Across the diverse landscapes of rural Europe, a quiet revolution is underway, driven by women innovators who are challenging traditional norms and shaping a more sustainable future for their communities. This groundswell of female-led innovation has been brought into sharp focus by the FLIARA (Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) project, a Horizon Europe project that has just concluded a series of four pivotal Community of Practice (CoP) events across the Atlantic, Central and Eastern, Mediterranean, and Nordic Baltic Regions of Europe.
The FLIARA project’s mission is clear: to build a European-wide rural innovation ecosystem that actively supports and champions the often-overlooked contributions of women in agriculture and rural areas. The recent CoP events have served as vital platforms, not just for networking and knowledge exchange, but for directly influencing policy and making the invisible contributions of rural women visible.
From Galway to Växjö: A Journey of Empowerment
The journey began in Galway, Ireland, in July 2024, where the inaugural CoP event gathered over 80 passionate individuals. Here, the first six of the project’s twenty FLIARA Ambassadors were introduced – a group of inspiring women showcasing innovation in everything from sustainable farming to social agriculture from Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. Ireland’s Former Minister Pippa Hackett joined the event, emphasising the government’s commitment to gender equality in agriculture, a sentiment echoed by Equality Coordinator for the Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development of the European Commission, Margaret Bateson-Missen, who highlighted efforts to bridge gender gaps across the continent.
Just almost three months later, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, the second CoP event delved deeper into the practical realities of women-led innovation. Seven more ambassadors from Slovenia, Romania, Italy, and Czechia shared their journeys, highlighting the triumphs and tribulations of transforming rural areas. A particular highlight was the “Field Day of Innovation”, where participants visited women-led ventures, including a microgreens farm and a community project connecting international volunteers with local needs. As Dr Barbara Lampič of the University of Ljubljana noted, seeing these innovators in their own environment offers a “deeper understanding of the multifaceted roles these women play in their communities”.
The focus shifted to Rende, Italy, in January 2025, for the third CoP event. Over 70 participants explored policy gaps and opportunities within the Italian context, with a keen eye on how research can inform better support systems for female-led innovation. Six ambassadors, including those from Italy, Slovenia, Ireland, Spain, and Sweden, once again shared their “transformative projects”, illustrating the diverse yet connected realities of female-led innovation across Europe. The event also featured a visit to Serragiumenta, an agricultural estate blending organic production, sustainability, and agritourism – a powerful example of how tradition and innovation can coexist.
The series culminated in Växjö, Sweden, in May 2025, where the fourth CoP event directly addressed the critical need to translate FLIARA’s findings into tangible policy change. Presentations revealed a significant gap: despite gender-related objectives, current Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) strategic plans often lack a strong focus on supporting women-led innovation. Proposed policy changes include improving access to finance, challenging gender stereotypes, enhancing networking and training, and crucially, improving gender data collection.
EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall underscored the “transformative potential of female-led innovation” while highlighting the structural barriers women face. Perhaps most tellingly, Swedish academic Helene Ahl presented the “Latte Dad” phenomenon, illustrating how decades of progressive parental leave policies have allowed Swedish women in the FLIARA project to report fewer work-life balance concerns compared to their European counterparts. This, Ahl argued, demonstrates the profound impact of legislative “nudging” in shifting gender roles.
Beyond the Statistics: Inspiring Stories and a Call to Action
But beyond the policy discussions and research findings, the heart of the FLIARA project lies in the stories of its ambassadors. From Malin Axelsson running an eco-tourism property in Sweden to Linda Kelly establishing a diverse organic farm in Germany, these women embody resilience, creativity, and a deep commitment to their communities.
As Maura Farrell, FLIARA Project Coordinator, passionately articulated, the project aims to “ensure that women had a really responsive ecosystem built around them to promote them, to make them visible, to protect them, and to create policies to make sure that those women were supported as much as they possibly could.” The workshops at each event have been instrumental in this, fostering a sense of belonging and empowering participants to co-create policy proposals.
The FLIARA project’s journey, marked by these four vibrant CoP events, is a testament to the power of collaboration and the urgent need for gender-responsive policies. As the project looks towards its final conference in Brussels on October 17, 2025, the momentum for change is palpable. This significant event will present key findings from over 200 case studies, highlight tested policy frameworks, and showcase practical tools developed to empower women innovators. Policymakers at all levels are invited to engage with these results, with dedicated sessions to refine policy recommendations and integrate them into broader EU strategies. The FLIARA Final Conference aims to inspire action, inform future policy directions, and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable rural Europe.