{"id":18141,"date":"2026-10-20T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18141"},"modified":"2026-10-19T14:07:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-19T19:07:09","slug":"un-food-and-agriculture-organization-names-74-year-old-idalides-calderon-an-agrifood-systems-heroine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/people-opinions-language\/un-food-and-agriculture-organization-names-74-year-old-idalides-calderon-an-agrifood-systems-heroine\/","title":{"rendered":"UN Food and Agriculture Organization Names 74-Year-Old Idalides Calder\u00f3n an Agrifood Systems Heroine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A 74-year-old rural leader from Chiriqu\u00ed province has received international recognition from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization<\/a> (FAO), cementing her legacy as an agrifood systems heroine<\/a><\/strong> and champion of rural development<\/a>. Idalides Calder\u00f3n de Gonz\u00e1lez, from the Progreso district of Bar\u00fa, was named one of 100 Women Heroines in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development during the World Food Forum<\/a> held in Rome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement came October 19, 2026, following her nomination by Panama’s Ministry of Agricultural Development<\/a> (MIDA). The FAO distinction honors women worldwide who have made significant contributions to food production, community organization, and rural women’s leadership. Calder\u00f3n dedicated the award to all rural women in Panama, saying the recognition belongs to them collectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"74-Year-Old
The FAO distinction honors women worldwide who have made significant contributions to food production, community organization, and rural women’s leadership. 74-Year-Old Idalides Calder\u00f3n. By FAO UN.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Agrifood Systems Heroine Builds Community Organization<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Calder\u00f3n’s path to becoming an agrifood systems heroine<\/strong> began in childhood on a banana farm where her father worked. After his death when she was nine, subsistence agriculture became the family’s lifeline. They cultivated avocado, mamoncillo, banana, plantain, yucca, cacao, papaya, and corn, selling surplus to supplement household income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That connection to the land persisted throughout her life. Today, Calder\u00f3n and her family produce pipas, papaya, multiple banana varieties, avocado, yucca, corn, pineapple, and timber trees. A portion feeds the family while the rest generates income through local sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her leadership emerged naturally. Calder\u00f3n gathered women from her community who farmed, raised animals, and pursued other economic activities. Those efforts consolidated into the Agro Artesanas de Bar\u00fa association, which received legal status in 2006. The group now includes approximately 18 women and their families who produce on their own land and occasionally pool products for collective sale at community markets and fairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“The priority for us is planting and raising animals” [Translated from Spanish]<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Value-Added Processing Expands Rural Income<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beyond raw production, the association focuses on transforming food into higher-value goods. Members make tamales, bollos, and other prepared products that command better prices than unprocessed crops. Artisan crafts provide additional revenue streams alongside agriculture and animal husbandry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The FAO recognition carries special weight in 2026, designated as the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The designation aims to highlight women’s fundamental contributions to agrifood systems and promote policies that strengthen their opportunities in rural development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\udf3e \u00a1Orgullo chiricano! Idalides Calder\u00f3n, agricultora de 74 a\u00f1os de Progreso, Bar\u00fa, fue reconocida por la FAO entre 100 mujeres hero\u00ednas del mundo por su liderazgo rural y aporte a la producci\u00f3n de alimentos. \n\ud83c\udf10 M\u00e1s detalles en https:\/\/t.co\/vVFEqWJKTO\n\n#RetenChiriqui https:\/\/t.co\/og8YzFq0hn<\/p>— Reten_Chiriqui (@RetenChiriqui) October 19, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n