Long before agriculture became an industry, Indigenous women were caring for Country, protecting food systems and passing down knowledge that sustained their communities for generations.
That knowledge has always belonged at the centre of conversations about land, food and the future. Yet too often, First Nations women are left out of the rooms where agricultural decisions are made.
At the Australian Women in Agriculture Conference 2026, Indigenous women made it clear they are not waiting for an invitation to lead.
An Indigenous Women's Panel brought together women working across cultural land stewardship, native foods, drought resilience and agricultural research, placing their knowledge and experience on the main stage.
Delivered through a collaboration between Australian Women in Agriculture and CSIRO Agriculture and Food, the panel built on work the organisations began together in 2025.
The Yarning Strong discussion featured Lisa Warbrick from Te Pu Oranga Whenua, Dr Raelene Ward, a First Nations Knowledge Broker with Southern Queensland and Northern NSW Drought Resilience, Destiny Dewis from Native Foodways and Marni Williams from CSIRO Agriculture and Food.
Australian Women in Agriculture director and former president Nat Sommerville facilitated the conversation.
Together, the women spoke about Indigenous agricultural futures, cultural governance and the responsibilities Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women carry for Country, community and future generations.
The inclusion of Ms Warbrick also created an opportunity to strengthen connections between Indigenous women in Australia and Aotearoa.
While the agricultural sector often talks about innovation, sustainability and resilience as emerging priorities, Indigenous communities have been practising those principles for thousands of years.
First Nations knowledge is not an alternative to agricultural expertise. It is agricultural expertise, grounded in relationships with Country and carried through generations of cultural practice.
For Ms Sommerville, having an Indigenous-led panel at a national agricultural conference was about more than being seen.
She said it reflected a commitment to recognising First Nations women as people who should be shaping the decisions that affect their communities and Country.
"[It] represented a continued commitment to elevate First Nations women as leaders, innovators and decision-makers in agriculture, and acknowledging that our perspectives are essential to shaping Australia's agricultural future," she said.
The panel highlighted the depth of work already happening across Indigenous-led agriculture.
Dr Ward brought experience connecting First Nations knowledge with drought resilience, while Ms Dewis shared perspectives grounded in native food systems.
Ms Williams contributed her experience in agricultural research, and Ms Warbrick brought an Indigenous perspective from Aotearoa.
Their participation demonstrated that Indigenous women are already building businesses, informing research, protecting cultural knowledge and developing responses to environmental change.
What is often missing is the recognition, investment and decision-making power needed to support that work properly.
The conversations continued at an Indigenous Women in Agriculture Knowledge Exchange Breakfast, supported by CSIRO Agriculture and Food.
More than 30 women attended the gathering, which created space to share experiences, build relationships and discuss opportunities across the agricultural sector.
Topics included Indigenous agribusiness, native food industries, supply chains, drought resilience and community-led responses to changing environmental conditions.
Participants also explored opportunities for collaboration between Indigenous women in Australia and Aotearoa, as well as pathways for Indigenous-led research and innovation.
The breakfast offered something that cannot always be found in mainstream conference spaces: room for First Nations women to speak openly, connect through shared experiences and consider what genuine collaboration could look like.
Those conversations matter because Indigenous women are too often expected to share their knowledge without being given equal authority over how that knowledge is used.
Recognition must extend beyond conference panels and one-off invitations.
It means backing Indigenous-owned businesses, respecting cultural governance, protecting Indigenous intellectual property and ensuring communities have a say in decisions affecting their lands and food systems.
It also means understanding that Indigenous women are not new voices in agriculture.
They are part of knowledge systems that existed long before the sector gave itself a name.
The Australian Women in Agriculture Conference provided a platform, but the real test will be whether the industry continues making space for Indigenous women when funding is allocated, research is designed and decisions are made.
Because First Nations women have always led on Country.
