Welcome to the third edition of the FLIARA newsletter! We are excited to share the latest updates and progress as the FLIARA project reaches its halfway mark. Our mission remains steadfast: to create a European-wide rural innovation ecosystem that supports women-led innovative practices in farming and rural areas.

Since our last update, the FLIARA consortium has been diligently working to challenge existing gender norms and stereotypes. We aim to recognise and appreciate the significant impact and economic value that women bring to rural economies and development by increasing gender consciousness.

Over the past six months, we have made substantial strides. Our efforts have included a thorough assessment of rural and farming policy and legal frameworks related to women-led innovation, led by the University of Galway. We have engaged a wide range of stakeholders across the EU through workshops and interviews to explore women’s potential contributions to sustainability innovations.

One of our significant achievements is the identification of 200 women-led innovations in agriculture and rural areas across ten European countries: Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, Czechia, Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Romania, and Italy. These innovations have been documented in 200 fact sheets, covering the four sustainability dimensions: environmental, economic, social, and cultural.

 

In addition to these achievements, we have selected 20 ambassadors who will play a crucial role in fostering and advocating for women-led innovations. These ambassadors will be integral to our Community of Practice networking events, which have already begun and will continue until the fourth quarter of 2025.

At the heart of FLIARA’s strategy lies the creation of a dynamic Community of Practice (CoP). This network brings together individuals with a shared passion: supporting and accelerating women-led innovation in rural areas. The CoP features 20 FLIARA Ambassadors, exceptional women innovators chosen from across the project’s case study countries.

Our study reveals that the traditional rural typologies utilised by FLIARA—namely, remote rural areas, rural villages, and rural areas close to cities—do not always align perfectly with the realities on the ground. Instead, the specific location of each innovation plays a crucial role in its dissemination and adaptation. The distinctive resources, challenges, and needs of different rural areas significantly influence how innovations are implemented and developed.

Empowering women to lead sustainability innovations is a powerful lever for change. FLIARA’s foresight and trend analysis provide a roadmap for harnessing this potential, ensuring a sustainable and equitable future for rural communities. Through collaborative efforts and targeted measures, we can unlock the full potential of women-led innovation in farming and rural areas.

The future of rural sustainability hinges on innovative approaches and the active involvement of all stakeholders, particularly women. The FLIARA consortium has embarked on an extensive foresight research mission to uncover new roles for women in addressing rural sustainability problems. Through a comprehensive process involving stakeholders across nine rural regions in nine countries, FLIARA aims to chart a course towards a more sustainable and inclusive rural future.

The insights from FLIARA's foresight and trend analysis complement the policy-focused initiatives by highlighting the specific sustainability challenges and innovative solutions women can lead in rural areas. These findings underscore the importance of crafting supportive policies that not only address these challenges but also empower women to drive sustainable change, reinforcing the interconnectedness of effective policy and proactive innovation.

Women-led innovation in farming and rural areas is key for sustainable development and social equity. Recognising this, the FLIARA project is committed to fostering policies that support and enhance the role of women innovators in these sectors. Through comprehensive research and analysis, FLIARA aims to create more effective policies that bolster women-led innovation, ensuring a sustainable and inclusive future for farming and rural communities. 

While the project's evaluates existing policies to pave the way for a more equitable rural landscape. FLIARA's innovative approach centres on building a dynamic Community of Practice (CoP) featuring inspiring women leaders and through a high-impact visibility campaign, these FLIARA Ambassadors will champion women-led advancements and inspire a new generation of rural innovators.

Thursday 30th May 2024 marked the launch of the FLIARA Community of Practice (CoP), an initiative designed to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture and rural areas across Europe. Representatives from the project’s partners spanning ten EU countries, along with successful innovators and ambassadors, convened online on May 30th for an engaging and collaborative introduction.

EU CAP Network workshop: Women-led innovations in agriculture and rural areas

The FLIARA Project was featured at the EU CAP Network workshop on "Women-led innovations in agriculture and rural areas" held in Krakow, Poland from April 17th to 18th, 2024. Project Manager Louise Weir presented the project during the "Spiral of Innovation" session, where she shared experiences alongside six other inspiring initiatives. This exchange fostered valuable knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities.

FLIARA Project Workshop: Women in Rural Innovation

On February 20th, 2024, a workshop was organised in Kainuu, Finland as part of Work Package 2 to explore the potential and barriers for women's engagement in rural innovations. Experts from diverse backgrounds, including businesses, local action organisations, educational institutions, and community people, gathered to examine this issue from a perspective of sustainability. The exercise was reproduced in FLIARA's ten partner countries.

In a landmark development, the European Union officially launched the Rural Toolkit on February 6, 2024. This dynamic guide is specifically curated for local authorities, institutions, stakeholders, businesses, and individuals, providing an invaluable resource on EU funding and support opportunities dedicated to fostering rural development within the European Union.

The FLIARA project has cast a spotlight on 200 female-led farm and rural innovations sweeping across Europe. The project aims to shed light on the contributions of pioneering women who have been instrumental in these fields.

The FLIARA Project has actively engaged in key events, fostering connections with passionate individuals and women leading innovative efforts in rural areas and agriculture. We've also presented the project's goals and progress. Read our stories below.

Innovative DEW Project Presented at FLIARA Link Meeting Marks Success in Empowering Female Entrepreneurs

During the FLIARA January Link Meeting of 2024, the DEW project took centre stage as Tara Farrell from Longford Women’s Link, a proud partner of the FLIARA project, presented the achievements of DEW, which officially concluded last year.

ECOLISE Communities for Future Online Session: Women’s leadership in regenerative intentional communitie

Social regeneration is one of the most challenging aspects for community led initiatives (CLIs). One of the main provocations is to deconstruct patriarchal patterns and redefine gender relations and roles in a way which is just and regenerative.

BIOFACH & VIVANESS 2024 Highlights the Role of Women in Organic Farming Innovation

The event has brought together a diverse array of exhibitors and visitors from the organic sector, showcasing regional, national, and international stakeholders.

FLIARA Project Empowers Women’s Innovations in Agriculture at EU CAP Network Workshop

The FLIARA Project made a significant impact at the EU CAP Network workshop titled ‘Women-led Innovations in Agriculture and Rural Areas,’ held from Wednesday, April 17, to Thursday, April 18, 2024. 

FLIARA Project Presented at International Seminar on Migration and Agriculture in Italy

Silvia Sivini and Irene Leonardelli, colleagues and partners on the FLIARA Project, presented the project's goals and initial findings from an Italian farming case study at the VII AGROMIG International Seminar "Migrations, Agrifood and Rural Change" on May 23-24, 2024.

Mary Robinson Climate Conference 2024: Highlighting Sustainability and Innovation in Agriculture

The Mary Robinson Climate Conference 2024, held from June 5-7 in Ballina, Co. Mayo, Ireland, marked a significant convergence of experts, policymakers, activists, communities, and innovators.

The European Commission has formally adopted its comprehensive report detailing the progress and achievements made in implementing the EU’s long-term vision for rural areas. This significant milestone, marked on March 27, 2024, underscores the EU’s commitment to fostering sustainable development and prosperity in rural communities.

Innovation knows no bounds, yet for rural women pioneering change in agriculture, there are still barriers to overcome. The FLIARA Project stands at the forefront of this challenge, aiming to amplify the voices and impact of women-led innovations in farming and rural areas. However, progress is frequently hampered by entrenched hurdles in the political, sociological, economic, technological, and socio-cultural domains.

Join us for the live stream of one of the panel sessions the FLIARA Community of Practice event in Galway on July 1st at 18:00 h (CEST). This event will bring together rural and agricultural women innovators, policymakers, and more to discuss innovative practices, celebrate women's contributions to achieving EU environmental and inclusion goals, and shape policy proposals to support these efforts. Don't miss this opportunity to learn, connect, and be inspired!

Innovación femenina en la agricultura y las zonas rurales

Entrevista a Michelle Perello, CEO en Consulta Europa, partner del proyecto FLIARA (Que en español significa: Innovación femenina en la agricultura y las zonas rurales), una iniciativa europea dirigida a mujeres en la búsqueda de futuros rurales sostenibles que se ajusten a las políticas de la UE.

