Specialised advisory services can play a role in addressing the unique challenges faced by women in agriculture and rural entrepreneurship. Examples from FLIARA point to:

Access to specialised advisors: Ensure access to specialised regional advisors that are trained and equipped to support women, who are well familiar with specific challenges and opportunities faced by women in agriculture and entrepreneurship in rural areas. Such advisory support can be provided within the public agricultural advisory service; regional business incubators may play a complementary role by offering support for women-led rural enterprises and start-ups. This also requires that advisory support for women on farms and in rural entrepreneurship is recognised and included as a standalone thematic area within the broader framework of public agricultural and rural entrepreneurship advisory services, ensuring that gender-specific needs are addressed systematically and consistently across regions. 

Existing model: Farm advisory services in Slovenia are provided by the Chamber of Agriculture and Forestry which operates at three levels: national, regional, and local Advisory service is organised in five topics: 1) advisory support for successors and retiring farmers, 2) farm economic efficiency consulting, 3) legal assistance, 4) psychosocial support and 5) social security for farmers and family members. Each regional advisory centre employs specialised advisors for young farmers. Many rural women realise their entrepreneurial ideas through these activities, as they are more accessible than starting an independent business, especially in terms of legal, tax, and administrative requirements.

• Agricultural consulting

Benchmarking can be a comprehensive policy assessment exercise. FLIARA has focused on defining benchmarks that advance gender equality and foster innovation within rural areas and farming. However, for stakeholders seeking to influence policy, benchmarking principles can also be used as a broader tool. For example: 

Find the leading lights and use a lever to raise awareness: In essence benchmarking seeks to compare policies, identify where the leading lights are and use this information to improve policy in other contexts. Pointing to these benchmarks can provide concrete, practical, engaging ideas for policy changes. 

A specific policy change that could make a big difference: Good practices and leaders in achieving greater gender equality from other countries and contexts can be held up as benchmarks and desired targets for others to achieve. For example, the family policies of countries such as Sweden are potential benchmarks for others. 

Identify key indicators to compare and track a policy issue through time: Statistics can also provide powerful hooks that act to raise awareness of gender equality issues in rural areas and farming. For example, what is the percentage of young female farmholders in your country and how is this changing through time? Is there a country that exceeds others, has greater gender equality and do we look to them as the benchmark in the short-term or longer term? 

Finding a range of leading lights, pushing for a specific policy change or tracking issues using key statistical indicators are some of the broad ideas underpinning benchmarking that can be useful policy influencing tools. 

• Policy Benchmarking in FLIARA
• FLIARA D1.5: Initial Guidelines for Policy Benchmarking
• FLIARA D4.3: Benchmarking Initial Report (forthcoming)

Through interviews, the FLIARA project found that training has been a challenge for Italian women innovators. Most of them had difficulty in finding appropriate courses, which in most cases were offered by non-governmental organisations, associations, informal groups and networks and they have to self-finance these courses. Some Italian women innovators attend business start-up courses such as EWA (Empowering woman in Agrifood) to acquire basic skills for running a business. Training for women innovating in farming and rural areas is key to furthering success and opportunity.

Best practices include: 

• Warmonderhof (Netherlands): a small-scale vocational school training on biodynamic and sustainable agriculture. The school provides training, education, teaching facilities, internships, and practical testing.
• The Business Incubator created at the Polytechnic Secondary School of Technology in Kyjov (Czechia). The purpose is to keep high school graduates in the region through the development of the local business environment utilising start-ups, a co-working centre, the involvement of companies from the region and the Chamber of Commerce. The school also focuses on adult education.
• The Irish CAP Strategic Plan provides for female focused knowledge transfer groups for women to influence peer-to-peer learning while addressing shared challenges and gender balance. In Spain, the Rural Women’s Advancement Program supports women through training, mentoring and finance, also including a focus on entrepreneurship and innovation.

• EWA | Empowering Women in Agrifood
• What role will you be playing in the agriculture of the future?

