Stories that inspire: women leadership from rural communities

23 de Enero de 2025
Imagen con tres fotografías de mujeres rurales uruguayas, cada una con un mensaje representativo de su trabajo y entorno.
PNUD Uruguay

In Uruguay, a transformative movement is emerging: rural women leading change from their communities, confronting not only the structural gender inequalities that affect their lives, such as unequal access to land, credit, and technical assistance, but also the challenges of climate change. Through the Network of Women for Climate Change – Vigías, these women are not only producing, conserving, and caring for the land but also weaving support networks, sharing knowledge, and promoting sustainable solutions.

The Vigías network, driven by the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries (MGAP), is inspired by commitment, sorority, and the desire to transform structures toward more equitable and sustainable practices. With support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this network empowers rural women in Uruguay, equipping them to face climate challenges from their territories and promoting their visibility as agents of change.

Adriana, Karen, and Rosina exemplify this transformative leadership. Adriana, from Rivera, is a guardian of biodiversity, combining production and conservation to protect her community’s future. Karen, in Lavalleja, leads her Piedra Libre farm with innovation and solidarity, demonstrating that natural resource care is also a collective effort. Rosina, from Libertad, San José, has diversified her production and achieved a balance between sustainability and productivity, committed to caring for “the land that our children are lending us.”

These women not only work the land; they also sustain and care for their families, support their communities, while challenging traditional gender roles that render their work invisible, and dedicate their time to transforming an agricultural sector that has historically been unequal.

With every action, the Vigías demonstrate that sustainability, equity, and care are fundamental to building a fairer future. These stories call us to recognize and value the work of rural women in creating a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable agricultural sector.

Adriana: Guardiana del Campo Natural (Guardians of Natural Grasslands) 
Adriana, una mujer rural en Rivera, aparece al aire libre apoyada en una cerca de madera desgastada, con una cuerda enrollada colgando. Lleva una camisa blanca y jeans, con una expresión serena. Al fondo, se observa una casa blanca parcialmente oculta por árboles y un cielo despejado. La escena transmite tranquilidad en un entorno rural.
PNUD Uruguay

Adriana Machado was born in Rivera, Uruguay, on the rural property that has been in her family for over 100 years. Her deep connection to the land is rooted in childhood memories, shaping her sense of belonging and love for rural life.

For Adriana, rural spaces are much more than productive land; they are heritage, identity, and a driving force for change. Witnessing past practices of overexploitation, she decided to leave the land in better condition for future generations. This vision led her to integrate her livestock farm into the Wildlife Refuge Program of Uruguay, transforming it into a place where production coexists with biodiversity conservation.

“(...) Just producing wasn’t enough for me. That’s when we realized we had to do something more,” Adriana explains.

Her leadership extends beyond her farm. As part of the Network of Women for Climate Change – Vigías, and other local groups, she has spearheaded initiatives such as constructing rainwater harvesting cisterns and improving water management practices, like fencing water reservoirs to optimize usage during droughts.

“Through the meetings we’ve had, the direct exchange with other women, from different places, with different activities (…) we have this clear vision that things are changing, and we need to be resilient in our spaces and improve them,” she reflects.

Adriana also finds empowerment in collective work. As an active member of Semillas Fronterizas, part of the National Network of Native and Creole Seeds, she promotes the cultivation and preservation of native seeds with other rural women, creating opportunities for sustainable production and economic autonomy.

Adriana describes it as "A wonderful group; we met through the Rural Development Roundtable." This highlights the importance of public policies that promote spaces for connection, as these instances not only strengthen support networks but also foster the exchange of knowledge and the collective construction of solutions to challenges such as climate change. 

Adriana, una mujer rural, aparece en el marco de una puerta de madera antigua con cristales. Lleva una camisa blanca y tiene una expresión reflexiva mientras mira hacia el exterior. En el interior, se distingue un espacio rústico con paredes de madera y ladrillo. La puerta tiene una cerradura con llave colgando, añadiendo un toque de autenticidad al entorno rural.
PNUD Uruguay

Adriana’s dreams are long-term. She aspires for her land to become a model of conservation and sustainable productivity, a place where biodiversity thrives, and rural communities prosper. Through her work with Vigías, she seeks to inspire others to recognize their role as protectors of natural resources.


