ITALY-ROME-FAO-100 WOMEN HEROES-CHINESE HONOREES

(261015) -- ROME, Oct. 15, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Dong Minfang 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. Dong is president of the Fengrui Agricultural Machinery Professional Cooperative in Yueyang County, central China's Hunan Province. Yu Jinxiu and Dong Minfang were named among the FAO's 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, a global recognition initiative launched by the FAO. They have spent years sharing their expertise to help thousands of people secure jobs and start businesses, raising incomes for rural residents. The United Nations designated 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to highlight women's contribution to agrifood systems and promote policies and investments that improve their access to finance, knowledge and services. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)