Ysabel Calderón

Ysabel Calderón, founder of Sumak Kawsay, is a Peruvian with, bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and an ecopreneur dedicated to conserving native stingless bees and restoring mountain and dry-forest ecosystems. She leads the initiative “Women Guardians of the Native Bees”, empowering 60 Quechua and peasant women through meliponiculture, sustainable honey production, and reforestation with native plants. Winner of the 2024 MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity, Ysabel blends applied research, community leadership, and storytelling to protect pollinators, ensure food security, and build resilient rural economies in Lambayeque, northern Peru. She represents a new generation of frontline leaders linking science, culture, and equity in global food systems.