"We are guardians of natural grasslands," Adriana affirms.

Karen: Pica para mí y para todas mis compas (freedom for me and for all my friends) 
Karen, una mujer rural en Lavalleja, está apoyada en un poste de madera junto a un alambrado, rodeada de un campo verde bajo la luz del sol. Lleva una camisa beige de manga corta y un reloj inteligente en la muñeca. Su mirada se dirige hacia un punto en la distancia, con una expresión pensativa. Al fondo, se aprecian cultivos y el horizonte despejado, reflejando un entorno rural sereno.
PNUD Uruguay

Karen Masó is much more than a farmer; she is a woman who has forged her path in agriculture with determination, innovation, and commitment. From her farm, Piedra Libre, located in Lavalleja, she leads initiatives that combine livestock production, climate adaptation, and community strengthening, marking a turning point in her environment.

The name "Piedra Libre" reflects a story of beginnings. Inspired by the first bull she was gifted; the name symbolizes not only the continuation of a family legacy but also freedom and shared growth.

“Piedra Libre was what we shouted when we played hide-and-seek. And when you ran to touch your friends and shout Piedra Libre for me and for all my partners. It was a community game, and today it’s still like that in agriculture—you save yourself, and you save all your partners." Karen recalls.

Karen, who left city life to fully dedicate herself to the countryside in 2020, knew from the start that she had to combine work with education. Over the years, living and traveling between Montevideo and Lavalleja, she gained training in veterinary science, food safety, and climate change.

Rural life at Piedra Libre hasn’t been easy, but Karen and her family have turned challenges into opportunities.  

Her journey in the agricultural sector reflects a broader struggle for equity. During the recent drought that struck the country, Karen implemented proactive strategies such as forage accumulation and careful water management, successfully maintaining her livestock while also supporting neighbors engaged in farming: “After the pandemic, we had the big drought, and it was so painful to see how people once again had no water,” she shared in an interview, emphasizing the importance of collaboration to overcome climate adversities. For Karen, agricultural work is not an isolated effort but a collective task that requires commitment and mutual support.

Karen is a rural woman dedicated not only to caring for her environment but also to empowering other women in agriculture. Through the Vigías network, she has become a key link in facilitating access to information, training, and resources that often fail to reach those who need them most. “Vigías is a wonderful network of women. When you are a Vigía, you stay alert to the climate and what’s happening in the environment. And being able to report data, access my own data, and access the data of my group—all of us contribute,” Karen reflects. 

Karen, una mujer rural en Lavalleja, está apoyada en un poste de madera junto a un alambrado, rodeada de un campo verde bajo la luz del sol. Lleva una camisa beige de manga corta y un reloj inteligente en la muñeca. Su mirada se dirige hacia un punto en la distancia, con una expresión pensativa. Al fondo, se aprecian cultivos y el horizonte despejado, reflejando un entorno rural sereno.
PNUD Uruguay

In her community, Karen has witnessed how fear and a lack of opportunities limit many women, while traditional roles tend to make their work invisible: “Women’s work is never seen; it’s always considered as just helping. But I work just as much as my husband; we share the tasks.”

Karen dreams of a more equitable, efficient, and sustainable agricultural sector. She firmly believes in the importance of education and training to tackle the climate and economic changes challenging the sector. "You must always give without thinking about what you will receive. But I always feel like I receive a lot. So, it’s like a joy to give", she says clearly, highlighting how her connection to agriculture is rooted in her passion for her work and her commitment to giving back to the land, while also achieving her economic autonomy.

Through her example, Karen not only transforms her own reality but inspires others to believe in the possibility of a better future from the countryside. Piedra Libre is, at the same time, her home, her life project, and her platform to build a legacy of community and equity.

