIN YUZHEN

(261015) -- ROME, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Yin Yuzhen attends a ceremony for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations' (FAO) 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 15, 2026. Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen has been named among the FAO's 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, a global recognition initiative launched by the FAO. Yin has spent more than four decades combating desertification in the Maowusu Sandy Land in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. After decades of persistent tree planting, she and her family have transformed stretches of the once-barren landscape into a green expanse, overcoming harsh conditions and shifting sands. Her story also forged an enduring friendship with retired U.S. teacher Ronald Sakolsky, who raised 5,000 U.S. dollars decades ago to support her afforestation work. (Xinhua/Li Jing)