Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas

The FLIARA project aims to create a European wide rural innovation ecosystem, which supports women-led innovative practices in farming and rural areas.

Women Leading Sustainability in

Farming and Rural Areas

Discover how FLIARA showcases the innovative power of women in farming and rural areas, emphasising their pivotal role in driving environmental, economic, social, and cultural sustainability to meet EU policies.

Empowering Women and Transforming Rural Innovation

FLIARA is challenging gender norms and stereotypes, raising awareness of the true impact and economic value of women in rural economies and development. The project is developing practical tools and policy proposals to ensure women are integrated and supported within a more effective innovation ecosystem.

Women Led Innovations

200 innovative practices that contribute to a sustainable and viable rural environment identified in 10 European countries: Ireland, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Romania and Italy.

Community of Practice

Within FLIARA lies the creation of a Community of Practice. A hub of networking and training amongst innovators and relevant stakeholders to exchange ideas, experiences, and innovative knowledge, fostering future female innovations and entrepreneurship.

Foresight and Trend Analysis

FLIARA has conducted its envisioning process to predict the role of women in the innovations required for sustainable farms and rural futures across EU Member States. These visions were constructed by using an interactive foresight process that involved key stakeholders at a local level, creating a connection between their local contexts and sustainable futures.

As a result, FLIARA will combine futures and case study methods with network building and policy benchmarking. By developing visions for sustainable rural futures, FLIARA will identify the innovations needed to make them a reality.

“Rural women can play a key role in delivering a sustainable future through on-farm and off-farm innovative practices”

— Project Coordinator, Associate Professor

Innovators

Discover 200 rural and agricultural innovations from across Europe. Our project highlighted pioneers in ten countries. Learn about their groundbreaking solutions and how they are shaping the future of farming and rural life.

Florentina Calugar
Saschiz Women's Neighborhood Association
Romania
Website Learn more
Giulia Marzaro
CilentoLab
Italy
Website Learn more
Aisling Kelly Hunter
Sligo Oyster Experience
Ireland
Website Learn more

Partners

The multi-actor basis for FLIARA is established through bringing together organisations that engage in different ways in the research, innovation, networks, policy, and practice environments.

The consortium is made up of universities (University of Galway, TU Delft, UNICAL, UTU, UL, HNEE, HLK – Jönköping , UOULU, MENDELU and LNU); European Networks (ELARD, ECOLISE), a national agricultural state agency and extension advisory body (Teagasc), a Community Organisation and Social Enterprise (LWL) and an SME (CE).

Facebook Posts

4 days ago

💬Last Friday, over 100 participants — policymakers, ambassadors, researchers, entrepreneurs, and innovators — came together at the European Committee of the Regions for our FLIARA Final Conference to discuss how to advance women-led innovation across rural Europe. The energy, commitment, and collective vision in the room were extraordinary. -Relive the moments:🎥 Watch the Conference Livestream: fliara.eu/live/🌱Full event report coming soon — stay tuned! #fliaraeu #RuralInnovation #WomenInAgri #EURegions ... See MoreSee Less
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7 days ago

🎥 We’re live from the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels for the FLIARA Final Conference – Women Leading Rural Innovation: From Vision to Action! 🌿Today, policymakers, researchers, and innovators from across Europe come together to explore how women-led innovation can shape the sustainable future of rural areas.💻 Follow the conversation live: fliara.eu/live/#FLIARAEU #RuralInnovation #GenderEquality #EURegionsWeek #WomenInLeadership #Sustainability ... See MoreSee Less
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1 week ago

🌾This #InternationalDayOfRuralWomen, we honour the innovators shaping the future of rural Europe.They are FLIARA. They are innovation. They are empowerment. 💪🔗 Learn more: fliara.eu/innovators/#fliaraeu #ruralwomen #womeninagriculture ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