Rosina: Tierra prestada, Legado compartido (Borrowed land, Shared legacy) 
Rosina, una mujer rural en San José, está de pie en un galpón de trabajo con una sonrisa cálida. Lleva una camiseta de rayas en tonos rosados y grises. Detrás de ella, se observan cajas con manzanas y maquinaria agrícola, como montacargas, en un ambiente laboral rural. La luz natural ilumina la escena, destacando el esfuerzo y dedicación en su entorno de trabajo.
PNUD Uruguay

Rosina Rodríguez, a rural farmer in Libertad, San José, has dedicated her life to preserving and transforming the family legacy inherited from her father, a settler in these lands for decades. Every corner of her farm tells a story of effort, learning, and decisions that have led her to build a solid and sustainable life project, maintaining a deep connection to the land where she grew up.

From her childhood summers, Rosina developed a special bond with the countryside, observing and learning agricultural practices from her family. This connection not only shaped her identity but also motivated her to take on the challenge of leading the farm and continuing the work her father started. With a strong conviction to preserve this legacy, Rosina took over the family business and transformed it into an innovative and sustainable enterprise.

Being a woman in a sector traditionally dominated by men hasn’t been easy, but Rosina has faced every challenge with determination and a deep awareness of what care responsibilities mean for rural women. Leading an agricultural enterprise while being a mother has required her to balance family and work responsibilities—an effort she recognizes as a daily challenge, one that more women are beginning to make visible but is far from easy. She explains, “(…) Today, you see new faces, younger ones, women. It’s tough, tough; it’s a bit of an uphill battle to carve out a space where you’re heard, where I can say I also want to participate in selling to supermarkets, I can also export, and export under my own name.”

Her technical and professional training has equipped her to make strategic decisions, lead work teams, and handle the demands of both the farm and her family members. In this context, Rosina is not only a producer but also a champion for balancing productivity with personal and community well-being. 

Rosina, una mujer rural en San José, está de pie en un galpón de trabajo con una sonrisa cálida. Lleva una camiseta de rayas en tonos rosados y grises. Detrás de ella, se observan cajas con manzanas y maquinaria agrícola, como montacargas, en un ambiente laboral rural. La luz natural ilumina la escena, destacando el esfuerzo y dedicación en su entorno de trabajo.
PNUD Uruguay

One of Rosina’s greatest achievements has been diversifying the farm’s production with crops such as apples, citrus fruits, squash, and mandarins. With a focus on sustainability, she has implemented practices like crop rotation, soil conservation, and biological pest control, significantly reducing environmental impact. This production model not only ensures product quality but also strengthens the farm’s resilience to climate challenges.

Rosina’s dedication and her family’s efforts are reflected in the achievement of the Murú Seal, which represents the values of quality, sustainability, and social responsibility that guide her work. This seal is more than a certification; it is a commitment to the land and future generations.

Climate change has intensified the challenges of her work, becoming an unavoidable reality for those who directly depend on the land.

“The climate has been playing us a tough hand; this is here to stay,” Rosina reflects, highlighting how extreme events such as droughts, excessive heat, and the lack of cold winters have profoundly altered productive dynamics.

In response to these challenges, Rosina has adopted innovative and sustainable strategies, such as leaving crop residues to retain soil moisture and applying agricultural practices that protect water and soil. In her fruit production, she leads regional pest management using eco-friendly techniques like pheromone-based mating disruption, reducing dependence on chemical insecticides. Additionally, her involvement with Vigías reinforces her commitment to climate adaptation, contributing to community efforts to address this global challenge with local solutions.

Rosina looks to the future with optimism and responsibility. Her commitment to the land is rooted not only in the present but also in her vision of leaving a legacy for her children. “That’s my commitment: to care for the land our children are lending us,” Rosina reflects, emphasizing her focus on sustainable rural development that benefits communities and the environment.  

Through their stories, Karen, Rosina, and Adriana not only challenge gender norms but also reclaim their place in transforming the agricultural sector. Their voices, actions, and legacy call us to break down gender barriers and recognize that, from rural areas, they are laying the groundwork for the necessary changes to ensure that sustainability and equity are no longer utopias.  Watch this stories at: