Yin Yuzhen attends a ceremony for Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations" (FAO) 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, in Rome, Italy, Oct. 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

　　FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu said women are a driving force in agrifood systems, playing an indispensable role in food security, natural resource management, rural development and community resilience.

　　ROME, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese sand-control pioneer Yin Yuzhen has been named among the FAO"s 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development, a global recognition initiative launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

　　The honorees were celebrated at a ceremony on Thursday at the FAO headquarters in Rome as part of this year"s World Food Forum.

　　Yin has spent more than four decades combating desertification in the Maowusu Sandy Land in north China"s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. After decades of persistent tree planting, she and her family have transformed stretches of the once-barren landscape into a green expanse, overcoming harsh conditions and shifting sands.

　　Her story also forged an enduring friendship with retired U.S. teacher Ronald Sakolsky, who raised 5,000 U.S. dollars decades ago to support her afforestation work.

　　Yin told Xinhua that the recognition had strengthened her resolve to continue her work. "Like a Mongolian horse, I will keep pressing forward with perseverance and determination, doing my work well and giving back to nature," she said.