Happy International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD), celebrated annually on March 8, honours the achievements of women across all aspects of life – social, economic, cultural, and political – while also advocating for gender equality. This year’s theme is Accelerate Action.

We are taking this opportunity to highlight Women in Biocontrol.

“International Women’s Day 2025 calls us to accelerate action — not tomorrow, not some day, but now. We stand at a critical moment in history where silence is no longer an option. Equity for women, for minorities, for all those fighting every day to be heard and to thrive, depends on our courage to act. Together, we’ve proven change is possible — just as we stood for biocontrol and saw it recognized in the EU Vision for Agriculture. Now, we must stand even stronger, act even faster, and refuse to let momentum slip away. When we act together, change is not only possible — it’s unstoppable.”

Alessandra Moccia, Vice President of IBMA.

According to the World Economic Forum, evidence shows that having a diverse group of leaders can lead to more fact-based decisions that result in higher quality outcomes. There is increasing recognition of how this is critical for financial and economic performance. 

Accelerate Action, Accelerate Biocontrol

The European Institute for Gender Equality notes that improvements in gender equality would lead to an additional 10.5 million jobs in 2050, which would benefit both women and men. The agriculture sector can play a major role here. For example, the biocontrol market has doubled in size since 2016 and has the potential to grow much more.

From the farm to the boardroom, women are shaping the future of farming. Globally, one third of workers in agriculture are women and the OECD notes that gender inclusion can have a positive impact on ensuring food security within planetary boundaries.

“Policymakers globally recognise the need to accelerate biocontrol, and we are working together to give farmers these solutions without delay. In closing, I have worked in many roles and countries and can safely say, if you ate today, thank a woman in agriculture.”

Jennifer Lewis, Executive Director of IBMA