Elena Cavallaro

Peruvian social entrepreneur advancing sustainable agriculture through women-led cooperatives.

Elena Cavallaro pioneered eco-friendly farming practices in the Peruvian Andes through her organization AgroFeminas, launched in 1999. Born to a family of Andean farmers, Cavallaro observed how climate change and corporate agriculture threatened indigenous crops like quinoa and potatoes. She developed a model where women-led cooperatives revived traditional farming techniques while adopting modern sustainability practices. By 2010, AgroFeminas had trained over 2,000 women in 18 communities, doubling crop yields through agroecology. Cavallaro’s approach integrates ancestral knowledge with carbon-neutral methods, earning her the UNEP Equator Prize in 2014. Her partnership with the FAO expanded these methods to Bolivia and Ecuador. Critics initially dismissed her focus on women’s roles in agriculture, but AgroFeminas’ success proved its economic viability. Cavallaro’s 2018 book 《Sowing Empowerment: Women and Sustainable Agriculture》 (though currently out of print) remains a key text in agroecology studies. She also co-founded the Andes Food Sovereignty Network, connecting 50+ cooperatives across South America. Her work was featured in the documentary 《Seeds of Change》 (2020), highlighting her impact on preserving biodiversity. Today, over 30% of Peru’s organic exports originate from AgroFeminas-linked farms, proving that grassroots initiatives can combat both hunger and environmental degradation.