Celebrating Women in Agriculture: EU-FarmBook 

The EU-FarmBook platform can support projects like FLIARA by providing a centralized space for women-led innovations to be displayed and disseminated, says Maura Farrell. In spotlighting and disseminating the innovation led by women, EU-FarmBook can amplify the visibility of women in agriculture and rural areas and celebrate the work they are doing and encourage others to do likewise.

Inovația Condusă de Femei în Agricultură și în Zonele Rurale

Proiectul FLIARA – Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas (Inovația Condusă de Femei în Agricultură și în Zonele Rurale) este un proiect de acțiune de cercetare și inovare, finanțat de Comisia Europeană pe o durată de 3 ani în cadrul programului Orizont Europa. Rolul femeilor în agricultură a fost mult timp ignorat, iar contribuțiile lor la comunitățile rurale subevaluate.

In our previous newsletters, we introduced you to some of our dedicated partners, including the This time, we are excited to present some other members of our incredible team. Each partner brings unique expertise and perspectives, contributing significantly to our mission of supporting women-led innovative practices in farming and rural areas. Stay tuned to learn more about the people and institutions driving the FLIARA project forward.

TU Delft, established in 1842, is the Netherlands' oldest and largest public technical university, with over 26,000 students and eight faculties.

The Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment contributes to FLIARA, with key researchers including Professor Willem Korthals Altes and Gerdy Verschuuure-Stuip.

Founded in 1919, the University of Ljubljana is Slovenia’s largest university, hosting over 40,000 students and 6,000 staff across 23 faculties and three art academies.

The university contributes expertise in geography, agriculture, planning, psychology, and rural development, and hosts a Community of Practice Networking event.

The University of Oulu, established in 1958, is a leading Finnish research university with over 14,200 students and 3,800 staff across eight faculties.

The university provides expertise in geography and anthropology, playing a significant role in all FLIARA work packages (WP1-WP7).

Mendel University in Brno, founded in 1919 and named after Gregor Mendel, offers over 100 graduate programs and is located in the Czech Republic’s second-largest city.

MENDELU contributes its expertise in agriculture and sustainability to all seven work packages of the FLIARA project.

Jönköping University 

Jönköping University in Sweden is known for its international environment, entrepreneurial spirit, and close community collaboration.

The School of Education and Communication focuses on sustainability, digitalization, and inclusion, contributing to Work Packages 1-7 with expertise in gender finance and entrepreneurship.

As we move forward, the FLIARA project will focus on several key activities. First, we will conduct a comparative analysis at the country level to identify the issues faced by women innovators and pathways to realise women-led innovations in both farming and rural areas. This comparative analysis will be based on the outcomes of the 20 case studies we have developed, providing a robust foundation for understanding diverse challenges and opportunities across different European contexts.

 

Additionally, we will continue to engage in our Community of Practice Networking Events, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among stakeholders. A key output from this engagement will be the development of practice abstracts, which will synthesise the insights from our case studies and comparative analysis. These abstracts will highlight best practices and innovative approaches that can be replicated and adapted in other regions.

Another significant step will be the development of the FLIARA Toolkit, which will be housed on our project website. This toolkit will include a series of training and knowledge-related tools such as innovation fact sheets, podcasts, video blogs, and a gender-specific guide to innovation. These resources will support and inspire others wishing to participate in similar innovative practices in farming and rural areas.

 

Lastly, we will focus on benchmarking the initial reports. This involves devising a strategy to engage participants at our Community of Practice Networking events through focus groups and workshops. These sessions will discuss findings and identify key issues to be addressed in policy design and assessment workshops.

By listening to each other and learning together, we can advance the roles of rural women in agriculture and rural areas, and in doing so, we can create a sustainable rural future for everyone.

 

Stay tuned for more updates and insights as we continue our journey towards fostering a gender-inclusive innovation ecosystem in rural Europe. Your support and engagement are crucial to our success.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.