A newly released publication by the European Commission, titled Enhancing EU Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKISs): From Knowledge to Impact, features dedicated research on integrating gender dimensions into agricultural advisory, research, and innovation frameworks.
Co-authored by FLIARA partners Maura Farrell, Aisling Murtagh, and Arlene McGrath, Chapter 8: Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) to strengthen the position of women in rural areas and farming sets out the critical role women play in rural innovation, while identifying systemic structural gaps and policy recommendations.
Unlocking Women’s Potential in Rural Innovation
Women across Europe drive diversification, local economic development, and social cohesion in rural communities. However, traditional land ownership patterns, societal expectations, and underrepresentation in decision-making continue to obscure their contributions within formal Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems.
The chapter highlights key challenges limiting women’s full engagement:
- Visibility and Recognition: Unpaid or informal contributions to farm businesses and rural enterprises often go unrecorded in official statistics.
- Access to Resources: Women face persistent barriers to technical training, specialized agri-equipment, and business financing.
- Time Demands: Caregiving and domestic duties disproportionately strain women’s time, limiting their availability to attend educational events or network meetings.
Policy Frameworks and Existing Initiatives
While gender equality is a core tenet of the European Union—embedded within the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5—the primary production sector still shows significant disparities.
Although strategies such as the EU Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas, the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025, and national CAP Strategic Plans (such as targeted TAMS grants in Ireland or non-agricultural investment aid in Germany) aim to bridge these gaps, targeted policy focus on female-led innovation remains limited.
The publication showcases practical models and research projects advancing gender equity, including EU Horizon Europe projects such as FLIARA, SWIFT, and GRASS Ceiling, alongside national initiatives like the LandHeldinnen awards in Germany, TalentA in Italy and Romania, and Copa-Cogeca’s Women’s Innovation Award.
Key Recommendations from the SCAR AKIS Working Group
To ensure AKIS support systems effectively serve women in agriculture and rural enterprise, the authors outline strategic priorities across three main action areas:
- Knowledge Generation and Sharing:
- Establishing dedicated working groups on female-led innovation to synthesise existing research and best practices into actionable policy briefs.
- Developing a comprehensive indicator framework and gender indices to measure women’s participation in AKIS over time.
- Co-designing ergonomic, accessible agricultural tools and robotics that account for women’s physical and operational preferences.
- Dissemination, Education, and Training:
- Scheduling local, accessible training sessions (e.g., digital skills or agri-equipment operation) tailored around family care responsibilities.
- Investing in female advisors, innovation brokers, and entrepreneurs through targeted mentoring and funding programmes.
- Awareness, Recognition, and Leadership:
- Promoting equal gender representation in EIP-AGRI Operational Groups and decision-making bodies.
- Encouraging STEM careers and technical agriculture pathways for young women.
- Establishing a Horizon Europe thematic network specifically focused on women in rural innovation and their integration into AKIS networks.
Read the full publication and explore Chapter 8 directly on the EU Publications Office Portal.