A new report from EIT Food, “How to Empower Women Innovators in Agrifood?” has shed light on the pressing need to close the gender gap in the agrifood sector, offering detailed guidelines for designing female entrepreneurship programs. Covering 15 Central and Eastern European countries, this report delves into the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in agrifood and highlights the success factors that can foster their empowerment.

The findings are particularly relevant to the FLIARA Project, whose project coordinator, Associate Professor Maura Farrell, actively participated in the interviews for this report. FLIARA, focused on fostering women-led innovation in rural areas, shares the goal of creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for female entrepreneurs, aligning perfectly with the EIT Food report’s recommendations.

Key Findings: Closing the Gender Gap

The report highlights several key issues, including:

• Existing Gaps: Women in agrifood face specific challenges in accessing finance, knowledge, and innovation networks, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe.
• Success Factors and Barriers: While many programs aim to empower women in agrifood, structural barriers such as gender bias and lack of tailored support persist.
• Programme Design: The report provides clear guidelines for designing effective support programs, emphasising the need for gender-sensitive policies and integration with Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS).

FLIARA’s Role: Driving Innovation and Gender Equality

In her contribution to the report, Professor Maura Farrell emphasised the vital role women play in agricultural innovation, often being the driving force behind transformative changes on farms. She noted, “Regions that are more innovative tend to have higher levels of gender equality. Women, especially in rural areas, are frequently the entrepreneurs pushing for new, sustainable farming practices.”

This perspective aligns with FLIARA’s mission to empower women in rural areas to take on leadership roles and drive innovation in agrifood. By creating a European-wide rural innovation ecosystem, FLIARA seeks to build on the insights from the EIT Food report and foster the development of women-led initiatives that can contribute to a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable agrifood sector.

Empowering Women: A Path Forward

Both the EIT Food report and FLIARA advocate for a comprehensive approach to female entrepreneurship, calling for enhanced awareness and integration of EU and national funding tools and policies. By placing women at the centre of agrifood innovation, we can unlock the full potential of the sector and accelerate its transition towards sustainability and gender equality.

To learn more about how to support women entrepreneurs in agrifood, download the full EIT Food report here.