Feb 10

Feb 10 Speaking at the U.S. State Department Global Women's Issues

February 10, 2022 - It was wonderful kicking off the Innovation Station 2022, a series of talks that highlight issues that related to women on a global scale hosted by the U.S. State Department’s Global Women’s Issues. The series, launched at the start of 2021, is hosted by Aubrey Paris a policy advisor on Gender, Climate Change & Innovation in the Secretary's Office of Global Women's Issues.

See the amazing speaker line up here:

AGENDA

1:00 PM ET – Welcome & Opening Remarks
• Amy Wu, Founder & Chief Content Director, From Farms to Incubators
• Aubrey Paris, Gender, Climate & Innovation Policy Advisor, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues, U.S. Department of State (Moderator)

1:10 – Innovations in Farming
• Kathleen Finlay, President, Glynwood Center for Regional Food and Farming
• Brandi DeCarli, CEO, Farm from a Box

1:45 – Innovations in Water Access
• Sydney Gray, Founding Director, Mama Maji
• Teri Dankovich, CTO & Co-Founder, Folia Materials

2:20 – Innovations Addressing Rural Flight
• Debbie Phillips, CEO, Rural Action
• Jessica Kaknevicius, Vice President of Education, Sustainable Forestry Initiative

2:55 – Adjournment

And speaking of 2021, since the start of that year I’ve done hundreds of talks, many of them surrounding the book From Farms to Incubators. It made sense. New author. New book and book talks. Now that it has almost been a year since the official launch of the book the heart of the talks at times have seemed to lose their spark and shimmer. Since being invited as the keynote speaker, I ruminated on what to focus on for the kick-off talk. Should it be storytelling, or climate changing or more women in the field (no pun intended), or all of the above?

Something hit me as I realized that friends and family members looked increasingly quizzical when I said I was doing a talk. “You are still on a book tour?” one asked, confused about my social posts dated all the way back to November in California. “Well yes and no…” I started. And there’s truth in that. From Farms to Incubators is a book, it is a film but it is an ongoing initiative. And then comes a common follow up question. “So what is your purpose? Why are you doing this?” Easy answer. “I want to see more women at the decision making table when it comes to food and ag and innovation.” I think continuously sending the message that agtech extends the skills of traditional ag and that yes Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) = Agriculture. Hopefully if I share this message enough times there will be some change and then more. And then someday a paradigm shift. With that I am sharing the entirety of the speech.

SPEECH

Thank you, Aubrey and the Department of State: Office of Global Women's Issues for hosting this special event that celebrates women innovators in farming!

I am especially excited that we have so many attendees joining today from all over the world and honored to kick-off the first Innovation Station of 2022!

HOW did a woman who has no background in agriculture become a storyteller and advocate for women in agtech? How does storytelling connect with making a difference especially when it comes to rural areas, underserved communities or underdeveloped nations?

From Farms to Incubators was born out of serendipity and passion. In 2016 I was sent to the Salinas Valley region in California to cover local government and agriculture. Over there, agriculture is a $9 billion industry.

80% of the leafy greens we eat are produced there.

Tech has always been a part of farming or agriculture.

I observed the rise of what was then a growing sector called agtech—innovation that helps farmers grow more efficiently especially as growers are facing more challenges under climate change.

Severe labor shortage

Lack of arable soil.

I observed the lack of women at the table, not the kitchen table, the decision-making table. At many industry meetings and conferences, I didn’t see women, and certainly women who look like me.

I have always been driven to tell the UNDERHEARD and UNTOLD story.

A new generation of women are creating the innovations to help growers produce more efficiently.

In 2016, I applied for a grant, made a short documentary that presents women innovators in agtech. In 2020 I launched the women in agtech exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center to use photos and art to celebrate women in this field. In 2021 I published a book From Farms to Incubators that contains 30 Portraits of women founders.

What inspires me to tell these stories? I do so to create awareness, outreach, to create a platform for questions, discussion.

At almost every talk and screening I received the following comments:

I didn’t know there was a new generation of women creating the innovation to help farmers.

The women who I share the stage with often looked at each other and said “We didn’t know she existed. Can you connect us? We seek a community.”

PAUSE

So, From Farms to Incubators started out as a documentary, then a book, events and talks and has evolved into a COMMUNITY, A HUB.

It takes a community to create sustainable change, which includes more innovation in the food systems and agriculture and more women at the table, especially young women and youth from undeserved regions.

Women already play a critical and extensive role in the food systems—women are responsible for half of the world's food production, and in most developing countries they produce between 60 and 80 percent of the food. Yet, women continue to be regarded as home producers or assistants on the farm, and not as farmers and economic agents on their own merit.

PAUSE

After hundreds of talks, I receive the questions of “what next” and “what can I do to contribute?”

On this journey I have met others who share similar mission and passion and to create change.

There’s the Women in AgTech Directory, a joint team effort, 650 names. It is easily searachable, sharable--the idea to connect women in the field with growers, investors etc.

There’s the storytelling. The mission is to create a Portrait for every woman on that list. Hopefully the stories will inspire, motivate.

There’s mentorship, which has extended to me speaking at high schools, colleges and universities. In November I spent time in Central Valley California, the unofficial almond capital. I connected with youth, many of them the first to attend college, many of them from ag families where their older generations in the fields and the packing houses. After sharing more about From Farms to Incubators there was the lightbulb moment among the students. STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math)=Agriculture.

PAUSE

For opportunity to be truly realized ag and innovation need to be baked into the k-12 leaning system. Learning needs to include STEM, skills related to innovation, entrepreneurship and finance and investment.

Agriculture is much more than tractors and overalls, it is the laboratory, cutting edge innovation, investment and finance, entrepreneurship, and storytelling.

Finally, agtech creates an opportunity for a more diverse workforce. Agtech requires a new if not extended set of skills and talent that are more diverse than traditional agricultural. It opens job opportunities to segments of the population who traditionally have not been the leaders and key decision-makers in these sectors.

In the long run, it keeps youth and talent in the communities they grew up in and affords them a chance to pay it back to those communities.

Most importantly is we all eat and some of love to eat--agtech is only one sector that is part of this greater ecosystem that produces our food. In reality ALL of the parts of the ecosystem are important.

It takes a community to keep the torch lit and to create lasting change. Let’s keep growing together!