A veteran smallholder farmer from the Caribbean nation of Dominica has earned a spot on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s first-ever global list of 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, marking a major international recognition of her decades-long work strengthening local food systems and sustainable rural development.
Gilles Carbon-Jno Baptiste, a 40-plus-year farming veteran based in Dominica’s Capuchin community, was chosen from a pool of more than 600 nominees across 131 countries, following a rigorous, competitive global selection process, according to an official statement from Dominica’s Office of the Prime Minister. The FAO highlighted her exceptional leadership, innovative approach to farming, unwavering dedication, and far-reaching contributions to building more resilient agrifood systems and empowered rural communities.
Carbon-Jno Baptiste runs a seven-acre diversified farm that supplies fresh produce and animal products to local consumers and market vendors across Dominica. Her operation combines a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops—including citrus, plantain, avocado, turmeric, potatoes, and onions—with livestock production, covering goats, broiler chickens, and layer hens. She is a key regional supplier of fresh eggs and leafy vegetables to local supermarkets and small-scale street vendors, playing a critical role in Dominica’s domestic food security.
Beyond consistent food production, Carbon-Jno Baptiste has built her farming practice around a core commitment to ecological sustainability. She implements a range of low-carbon, nature-positive practices across her land, including green manuring, integrated mixed farming, rainwater harvesting, on-site composting, reforestation, and the use of natural alternative inputs, all while adhering to internationally recognized Good Agricultural Practices frameworks.
As president of the Capuchin Farmers’ Group, Carbon-Jno Baptiste also devotes significant time to lifting up other producers in her community. She regularly hosts hands-on agricultural training sessions and on-farm demonstration workshops to share her sustainable techniques with new and emerging farmers. Outside of farming, she holds active leadership roles in local community, cultural, and civic organizations, and already received national recognition for her work when she was awarded Dominica’s Best Woman in Sustainable Farming Award in 2023.
Roland Royer, Dominica’s Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Blue and Green Economy, celebrated Carbon-Jno Baptiste’s international recognition in comments included in the OPM release. “Mrs. Carbon-Jno Baptiste represents the dedication, resilience and innovation of our farmers. For more than four decades, she has contributed to food production and to the development of other farmers and her community. We are extremely proud that her work has now received this important international recognition,” Royer said.
The FAO noted that Carbon-Jno Baptiste’s selection also spotlights Dominica’s longstanding national commitment to expanding and elevating women’s leadership in agrifood systems. She will be officially honored at the FAO’s headquarters in Rome, Italy, during the flagship World Food Forum event scheduled for October 12 to 16, 2026. The recognition comes as part of global programming for the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer, a United Nations designation dedicated to centering the contributions of women in global agriculture.