Rural and farm women entrepreneurs play a vital role in marketing their innovations, helping to add value, reach wider markets, and increase household and farm income. Their active participation in marketing empowers them economically and strengthens local food systems and rural economies. Insights from the FLIARA project's Visibility Campaign highlight the importance of marketing and reveals how some rural women innovators use a highly strategic approach to marketing. 

Robust online presence—including professional websites, active social media, and sophisticated e-commerce platforms with clear marketing funnels—demonstrates deep involvement in brand development and targeted promotion. These women effectively manage online and offline strategies to engage audiences, build a compelling public presence, and drive direct sales.

A key focus on demonstrating the tangible economic and social impact of their products or services. While recognition of women's leadership is central, their entrepreneurial drive emphasises bringing offerings to market and making a measurable difference. This reflects best practices where commercial outcomes are paramount; however, their marketing and sales skills, though effective, often operate without explicit highlighting of the individual talent behind them, allowing the product's or service's value to take precedence.

Engage direct market connection. FLIARA found that rural women entrepreneurs cultivate strong client relationships and an intuitive market understanding via networking and public engagement. This experience highlights a critical, unmet need: while marketing and sales training are valuable, businesses primarily need strategic financial investment. 

• FLIARA Webinar: Funding for Rural Women Innovators
• Innovator Profile: Ursula Kelly
• Innovator Profile: Saša Kržič
• Innovator Profile: Sarah Khoudja

Women’s active participation in political debates and decision-making is crucial for addressing the unique challenges faced in rural and agricultural settings. FLIARA innovators from Germany demonstrate a strong commitment to improving sectoral conditions, often with a particular emphasis on rural women’s rights and gender equality. Recognising the political relevance of their innovations, several innovators became actively engaged in political processes, acquiring skills in advocacy and policy engagement. 

Inspiring Examples

• A self-employed carpenter campaigned at the federal level for statutory maternity leave for the self-employed, building an alliance of sectoral professional groups.
• A dairy farmer formed a producer’s association on cow-bound calf-rearing and contributed legislative input at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture.
• One innovator invited local decision-makers from different political parties to her project, while another engaged the mayor for a promotional video.
• As part of the German rural women’s network, one policy officer led a successful program supporting women in rural areas to enter local politics.
• Another organic farmer leveraged her broad social media network to connect government and citizens on agricultural policy. 

Practical Recommendations

• Identify relevant local and regional stakeholders for your innovation.
• Seek training and coaching on political education and advocacy through NGOs, political foundations, or government agencies.
• Connect with civil society organisations active in your area of interest or form new alliances with like-minded individuals.

• D1.5: Initial Guidelines for Policy Benchmarking
• FLIARA Deliverables

The FLIARA project's Visibility Campaign highlights the need for sustained promotion of rural women innovators across online and offline activities. While events create peaks, consistent, diverse communication drives real change. Continuous impact reinforcement is crucial for lasting recognition, moving beyond single exposures.

A clear, compelling narrative is vital for effective visibility. Defining rural women's realities, challenges, and contributions reflects their impact, elevating their community role. FLIARA's objective—to spotlight women-led innovations and build a responsive European ecosystem—shows how precise narratives boost understanding and outreach. Engagements with FLIARA target groups underscore that gender equality is key for resilient rural communities. Discussions highlighted breaking systemic barriers, promoting gender-responsive policies, and empowering women as innovation drivers. Showcasing achievements via media and events shifts rural women entrepreneurs from "exceptions" to the norm. Integrating women into broader networks and highlighting accomplishments first (not gender) prevents marginalisation.

Diversify media for continuous promotion. The broader innovation system can foster clear narratives by incorporating women innovators into existing campaigns, leveraging networks for local engagement. Translating insights into practical support requires ongoing collaboration among policymakers, industry, and grassroots innovators. This creates inclusive ecosystems that fund, support, and recognise them as innovation architects, promoting mentorship and integration into broader sectoral networks for full participation and leadership.

• FLIARA Webinar: Gender Equality & Rural Innovation
• FLIARA Ambassadors: Connecting Innovators
• FLIARA: 4th Community of Practice Conclusion

Finland's farmer relief system, regulated under statue 20.12.1996/1231, is designed to support agricultural entrepreneurs by providing substitute services during vacations, illness, or other periods of incapacity. This system ensures that farmers can maintain their operations without interruption, promoting their social security and work motivation. 

