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.

Piritta Liikka
My Trail
Finland
Website Learn more
Polona Štolfa
Zlata Ptička
Slovenia
Website Learn more
Giulia Jannelli
Cooperativa Agricola di Comunità Germinale
Italy
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

6 days 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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2 weeks 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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3 weeks 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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1 month ago

What happens when you mix sustainability, education, and women-led entrepreneurship in the Finnish countryside? You get Rita Porkka’s inspiring journey.As the founder of Naturest Finland, Rita is redefining how we connect with rural nature — turning forests into classrooms, places of healing, and hubs of creativity. Her work is rooted in values of responsibility, wellbeing, and community impact, from offering forest pedagogy to organising nature care services and socially responsible events.🎥 In this video interview, Rita shares: 🔘 How her idea was born 🔘 The challenges of starting alone — and how she overcame them 🔘 Why women’s innovation in rural areas matters for Europe 🔘 Her advice to other aspiring innovators📖 You can also read her full profile interview here 👉 fliara.eu/rooted-in-the-forest-the-innovation-journey-of-rita-porkka/#WomenInInnovation #Sustainability #RuralDevelopment #FLIARAEU #Entrepreneurship #NatureBasedSolutions ... See MoreSee Less
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1 month ago

🎥 Annette Harberink is not just a farmer — she’s a visionary educator, activist, and innovator in biodynamic agriculture. In this interview recorded during a FLIARA Community of Practice event, she shares her journey of forging her own path into farming, empowering the next generation, and why collaboration and values are at the heart of every real innovation.✨ Plus, read her full story in our exclusive profile interview:👉 fliara.eu/annette-harberink-innovation-grows-where-values-take-root/#FLIARAEU #WomenInAgriculture #RuralInnovation #BiodynamicFarming #Sustainability #Leadership ... See MoreSee Less
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2 months ago

🟣Meet Petra Matos, the visionary behind Park Istra — a rural solidarity project in Slovenia that's hosted over 1,200 volunteers and delivered more than 105,000 hours of help to communities in need.🎥 Watch her story in this video📖 Read the full interview: fliara.eu/petra-matos-planting-seeds-of-solidarity-in-rural-sloven#womeninruralinnovationa#fliaraeuA#socialinnovationa#ruralwomenW#FemaleChangemakersakers ... See MoreSee Less
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2 months ago

🟣In this inspiring video, meet Sofia De Matteis, geographer, activist, and co-founder of Avamposto Agricolo Autonomo, an ethological farm in Santa Caterina dello Ionio in Italy. Together with her partner, she’s cultivating more than crops: she’s building a space of community, resistance, outdoor education, and feminist farming.🫏 From reintroducing donkeys to reviving rural trails, Sofia’s project blends tradition with radical care — placing children, animals, and the land at the heart of rural innovation.💬 Watch the video and get a glimpse into her world.📖 Read the full profile interview to discover more about her journey, challenges, and vision for the future:👉 fliara.eu/rooted-in-resistance-the-feminist-farm-of-sofia-de-matteis/#FLIARAEU #Sustainability #RuralInnovation #Leadership #RuralWomen #WomenInAgri #SocialFarming #Calabria #DonkeyTrekking #FLIARAInspires #WomenInAg #ChallengesAndOpportunities #EURegions #horizoneu #RuralEurope #GenderEquality ... See MoreSee Less
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2 months ago

What does it really take for women to lead innovation in agriculture and rural areas? 🤔 Our new video features powerful perspectives from the FLIARA Stakeholder Advisory Board!Hear from Teresa Roche, Valentina Carta, and Valentina Hažić as they discuss key topics like access to finance, the importance of collaboration, and the essential role of emotional support networks.#fliaraeu #fliarasab #fliarainspires #ruralwomen #womeninag #challengesandopportunities #fliaracop ... See MoreSee Less
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