🌾 Next week, FLIARA takes the stage at the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels to showcase how women are leading innovation in rural areas.Join us live online for our Final Conference to explore the FLIARA project’s key findings and recommendations through inspiring panels, ambassador stories, and high-level discussions shaping the future of rural Europe.📅 17 October 2025 - 09:00 (CEST)🏛 European Committee of the Regions, Brussels🎥 Watch live: fliara.eu/live/💪Let’s celebrate the women turning vision into action across Europe’s rural communities. #FLIARAEU #RuralInnovation #GenderEquality #WomenInAgri #Innovation #RuralWomen ... See MoreSee Less
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3 weeks ago

✨From Sweet Lupins to Sustainability: Meet Linda Kelly from Biolandhof Linda Kelly What does it take to transform a family farm into a hub of innovation, biodiversity, and opportunity?Linda Kelly, an organic farmer from Baden-Württemberg, Germany, found her answer in an unexpected place: the humble sweet lupin.From lupin coffee and flour to cosmetics and even spirits, Linda has built a thriving, sustainable business that champions the circular economy and creates new value chains for rural communities. Along the way, she has overcome scepticism, embraced innovation, and become an inspiring role model for women in agriculture.🎥 Watch her story in our new video, and discover how Linda is reshaping the future of farming.📖 Read her full profile interview here 👉 fliara.eu/from-lupins-to-leadership-the-rural-innovation-of-linda-kelly/#womeninagriculture #innovation #Sustainability #ruraldevelopment #fliaraeu ... See MoreSee Less
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4 weeks ago

🇨🇿Yesterday, FLIARA Project Coordinator Assoc. Prof. Maura Farrell brought key insights to the AGRIGEP Final Conference!Speaking on the panel "Advancing gender equality in Agriculture and Life Sciences," Maura highlighted the need to empower women as vital social and environmental innovators. FLIARA is tackling barriers to Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas across Europe.Full details👇fliara.eu/maura-farrell-highlights-womens-role-in-rural-innovation-at-agrigep-conference/ #GEP #WomenInSTEM #RuralDevelopment #FLIARAEU #AGRIGEP #GenderEquality #Innovation ... See MoreSee Less
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1 month ago

🚀Meet Ursula Kelly, one of the FLIARA 20 Ambassadors and the driving force behind Cormac Tagging, a family agribusiness from County Galway, Ireland.From growing up on a sheep farm to leading one of Ireland’s most successful animal identification companies, Ursula’s story is one of innovation, resilience, and vision.In this video, she shares her journey:🌱 Transforming her family business into a modern enterprise💡 The role of digitalisation in rural innovation🤝 Overcoming challenges as a woman in agribusiness🌍 Her hopes for FLIARA and the future of women-led innovation📖 Want to dive deeper into Ursula’s inspiring path? Read her full profile interview here 👉 fliara.eu/pioneering-change-in-rural-ireland-an-interview-with-ursula-kelly/#FLIARAEU #WomenInAgriculture #RuralInnovation #Leadership #Agribusiness ... See MoreSee Less
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1 month ago

🐝How can one woman, a few hives, and a vision for sustainability spark transformation in rural areas?Meet Natalia Díaz, founder of Ecoalpispa and La Abejera, who is proving that innovation in agriculture doesn’t need to be big to be powerful. From eco-wrapping that reduces plastic waste to eco-agrotourism powered entirely by renewable energy, Natalia is showing us what’s possible when passion meets purpose.Her journey is one of resilience: overcoming bureaucracy, the challenges of island life, and even the devastating loss of bee colonies. Yet, her message is clear: the future belongs to rural women—and together, we can change the world.🎥 Watch her story in our new video. 📝 Read her full profile interview here: fliara.eu/a-buzz-of-change-natalia-diaz-and-the-rural-revolution-of-ecoalpispa/#WomenInRuralAreas #AgriculturalInnovation #FLIARAEU #Beekeeping #Sustainability #RuralInnovation ... See MoreSee Less
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