Responsive measures: The relief service includes assigning substitute workers or compensating farmers for the costs of self-arranged substitutes. The approach not only enhances farmer well-being but also contributes to local employment and farm safety. 

Support work-life balance: A farmer relief service is especially important for pregnant farmers and for those with small children. As many farmers are self-employed, social security provisions that are meant for workers, such as Sweden's system for parental leave and for caring for sick children, do not apply as these systems are built on the supposition that parents can take time off from work, which is not always the case for farmers, as the processes in the farm will go on. The solution for many farming parents is to bring their children along while working on the farm. However, having children in agricultural work involves a major safety risk that many farmers are concerned about.

• Farmers' holiday and stand-in scheme

The FLIARA Community of Practice (CoP) is a European platform designed to connect women innovators in agriculture and rural areas with policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders. 

Spaces for connection: Four macro-regional CoP in-person networking events were held, alongside online events and the opening of a LinkedIn CoP. Twenty women from FLIARA case studies were chosen as Innovation Ambassadors and were central to the CoP. Emerging from CoP activities, some members established their own informal WhatsApp group. This reflects the value participants place on networking and extends the legacy of the FLIARA CoP. 

Co-creation activities: The events involved diverse actors in sustainable rural innovation through workshops, field visits, and structured policy dialogues. Members provided key input into future rural and farm policy through foresight analysis and policy benchmarking. Engagement in the CoP demonstrated the importance of peer-to-peer exchange and its role in building capacity to sustain and scale sustainable innovations.

Participation: To support participation at FLIARA CoP events a Buddy System was established. Each Ambassador was matched to a native speaker with proficiency in English that could support their engagement. FLIARA findings and feedback forms were used to keep topics relevant and to identify needs from the community.

Recognition and influence: The CoP builds on the strength of social networks and the FLIARA Campaign of Visibility, ensuring that women innovators gain recognition as central actors in shaping sustainable rural futures. The diversity of members of the FLIARA CoP ensured that topics from the women were brought to the attention of and discussed alongside policy makers and key agencies.

• FLIARA CoP Strategic Action Plan
• European Commission. The communities of practice playbook – A playbook to colle…
• Funding Matters: FLIARA Webinar Addresses Gaps and Opportunities for Women Inno…

FLIARA evidence shows the current and future potential of women-led innovation in farming. Better inclusion of women in Agricultural Knowledge Innovation Systems (AKIS) can help build on the untapped potential. 

Increase awareness among women of what AKIS offers: Many women interviewed for FLIARA case studies were not familiar with AKIS. It should be more visible to women, particularly, training programmes, access to networks and knowledge transfer, all of which can be a huge advantage to women innovators. Gender balance within AKIS actors: A well-functioning AKIS should have gender balance among the actors involved. Women are under-represented in farming, meaning there is also a knock-on gender imbalance in the AKIS. Other areas include better representation of women in AKIS governance spaces as well as wider AKIS actors.

More network-based knowledge flows: FLIARA evidence shows that networks are part of women innovator’s strengths and are key to how they gain necessary knowledge to support their innovation. Creating more types of network-based knowledge exchange spaces appears important, such as peer-to-peer learning, mentoring, practice-based learning and wider support networks. 

Recognise distinct needs, but do not create silos: Women in farming can have specific knowledge needs, such as for technical training (e.g. new technology, digital applications, robotics, and farm safety). How AKIS operates should also match the work-life demands facing women, such as balancing caring and farm responsibilities. This calls for flexibility and a bottom-up approach to how, for example, advisory services are delivered. Women -only-groups, such as for knowledge transfer, can play an important role, but must not create silos in the AKIS.

• FLIARA Highlights Women-Led Innovation with ModernAKIS
• AKIS In Action: Strengthening AKIS Through Women-led Innovation

The FLIARA project’s CoP brings together women rural innovators from across Europe. Feedback from participants of in-person events underscore the value of exchange and networking activities offered. For optimal inclusion, FLIARA also offers a CoP LinkedIn space and regular online events and webinars to cater to women’s schedules.

