Written by Carmelo Troccli, WorldFMC DG
As Director General of the World Farmers Markets Coalition, I often find myself reflecting on what truly gives meaning to our work. It is not only the growth of our network or the number of markets we support around the world. It is, above all, the people behind them.
Farmers, market managers, and cities who choose, every day, to believe in a different way of producing, selling, and sharing food. The WorldFMC Awards were created precisely for them.
With the launch of the Second Edition of the WorldFMC Awards, I feel a strong sense of continuity with what we began last year, but also a renewed urgency. Because today, more than ever, farmers markets are not a nostalgic alternative to modern food systems. They are one of the most concrete answers we have to the challenges of our time: climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and the growing disconnect between people and the food they eat.
Why these Awards matter
When we created the WorldFMC Awards, our intention was simple but ambitious: to make visible what is often invisible.
Too often, the daily work that keeps farmers markets alive goes unrecognized. The early mornings at the stall, the long journeys to reach a city market, the careful planning of a market manager balancing farmers, consumers, and logistics, or the political effort of a city that chooses to invest in local food systems instead of short-term solutions.
These actions rarely make headlines. But they are exactly what builds resilient food systems. The Awards are our way of saying: we see you, and what you are doing matters.
They are not just a celebration, they are a mirror of the movement itself, showing us what is possible when commitment meets creativity, and when local action is connected to a global vision.
The stories behind the recognition
Looking back at the first edition of the Awards, I am still deeply moved by the stories we had the privilege to highlight.
Take, for example, Milly Saravia from Peru, the Best Farmer 2025. Her story is not only about agroecological excellence on a small farm in the cloud forest. It is about resilience. About rebuilding a life after difficulty. About turning farming into a source of dignity, independence, and hope. Her weekly journey of more than nine hours to reach a farmers market in Lima is not just a logistical effort, it is a statement of commitment to direct relationships with consumers and to a future rooted in the land.
Or Dennis Andaye from Nairobi, awarded Best Market Manager 2025. His work shows us that innovation is not only technological, but deeply social. From digital tools that simplify market management, to food redistribution initiatives for vulnerable communities, he has transformed farmers markets into true urban ecosystems of inclusion and opportunity.
And then there is the City of Rome, recognized as Best City 2025. A city that has chosen to place farmers markets at the heart of its food policy, demonstrating that public institutions can actively shape more sustainable and equitable food systems. Rome reminds us that markets are not marginal spaces, they are essential urban infrastructure.
These stories are not exceptions. They are signals. They show what is already happening across our network, often quietly, often without visibility.
Why I encourage every member to apply
This is exactly why I want to speak directly to all our members: I strongly encourage you to apply for the WorldFMC Awards 2026.
Not because winning is the only objective. But because the process itself has value.
Applying means taking a moment to reflect on your work. To recognize what you have built. To measure your impact not only in economic terms, but in social, environmental, and human ones. It means giving visibility to practices that might otherwise remain local, and connecting them to a global community that can learn from them.
Whether you are a farmer experimenting with new agroecological practices, a market manager building stronger ties between producers and consumers, or a city developing policies to support local food systems, your experience is part of a larger story we are all writing together.
And sometimes, simply telling that story can open unexpected doors: new partnerships, new recognition, new energy for your work.
More than an award
It is important to say this clearly: the WorldFMC Awards are not about competition. They are about recognition, but also about connection.
Each application becomes part of a collective learning process. Each story helps us better understand what works, what can be improved, and how farmers markets are evolving in different cultural and geographic contexts.
When we bring these stories together, something powerful happens, we begin to see the global farmers market movement not as a collection of isolated initiatives, but as a living, interconnected system. And in that system, every actor matters.
Looking ahead to 2026
The second edition of the WorldFMC Awards, open from 19 March to 31 May 2026, will once again recognize excellence across three categories: Best Market Manager, Best Farmer, and Best City.
The winners will be announced during the Award Ceremony at our Fourth General Assembly in October 2026, a moment that I already know will be filled with inspiration, exchange, and pride for all of us.
But beyond the ceremony, what I hope we continue to build is something more lasting, a culture of recognition within our movement. A culture that values the people behind the markets as much as the markets themselves.
Every time I visit a farmers market, anywhere in the world, I am reminded of why this work matters. It is not only about food. It is about relationships. Trust. Identity. Community.
To all our members, I hope you will take part, not only to be recognized, but to contribute your voice to this shared story.
Because the future of food systems will not be shaped by one actor alone, it will be shaped by all of us, together.
