Empowering rural women innovators across Europe

The Horizon Europe GRASS CEILING project aims to empower rural women and ensure a greater number of women are leading socio-ecological innovations in agriculture, the rural economy, and rural communities. This type of innovation seeks solutions to social challenges whilst considering environmental impact. To achieve its goal, the project has established multi-actor living labs in nine countries: Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands.

In each of these countries, the project partners bring together rural women innovators, lab co-leads, and academics, connecting practice with research. The living labs provide an opportunity to network, share experiences, acquire the necessary skills for innovation, and achieve the socio-ecological transition. At the same time, each living lab trains six and eight women in leading innovation living labs. With this expertise, the women in the living lab establish a network for sharing knowledge by capturing and publishing innovations and practical experience.

The living labs organise closed coaching sessions with women as well as multi-actor sessions with women and relevant Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) actors. GRASS CEILING will record progress made by these women innovators through in-depth case studies, and educate rural entrepreneurs about the type of support they need. The outcomes can be put into practice when working with agri-rural women innovators.

Through these living labs, researchers will also analyse the current position of women regarding megatrends in European agriculture and rural areas. This will help them understand the drivers and enablers for women-led innovations, the barriers encountered, and the support needed at the Member State and EU levels.

GRASS CEILING will also develop an online forum where women can work on innovations in response to socio-ecological challenges and strengthen the resilience of rural areas. Aligned with the integrated transdisciplinary and multi-level approach of the GRASS CEILING project, the forum aims to mobilise stakeholders and create a space for engagement between project participants and the broader community. Find out more in the article.

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