Call for action: A Thünen Institute study shows in Germany the lack of networks is a hindrance to women-led start-ups in rural areas. It also finds women would like more exchange with other women when founding agri-businesses. A Gender Solution study finds women in agri-food feel most empowered, secure and heard in entrepreneurial support formats tailored to them.

Inspiring examples: In Germany the following initiatives currently facilitate women networking in relation to agriculture: 

• The German Farmers' Association (DBV) via the ‘Kompass-program’ offers opportunities to build networks through events and parliamentary meetings
• The German Agricultural Association (DLG) runs the Female Agri Fellows network, connecting women leaders in agri-business.
• The Rural Women’s Association (DLV) federal and regional chapters organise events to highlight women in agriculture.
• The Organic Women Network (BioFrauenNetzwerk) fosters collaboration and visibility of women across the organic farm sector.

• Kompass - Das Mentoring-Programm für Frauen in der Landwirtschaft
• Female Agri Fellows

Digitalisation has transformative potential for farming and rural development, particularly when it supports women-led innovation. Key lessons include the critical importance of broadband access, tailored digital training, and technology design that considers women's needs. Despite barriers like poor connectivity, traditional gender roles, and lack of targeted training, many rural women successfully adopted digital tools for farming and business through self-learning and peer networks, proving the power of accessible, practical tech solutions.

Practical Steps for Women Innovators: Women innovators in rural areas should seek support through funding programmes like LEADER or CAP for digital tools, infrastructure, or AI training. Participating in business or farm women’s networks, accessing online learning, and using social media and apps for sales and outreach are also key. Affordable access to smartphones, laptops, and AI tools can unlock new opportunities, while peer mentoring and case study sharing can encourage broader adoption.

Building Inclusive Digital Futures in Rural Communities: Policy should ensure rural broadband equity, fund women-specific digital literacy and AI training, and incentivise gender-inclusive tech design. Local communities can spotlight female innovators to challenge stereotypes. Policymakers must embed digital inclusion into rural agendas, support tailored training, and promote AI access to empower women and ensure sustainable rural development.

• D3.2 Inventory of Female-led Innovations Report
• D.3.3: Women-led Innovations in Agriculture and Rural Areas, Lessons Learned Re…

As part of WP2 of the FLIARA project, organising workshops on rural visions brought together different Slovenian stakeholders and actors in rural areas close to the town/city. In identifying the representative participants, we theoretically linked with Halfacree´s model on the three-fold architecture of rural. The co-construction of rural visions included representatives of: 

1. rural practice (local municipalities and regional authorities providing the formal representations of rural)
2. material rurality (people living and working daily in rural areas – farmers, rural entrepreneurs, several key NGO members and others)
3. imaginative form of rurality (mostly representatives from different national rural associations with their own social constructs on rurality)

The represented and accepted rural visions reflected the participants´ contemporary and potential future role in rural localities and rural communities. Our participants and their civic engagement which was reflected in rural visions (e.g. engaged and vibrant rural areas, digital rural areas, the green belt, food-sustained rural areas), produced and reproduced their experience of rurality in various forms, which have implications for rural communities and the diversity of people that reside in them. 

The principal drivers of participants´ proposals were to maintain vibrant rural places and rural communities with the maintenance of key infrastructure (public, social, educational, ICT, green), in terms of keeping community institutions and services viable. They also advocate for the design and planning of environments and services that fit the needs of rural people residing close to the town/city but with a clear focus on the further development of rural amenities.

• How the FLIARA workshop is empowering the local community in Slovenia

The FLIARA project has identified effective measures for promoting women-led innovations. Altogether 577 stakeholders and experts across Europe participated in teasing these out. Successful strategies to add women-led innovations in all types of rural areas include three key topics:

Apply social measures: Looking at the big picture of the measures to address the issue, about 80% of the proposed effective measures were social in character (examples such as good practices, education, equality, empowerment, visibility), and only 20% were ‘traditional’ administrative or economic measures (infrastructure and facilities, finance and subsidies and simplification of bureaucracy).

Invest in networks: Networks are by far the most effective measure to promote women-led innovations in all types of rural areas. All kinds of networks are needed: peer networks, stakeholder networks, client networks, etc. What are most needed are networks for co-creation and co-operation.

Remove obstacles: The single most common obstacle for women-led innovations is lack of demand for novel practices. Co-creation of progressive visions for the future and setting incentives for researching these visions creates demand for novel products, services, practices and organisations.

• D2.4 Women's Potential Contributions to Sustainability Innovations

Through a multi-actor consortium FLIARA has developed a deeper understanding of key issues and combined knowledge from science and practice to produce proposals that will contribute to and speed up the acceptability and uptake of new ideas, approaches and solutions developed in the project.  

Build a Multi-Actor Consortium: Identify partners with expertise in core topics and ensure diversity of perspectives and skills. Consider the reach and stakeholder connections of each partner. FLIARA has a transdisciplinary consortium, roles for 20 Female Ambassadors, and established a diverse Stakeholder Advisory Board.

Embed Participation in Design: To maximise value, dedicate activities and spaces for meaningful collaboration. FLIARA held activities at local, national, and international levels—from co-creation of reports to futures workshops and policy discussions with practice and academic partners at CoP events, the European Parliament, and academic conferences.

Engagement and Tailored Outputs: Stakeholder mapping and targeted communication and dissemination ensured a wide diversity of participants and maintained interest. Tailored messaging and outputs was integral to this process. FLIARA developed a website, social media channels, Practice Abstracts, Fact sheets, Vlogs, academic papers, newspaper articles, reports, organised webinars and policy forums.

Multi-Actor Engagement. Horizon Europe has increased the mandatory requirement for multi-actor participation in many of its research calls. This reflects the growing need to bridge the gap between policy, science and practice. FLIARA has proven that a multi-actor consortium through effective collaboration can support real-world relevance and adoption of results. 

• Fliara partners
• Multi-actor projects – research and practice co-creating solutions
• Multi-Actor Inclusion & Stakholder Engagement

Longford Women’s Link (LWL), a rural Irish women’s community organisation, demonstrates how including grassroots organisations as part of multi-actor consortiums strengthens the relevance, inclusivity, and impact of Horizon Europe research while building its own organisational capacity. 

LWL ensured representation: LWL were involved in all aspects of the project. It co-authored early concept notes to broaden definitions of innovation beyond economic and technological forms, incorporating social and advocacy-based innovations. Through its contributions to Stakeholder Mapping and the Community of Practice (CoP), it brought forward the voice and lived experiences of women from rural communities experiencing multiple challenges including lack of access to education, domestic violence and underrepresentation in political life. Combining their knowledge with findings from FLIARA, LWL developed policy briefs that reflect the needs of the diverse groups of women accessing their services and supports. 

Mutual benefits: LWL strengthened its own research and policy capacity while enriching FLIARA’s findings with grounded insights. As a gender-based organisation, they expanded their connections through the diverse networks of the FLIARA consortium and CoP enabling the organisation to share their message with wider audiences and on international platforms. The inclusion of multi-actors in research projects bridges the gap between research, policy and practice ensuring greater impact of the project. Lessons include the need to highlight the benefits of engaging with grassroots organisations and to provide them with the resources and tools needed to participate in European projects. 

• D1.1 FLIARA Conceptual Framework

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that women-led innovations in farming and rural areas have a substantial impact on the local level – providing products and services important for the local community, providing a livelihood for the innovators and their employees, and renegotiating attitudes towards sustainability and the role of women in society. Engaged in typically labour-intensive industries such as tourism, events, or artisan foods, women innovators are often happy with maintaining a manageable size and serving a local market. They may not have the growth ambitions common in technical fields, but they are eager to see their sustainable innovation expand to other contexts through various forms of imitation, even if this may not be financially rewarding.

Successful strategies for scaling by imitation:
Being a role model. By simply doing what they do, the innovators act as role models, and in doing so they show that women can play a significant role in rural businesses, associations, and communities. By being leaders, they challenge gender stereotypes and pave the way for other innovative women in their communities and beyond.

Spreading the word. They are innovative by actively encouraging imitation through study visits, internships, and by cooperating with other women. By joining or creating women’s networks and focusing on women suppliers and customers, they empower women and strengthen female cooperation.

Welcoming copy-cats. The women are positively inclined to copy-cats since they are eager for their innovation to spread. The innovation being copied extends beyond a specific product or service, including an innovative philosophy of the business, hiring practices, or any context-specific model developed.

• Alexandra Larsson
• Malin Axelsson

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that the delivery of LEADER/CLLD (Community-Led Local Development) as a method, approach, and a measure/intervention of rural development policy opened up opportunities and set
up a supportive environment for female innovation in agriculture and in rural areas.

Raising visibility of women in rural areas. The LAGs (local action group), introduced by the implementation of LEADER/CLLD, have increased the visibility of rural women in terms of participation – their active involvement in community activities, projects and initiatives, and decision-making.

Seed investment. LEADER/CLLD funds are modest, but stimulating as seed investments in rural communities, rural localities and rural fabrics – quite often putting at the forefront the social innovation which is a strong field of rural
women entrepreneurship.

Cooperation and networking are two of seven LEADER principles, both of which are deeply embedded in rural women’s entrepreneurship. Individual and collaborative networks are created amongst private, public and civil sectors, between formal and informal associations and are contributing to bonding, bridging and linking social capital in rural areas.

Operational interface. National Rural Development Networks could serve as an operational interface, functioning as a node in which support for joint learning and innovation is operationalized, awhile connecting different levels of decision-makers, advocating for rural interests and functioning as a good network broker.

Reflexive discourses. Frequent reflexive discourses among multiple rural development stakeholders are crucial for continuous learning, innovation and effective rural policy-making.

• Anna Čarková
• Implementing the LEADER/CLLD approach in Slovenia

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that beside the women’s motivation, ideas, knowledge, education etc. they also need support in building confidence and self-esteem for realization of their ideas and development of innovations. This need is often invisible, but it emarged as a recuring theme in several interviews.

We recommend the following steps/fields to empower rural women innovators, enhancing their confidence and self-esteem:

Establish a support network. Our findings highlight the importance of peer groups where women can share challenges and successes. These networks provide emotional support and foster resilience, showing women they are not alone. Those networks also offer mutual learning and exchanges of life experiences related to their innovations.

Promote skill-building workshops. Our findings reveal that accessible, hands-on workshops focused on digital skills, sustainable practices, business development, and leadership are essential. Such structured learning experiences empower women by boosting competence and self-esteem.

Showcase success stories. Local, regional and national success stories of women innovators demonstrate the potential to overcome challenges, providing inspiration and reinforcing self-esteem. FLIARA innovation Ambassadors demonstrate the empowerment of rural women.

Encourage flexible roles and life balance: Our research underscores the need for adaptable work models that respect personal time and family responsibilities. This reduces burnout and enhances long-term commitment.

These and other similar evidence-based recommendations provide rural women with practical steps to build self-confidence and capacities to realize impactful innovations.

• Nina Arnuš, Anka Pintar
• Ambassadors

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that women innovators in rural areas use many different pathways and practices to success and there are no clear patterns. The women build their required knowledge and secure financial means step by step, but the nature and scope of these steps varied widely. Three successful strategies for realizing innovations in rural areas:

Creative strategies for funding. The women innovators in rural areas use creative strategies to fund their projects because public funding and venture capital is often difficult to obtain. Most support systems are geared towards large, STEM-focused businesses, often excluding non-profit organizations and non-economic activities, as well as social enterprises. Instead, the women use a combination of community funding, family support, volunteering and personal funds to sustain their projects. External financial support is typically sought later to expand existing activities.

Networking. Networks play a crucial role in connecting women innovators with stakeholders and spreading awareness about their projects. Engaging in networks enables the women to access resources, knowledge, and build trust, helping them to overcome gender and cultural conventions. These networks help foster a sense of community and support the provision of local services to advance their projects.

