LEADER projects inspire rural Europe

Successful projects presented at the Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards (ARIA) 2025 show once again how LEADER helps support social innovation in many areas.

LEADER already showcased its inspirational value at ARIA 2024 and last year's edition confirmed its role in supporting a wide range of initiatives that help empower and advance rural areas. LEADER was represented across three of the four categories of the 2025 competition: smart and competitive agriculture, generational renewal and socioeconomic fabric of rural areas.

Overall, eight out of 24 CAP-funded projects shortlisted for ARIA 2025 were funded via LEADER. Two of them won awards and two were highly commended by the Jury. The eight projects were implemented in seven countries: Austria (two projects), Belgium, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Romania and Spain.

Did we make you curious enough? Read on to discover these inspiring LEADER projects!

LEADER and social inclusion

Five out of six projects shortlisted in the category Socio-economic fabric of rural areas were funded by LEADER and two of these feature among the prize winners of the competition, confirming the method's unique contribution to the theme of ARIA 2025, ‘shaping tomorrow together’.

Mutur Beltz (Spain) was awarded the winning project in this category. The project recovers the wool of the Carranzana sheep, a native Basque breed at risk of extinction - usually considered a worthless waste product and often burned - and transforms it into new arts and design objects. The project restored the dignity of the wool and revitalised the rural economy of the Karrantza village, combining farming, culture and community engagement.

"We're not just that old-fashioned, bucolic postcard image of something lost, but rather a place of future innovation, where innovation is rooted in tradition," said Laurita Siles, the project leader, in a video interview just after receiving the Award. 2(...) at the local level, I think we've also worked a bit on pride," her partner, Joseba Edesa, continues. "For many years, rural communities have been caricatured by the urban world, laughed at our culture, our way of life, our way of being. And I think all this work has been important to stand up for it and to say with pride that we are just one more."

Changing Roles (Austria), which was shortlisted in the socioeconomic fabric of rural areas category, went on to receive the special gender equality award. The initiative brought alternative gender roles to the fore, inviting people to consider the potential of gender equality through activities like workshops, events and podcasts. The project was developed by expert organisations specialised in gender and family issues, supported by the Local Action Group (LAG) Regionalentwicklung Vorarlberg and was led by women. The project reached a broad local audience and eventually contributed to the design of the LAG's 2023-27 strategy.

"The initial idea was the struggle of these specialised organisations to come into the rural areas, to the rural municipalities, and we, as the Local Action Group Regio-V, have the connections; we know the people, we have a network," explains Cecilia Baurenhas from LAG Regio-V. "The idea was, if we work together, then we can make this happen. The key takeaway was that working together, you can achieve way more."

The ARIA Gender equality award was created to specifically recognise projects led by women, as well as projects that have a concrete positive impact on women in rural communities. By asking National Networks (and project promoters) if they consider the submitted projects to be eligible for this special recognition, the ARIA Gender equality award also encourages networks and stakeholders to think about the gender dimension of the projects, even when this was not an explicit objective. On the other hand, this reflection process shows that gender equality can be embedded in any CAP-funded project and should ideally be considered at the outset.

An Austrian project already won the Gender equality award in 2024 – FRAU iDA – Space for women entrepreneurs, again funded via LEADER. Austria is clearly taking this topic very seriously!

Three other LEADER projects catering for the needs of vulnerable people in rural communities and showing how inclusion is better for everyone – not just the ‘target groups’ or the ‘end users’, but also their families and the community at large were among the finalists. JOIN US (Greece) established a support, education and counselling company for people with disabilities, vulnerable groups, and special education professionals. In Romania, the Covurlui day centre established and equipped a day centre where children can engage in recreational activities, while in Hungary, Connecting civil harbour – youth for rural renewal is fostering community participation among young people through water-based activities.

LEADER contributes to smarter and more competitive agriculture

Two finalists in the ARIA category of smart and competitive agriculture show how, when LEADER supports ‘purely’ agricultural activities, it does it with a special ‘flavour'.

‘Bodenkoffer’ soil kit quality assessment box with app (Austria) enables farmers to analyse their arable soils and green spaces, helping them manage natural resources and cultural heritage while supporting small-scale farming. The kit is so successful that it is now being used in other countries, including in Latin America. Farmers appreciate this innovative yet simple tool that enables them to ‘just get a feel for how the soil is doing', and the project stands at the intersection of agriculture, environmental protection, skills development, and networking – with women playing a key role at different stages.

The project was born through the collaboration of different stakeholders in its LEADER region, including farmers, environmental organisations and farming associations. Its adoption illustrates very well the role that LEADER can play in fostering networking across a diversity of local actors, and in transferring practices from one area to another.

The Jokubaičiai family farm (Lithuania) used LEADER to start processing their own organic milk and to develop a new range of milk-based products, such as high-protein yoghurt and freeze-dried yoghurt snacks, based on a thorough market assessment and sound medical research. The two women leading the project – a farmer and her daughter, a doctor – have designed their innovative (and tasty) products with in mind not just the business opportunity but also health needs and educational opportunities. The farm has become a centre of local innovation and social dissemination, where science, community and entrepreneurship come together.

This project shows LEADER's role in funding projects that go beyond a simple productive investment: here the farm owner managed to combine innovation, environmental protection, social responsibility and education, to the benefit of the whole area where the farm is located.

You can learn more about each project on the respective web page or on the ARIA 2025 Projects Brochure. And if we did not spoil the surprise too much, you can still watch the recording of the closing ARIA Ceremony on the event page.