Portraits of women who bring Geneva agriculture to life

For a long time, agriculture has been portrayed as a predominantly male world. Yet in the fields, vineyards, market gardens and livestock farms, women have always played an essential role.

Through the exhibition “Their Crops, Our Roots – Portraits of Women in Geneva’s Countryside” ("Leurs cultures, nos racines – portraits de femmes en terre genevoise"), AgriGenève, Genève Terroir and the Union des paysannes et femmes rurales genevoises (UPFG) aim to highlight their journeys, professions and contribution to agriculture in the canton.

Created by photographer Bertrand Carlier, the exhibition brings together portraits of market gardeners, winegrowers, fruit growers, livestock farmers, agricultural workers, crop managers, winemakers and wine cellar managers. Photographed in their working environments, they reflect the diversity of professions and backgrounds that make up Geneva agriculture today.

In Switzerland, nearly one in three farms is managed or co-managed by a woman. The exhibition is part of the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026 and invites the public to take a fresh look at the women who play a full part in the history and future of Geneva agriculture.

Opening

The official opening will take place on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, from 5 pm to 7.30 pm, at the Butte de l’Observatoire in Geneva’s Old Town, opposite the Musée d’art et d’histoire.

The exhibition will then remain freely accessible at the Butte de l’Observatoire until mid-October 2026.