High tech and low tech. Some women innovators have developed innovative technological solutions tailored to their specific contexts. On the other hand, some women prefer to rely on technological innovations and use low-tech solutions. However, all women innovators use digital technology in their innovations as most women have well-designed websites and social media pages for marketing and expanding networks, targeting both local and international audiences.

• Evelien Kamphuis
• Petra Matos
• Annelie Svensson

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that women-led innovation in farming often entails offering different farm-related activities and services, targeting both the local population and tourists. In this way, farms come to signify much more than their agricultural production: they become places where people reconnect to agriculture, and to nature in general.

Among the services offered are: farm-based restaurants and accommodation, kindergartens for children of different ages, educational workshops and experiences for adults and children, cooking workshops, guided walks with animals, in-loco market and shops. Often, part of the offer targets specifically vulnerable groups such as disabled people.

By engaging in multifunctional farming, women:

1. Spread awareness about ethical and healthy ways of producing and consuming food.
2. Enhance social inclusion, while collaborating with schools and other local associations.
3. Increase and diversify their income, often employing local professionals such as teachers and guides and establishing partnerships with schools and tourist agencies.

Imagining and introducing new services on the farm makes it possible to use a variety of skills and knowledge (not just agricultural). Establishing collaborations with local institutions (e.g. schools, social welfare centres) could be useful to foster the use of the new services.

Women could also benefit from targeted economic support (e.g. through some CAP measures) and LAGs support.

• Luigia e Simona Soffritti
• Noora Pakonen, Laura Huusko
• Stefania Lusuardi
• Belinda Schwarz-Wittigschlager
• Daniëlla de Winter
• Sofia De Matteis

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that across the EU women innovators display a high interest in developing farming projects that foreground environmental sustainability.

This means that many chose to practice organic, biodynamic or regenerative farming, avoiding chemicals and respecting nature’s rhythms. Moreover, they often chose to preserve local traditional crops and breeds which are considered more sustainable and better suited to the local environment. This allows them to take care of soil health and animal wellbeing.

The majority of the interviewed women innovators in farming, even those holding an agricultural degree, have learned how to practice alternative forms of agriculture through courses offered by informal networks of organic farmers, or they gained knowledge and experience by doing and experimenting.

Improving training programs and AKIS services to support these sustainable forms of agriculture, especially in the context of small farms, appears fundamental.

Also, agricultural schools could offer more varied courses on these types of agriculture. A best practice is the Warmonderhof – a small-scale school in the Netherlands – which provides training, education, teaching facilities, internships, and practical testing on organic and biodynamic farming methods.

Promoting the visibility of these farms, through national campaigns, videos and podcasts to show the opportunities related to this model of agriculture is another useful action to sensitise other (women) farmers to engage in sustainable environmental agriculture.

• Annette Harberink
• Blátnaid Gallagher
• Meike Hollnaicher
• Karin Malmgren
• Agnes de Boer

Insights from FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis show that women entrepreneurs living and working in rural areas use the web to sell their products to a significant extent. Online shops are particularly popular among women producing and selling handicrafts such as jewelry, pottery, clothes, or bags.

Aside from selling their handicrafts at local markets and shops or at their artisan workshop, online shops allow women to reach international clients and, at times, build partnerships with distributors in other countries. Moreover, customers can get in touch with the craftswoman directly (e.g. through online messages, emails or calls), asking her to produce tailor-made items according to their taste and needs.

The use of social media also appears to be very important in increasing the visibility of the business, as well as the support of social media managers. In addition, podcasts and short films about the business can be spread via social media and the company’s website.

From these results, the following practical recommendations for enabling the spread of online shops are derived.

• Broadband connection should be enhanced in all rural areas, especially the most remote.
• Women entrepreneurs in rural areas could benefit from targeted courses about online sales and digital communication strategies to improve and expand their marketing skills.
• Opening an online shop also requires learning new techniques and creating new mindsets around cyber security thereby reducing vulnerability to cyber-attack.

