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.

Anabel Calderín Castro
La Jaira de Ana
Spain
Website Learn more
Lineke Lamfers
Blijham Arboretum
Netherlands
Website Learn more
Helena Kurki
The Innovation Centre
Sweden
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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

17 hours ago

🌾When Sonja moved to the countryside, she dreamed of more than a peaceful life surrounded by animals. She envisioned a place where creativity, therapy, and nature could come together to heal and inspire others.Today, her Fields of Creativity farm blends art, music, and animal-assisted therapy to support families and communities — a shining example of how innovation in rural areas can transform lives.In this new FLIARA video story, Sonja shares her journey, challenges, and hopes for a future where women innovators are heard, seen, and supported across Europe.🎥 Watch the full story in this post, and read her profile interview to learn more about her inspiring path ➡️ fliara.eu/fields-of-creativity-the-innovation-journey-of-sonja-jokiranta/#WomenInInnovation #RuralInnovation #greencare #fliaraeu #femaleentrepreneurs #Sustainability #carefarming #socialenterprise #Empowerment #finland #InnovationInAction #creativity #CommunityCare -Luovuuden Lakeus Ky ... See MoreSee Less
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4 days ago

🌿From studying plant viruses to leading one of Czechia’s most innovative greenhouses, Dr. Alžběta Nagyová is showing how science and sustainability can transform communities.At Bezdínek Ltd., she helps grow tomatoes without pesticides, using rainwater and waste heat — a model of circular, eco-friendly farming that provides jobs and hope in a former coal-mining region.🎥 Watch her story in this new FLIARA video interview📰 Read her full profile here: fliara.eu/cultivating-change-how-alzbeta-nagyova-is-redefining-green-farming-in-czechia/#FLIARAEU #WomenInInnovation #SustainableFarming #GreenTransition #Agritech #RuralDevelopment #EmpoweringWomen #ZeroPesticides ... See MoreSee Less
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1 week ago

Patricia Marina Toma, a young photographer, filmmaker, and community innovator from Marin, Romania, is transforming her rural village through art, education, and inclusion.Through her project MarinArt. Centru Cultural, Educaţional şi Artistic, Patricia has turned a restored 1903 traditional house into a living hub of creativity — where children, women, and elders collaborate through workshops in theatre, photography, textiles, and storytelling.From organising a local festival to capturing the lives of the elderly in her photo series People of the Village, Patricia shows how culture can become a bridge between generations and a catalyst for social change.Her story reminds us that innovation doesn’t only happen in cities — it thrives wherever people dare to reimagine their community’s future. 📰 Read Patricia’s full story in the FLIARA profile interview at fliara.eu/patricia-marina-toma-the-artist-who-turned-a-village-into-a-canvas-of-hope/🎥 Watch her journey in this inspiring video below.#FLIARAEU #RuralInnovation #WomenInInnovation #CulturalHeritage #InclusiveEducation #MarinArt #Romania #Storytelling #CreativeCommunities #WomenEmpowerment #SocialInnovation ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

For more than 20 years, Anja Frey has been at the forefront of a quiet revolution in dairy farming. From her Demeter-certified farm in southern Germany, she pioneered cow-fed calf rearing, a system in which calves stay with their mothers, drink naturally from the udder, and grow within the herd. Dorfkäserei Geifertshofen What started as a personal commitment to animal welfare has grown into a regional movement—supported by the Geifertshofen Village Dairy, the Hohenlohe Bruderkalb Initiative, and the Schwäbisch Hall Producers’ Association. Today, Anja works as a value chain manager, helping farms adopt this model, building markets for high-welfare veal, and advocating for fair conditions for women in agriculture.👉 Read Anja’s full profile interview here: fliara.eu/anja-frey-redefining-calf-rearing-through-innovation-and-persistence/#FLIARAEU #WomenInAgriculture #RuralInnovation #CowFedCalfRearing #SustainableFarming #AnimalWelfare #FemaleLeadership #OrganicDairy ... See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

“Persistence is everything. If you believe in your idea, go for it.” – Saša KržičFrom Borovnica, Slovenia, Saša and her partner turned a spark of curiosity into a thriving green business — bringing microgreens into homes, restaurants, and classrooms across the country via Mikrozelenje Šebenik. Her journey is a story of courage, innovation, and growth — showing how small ideas can have big impact. 🎥 Watch her story and read the full interview at fliara.eu!#FLIARAEU #WomenInAgriculture #Microgreens #Sustainability #RuralInnovation #FemaleLeaders #GreenEntrepreneurship #Bloomy #MikrozelenjeSebenik ... See MoreSee Less
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3 weeks ago

“It’s not about making bags — it’s about transforming waste into beauty, and giving women new chances.” — Sarah Khoudja, founder of CuCilentoIn southern Italy, Sarah turns discarded olive nets and boat sails into sustainable designs — creating both environmental impact and women’s empowerment. 🌿👩‍🌾Her inspiring journey shows that innovation can be small, local, and deeply human.🎥 Watch her story in this video📖 Read her full interview on the FLIARA website ➡️ fliara.eu/from-discarded-nets-to-new-futures-the-story-of-sarah-khoudja-and-cucilento/#FLIARAEU #WomenInRuralInnovation #Upcycling #Sustainability #RuralWomen #SlowFashion #SocialImpact #CircularEconomy #EcoDesign #Empowerment ... See MoreSee Less
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4 weeks ago

💡 What does it take to turn an abandoned farm into one of Sweden’s most sustainable tourist destinations?For Malin Axelsson, the answer is vision, courage, and innovation.At Ödevata Gårdshotell, she and her team combine 🌿 permaculture, 🔥 biochar, and 💧 aquaponics to inspire sustainable living and tourism.🎥 Watch Malin’s journey in our new video and discover her vision for the future of women-led innovation in rural areas.📖 Read her full profile interview here 👉 fliara.eu/malin-axelsson-pioneering-a-greener-future-from-the-heart-of-smaland/#EcoTourism #Sustainability #WomenInInnovation #Biochar #Aquaponics #FLIARAEU ... See MoreSee Less
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1 month ago

This month, the FLIARA Project gathered in Brussels for an inspiring milestone — its Final In-person General Assembly at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Maria Walsh and coordinated by the University of Galway team.Led by Associate Professor Maura Farrell, the session brought together representatives from all 15 partner institutions to reflect on three years of collaboration, policy innovation, and research supporting women in rural areas and farming across Europe.Louise Weir, FLIARA’s Principal Project Manager, guided the discussion on final achievements and the project’s lasting impact.The day concluded with an evening event hosted by MEP Walsh on Mental Health & Farming, where FLIARA Ambassadors and partners connected with rural women innovators and European policymakers.🔗 Read the full story: fliara.eu/fliara-project-celebrated-general-assembly-at-the-european-parliament/ #FLIARAEU #RuralWomen #GenderEquality #RuralInnovation #WomenInAg ... See MoreSee Less
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