FLIARA Ambassador Archives

From Discarded Nets to New Futures: The Story of Sarah Khoudja and CuCilento

In the sun-soaked hills of southern Italy, among olive groves and the scent of the sea, French-born innovator Sarah Khoudja has built a quiet revolution. Three years ago, after leaving behind a demanding career in Brussels as a project manager, Sarah chose a slower, more purposeful life. The result was CuCilento, a workshop where discarded […]

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Anja Frey: Redefining Calf Rearing Through Innovation and Persistence

When Anja Frey speaks about her work, her voice carries a mix of determination and warmth. A farmer, value chain manager, and passionate advocate for animal welfare, she has spent more than two decades reshaping the way calves are raised on dairy farms. Today, she leads a pioneering effort in southern Germany that combines sustainable

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Cultivating Change: How Alžbeta Nagyová is Redefining Green Farming in Czechia

In the shadow of the Ostrava-Karviná coal mine basin, where heavy industry once defined the rhythm of life, a different kind of transformation is quietly taking root. On 11 hectares of gleaming high-tech greenhouses in Dolní Lutyně, Bezdínek Ltd. is growing not only tomatoes, cucumbers, and honey but also a new vision for sustainable living

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Rooted in the Forest: The Innovation Journey of Rita Porkka

In the quiet expanse of Northern Ostrobothnia in Finland, where birch forests whisper with the wind and rivers carve ancient paths, Rita Porkka has built more than a business—she has created a movement. As the CEO and founder of Naturest Ltd, Rita has turned her lifelong love of nature into a force for education, well-being,

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Annette Harberink: “Innovation Grows Where Values Take Root”

It was during the FLIARA Community of Practice event in Ireland—buzzing with conversation, collaboration, and shared ideals—that we had the chance to sit down with Annette Harberink, a leading voice in biodynamic agriculture in the Netherlands. In a sea of innovation narratives, hers stands out not just for its vision but for its grit and

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Petra Matos: Planting Seeds of Solidarity in Rural Slovenia

On the rolling green hills of Slovenia’s Primorska region, a modest former military guardhouse has been transformed into something extraordinary: a thriving hub of solidarity, learning, and global cooperation. At its heart is Petra Matos, a geographer whose life mission is as clear as the summer skies that stretch above her community project, Park Istra.

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Rooted in Resistance: The Feminist Farm of Sofia De Matteis

On the slopes of Santa Caterina dello Ionio in Italy, where the Ionian breeze carries stories of ancient rural life, Sofia De Matteis is rewriting the script of innovation—not with machines or silicon chips, but with donkeys, wild artichokes, and a feminist compass. Originally from Sicily, Sofia’s journey took her from the narrow alleys of

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From Lupins to Leadership: The Rural Innovation of Linda Kelly

In the heart of Baden-Württemberg, where fertile fields stretch towards the foothills of the Alps and the breeze carries a hint of Lake Constance’s freshness, an agricultural transformation is quietly taking root. At its centre stands Linda Kelly — organic farmer, innovator, and award-winning entrepreneur — who, alongside her husband and parents, is redefining the

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A Buzz of Change: Natalia Díaz and the Rural Revolution of Ecoalpispa

Nestled in the rugged hills of Icod de los Vinos in northern Tenerife, Spain, a quiet revolution is unfolding—one led not with banners or slogans, but with beeswax and resilience. Natalia Díaz, biologist and ecological beekeeper, is the woman behind Ecoalpispa and La Abejera, two intertwined ventures that are redefining rural innovation, one eco-wrapping at

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Mieke Elzenga: Redefining Rural Innovation through Sustainable Living

In the serene, green landscape of the Netherlands, Mieke Elzenga is quietly revolutionising the way communities interact with land and sustainability. As the founder of LiberTerra, a unique nature reserve and sustainable community, Mieke has become a beacon of innovation in rural development, showcasing how abandoned agricultural spaces can be transformed into thriving centres of

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FLIARA Ambassador