• Flavia Amato
• Aoife Noone
• Inge Vleemingh and Heimen Vos
• Sarah Khoudja
• Anneke van Hootegem

Networking supports rural and farm women-led innovation. FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis showed the availability of and engagement with strong networks was a key aspect for successful women-led innovation.

Networking provides diverse benefits. Networks support the innovation’s start-up and development. More specific benefits include access to information, building skills, and connecting with potential mentors. Networks can also provide a wider source of support including toward self-empowerment.

Be part of a diverse range of networks. For example, this could mean networking through professional organisations as well as wider local community networks. Networking at a local level is important, but so are opportunities to expand regional, national and international networks.

Availability of networks and ability to network. This appears a key part of improving levels of women-led rural and farm innovation. Networking takes time therefore directly supporting women leading innovations to take part in networking appears important to increase women’s capacity for networking.

Potential for specific targeted networking supports. New ideas could be women-led innovation networking vouchers that incentivise the activity and stipend payments for joining more formal and targeted networks. Networking opportunities must be available, which makes it important to support spaces and places where these opportunities are available, such as events and network meetings, as well as available infrastructure, such as community centers. Developing networks between operators working in the same territory and/or industry or supporting more informal networks to exchange knowledge and receive support also seems relevan

• CiRCE
• Karen Brosnan
• Giulia Montepaone
• Claudia Smolka
• Francesca Casaluci

Accessing the finance needed to support innovation development is crucial. FLIARA’s case study comparative analysis also shows this clearly.

Women adapt and use many sources of finance. Women access finance through both private channels and public funding. Public funding can come through various sources from local to EU levels. Self-funding using personal savings and family loans are examples of private channels. There is also the issue of substituting finance with volunteer, as well as unpaid labour, which is unsustainable. Reliance on personal funding sources also limits women’s potential to become innovators when they do not have access to personal funds.

Challenges accessing adequate finance. Women-led innovation takes a variety of approaches to raising needed finance showing the tenacity of women innovators. They also face significant challenges in accessing adequate finance. Improving the situation draws out a range of practical recommendations.

Tailored and innovative approaches appear needed. Depending on the type of innovation, private donations could also have relevance. Some women innovators have successfully accessed bank loans, while others are reluctant to. Alternative finance sources such as crowdfunding appear uncommon. Gaps in access to finance for particular stages of innovation development also emerged, highlighting the need for public finance to tailor its support to different innovation stages (e.g. scale-up, idea development).

Assess existing finance supports for improvements. When match funding is required alongside public funds, support could facilitate finding sources of match finance. The complexity and bureaucracy attached to sourcing finance is also a barrier and reducing this is important.

• Innovative Maßnahmen für Frauen
• Lineke Lamfers
• Petra Eckhardt, Nancy Rietveld and Barry Blommestein
• Merel Gerritse and Irma Brassinga

Insights from FLIARA’s Nordic Baltic region case study comparative analysis show that while economic gain is usually assumed to be the primary reason for embarking upon innovation, this is not the case among women innovators in rural areas. Instead, the most important motivation is the desire to realize an idea—whether it is a new product, a service, or an innovative organizational form. Women are often driven by a strong passion for and belief in their ideas, not least because they see that their idea will help create a more sustainable society. The strong commitment to their ideas helps them overcome any challenges they face.

Ideas for innovation can emerge from four different areas:

• Their ideas are often linked to their earlier education or professional experience, which they use to create new career paths.
• In other cases, hobbies are transformed into businesses, particularly for those that use local natural resources.
• Many want to realize their ideas in a specific rural place, which could be where they currently live, or where they or their partner have their roots. The place is thus intimately connected with the innovation, providing specific opportunities as well as placebound limitations.
• Life changes, such as leaving an unsatisfying job or starting a family, can also function as catalysts for the innovation journey.

It is important to recognize and legitimize the diverse motivations behind innovation, which extend beyond economic measures. Ends must be met, of course, but money by itself is not motivating. Personal development is a powerful motivator and should be acknowledged in the innovation journey of women-led initiatives in farming and in rural areas.

• Emilia Hildingsson
• Anne-Leena Pellikka