On October 1st, the FLIARA project took centre stage at a lunchtime debate and future policy discussion hosted by the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DG AGRI) of the European Commission. The event provided a platform for FLIARA to showcase how its ongoing research emphasises the essential role that rural and farm women play in driving sustainability, organised by Arianna Pasa, Research Programme Officer of DG AGRI. Moreover, the project highlighted the immense untapped potential of these women, stressing that with the right policy support, they could significantly enhance the future sustainability of rural and farming communities, contributing to gender equality.
Several prominent members of the FLIARA team attended, including Associate Professor Maura Farrell (University of Galway, FLIARA Coordinator), Louise Weir (FLIARA Project Manager), and Dr. Aisling Murtagh (FLIARA Postdoctoral Researcher). Other key participants included Professor Willem Korthals Atles (TU Delft), Professor Tuomas Kuhmonen (University of Turku), and Professor Silvia Sivini (University of Calabria). Ursula Kelly, CEO of Cormac Tagging and FLIARA Ambassador, also joined, providing valuable insights into her innovation journey.
The debate was attended by a broad spectrum of DG AGRI staff as well as representatives from other DG units, highlighting the topic’s importance. Kerstin Rosenow, Head of Unit for Research and Innovation at DG AGRI, and Margaret Bateson-Missen, Acting Director of Directorate B—Sustainability, and Equality Coordinator, opened the event. Arianna Pasa moderated the entire session. They outlined how current Horizon Europe and Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) frameworks support women in agriculture and rural areas, advancing gender equality.
During the session, Associate Professor Maura Farrell provided an overview of FLIARA’s progress, which is just over halfway through its duration. She highlighted key milestones, including the engagement of 20 FLIARA Ambassadors and two successful Community of Practice events.
Professor Tuomas Kuhmonen presented findings from FLIARA’s Foresight and Trend Analysis, conducted in nine EU countries, identifying future sustainability innovations and the challenges and opportunities for women’s contributions. This was followed by Professor Silvia Sivini, who shared insights from 200 interviews with women innovators across ten EU countries, outlining the impacts of their initiatives and the barriers they face.
Concluding the presentations, Associate Professor Maura Farrell synthesised the project’s current findings into provisional policy proposals. These proposals emphasised the need for enhanced, tailored innovation support, overcoming gender-related barriers, and providing more targeted financial resources. FLIARA Ambassador Ursula Kelly capped off the discussion with an inspiring account of her entrepreneurial journey in rural Ireland.
Following the debate, FLIARA team members met with DG AGRI staff to discuss policy gaps and potential mechanisms to better support women-led innovation in rural areas and farming. The discussion also touched on future CAP strategies and highlighted emerging research gaps and unexpected findings from the project.
Orsolya Frizon Somogyi, Deputy Head of Unit for Research and Innovation, DG AGRI, concluded the session. The event marked a significant milestone in fostering dialogue between FLIARA and the European Commission, as the project team looks forward to shaping future policy to support women-led rural and farm innovations.