Start of the joint project "FLIARA" - Women-led innovation processes in agriculture and rural areas

Representatives of the 15 partner organisations involved in the European joint project FLIARA met in Brussels on 26 and 27 January 2023. FLIARA (Female-Led Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas) is an EU project to promote the participation of women in innovation processes in rural areas and agriculture.

The Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) was represented at the kick-off meeting by Dr Susanne v. Münchhausen. The aim of this first project meeting was to get to know each other and jointly define the first working steps. As FLIARA is designed as a "multi-actor project", the way in which the working groups from the various organisations from science, applied research and practical advice work together was also discussed.

FLIARA relies on an innovative and transdisciplinary methodology to raise awareness and recognise the role of women in rural areas in achieving sustainability goals. "We want to develop proposals that help to strengthen innovation processes initiated and led by women," says Susanne v. Münchhausen. This also includes developing visions for an agricultural future and highlighting the factors that are required to realise these visions. "The aim is also to build a community of practice that helps women to network with those responsible for innovation policy and governance. And the community of practice will be accompanied by a campaign that makes women visible as key players in innovation," adds v. Münchhausen.

A total of 14 organisations are working together on the three-year project under the leadership of the University of Galway in Ireland.

The HNEE working group will make a significant contribution to the "Foresight and trend analyses" work package. The future role of women in innovation processes in agriculture and rural areas will be outlined and should show how their significant contribution to achieving the sustainability goals could look in concrete terms. Images of the possible future situation will be worked out in nine geographical areas or thematic fields in Europe. From this, ways to strengthen women in these innovation processes are derived. The basic assumption is that visions for the future of agriculture and rural areas can only be realised with women in positions of responsibility.

At HNEE, the working group of the "Policy and Markets in the Agricultural and Food Industry" department is a partner in the European research and innovation project FLIARA. The department is headed by Prof Dr Anna Häring; the project manager is Dr Susanne von Münchhausen. Around 200,000 euros are available at HNEE for the project duration from January 2023 to December 2026.

The HNEE team will contribute significantly with many years of experience in applied innovation research in the "Innoforum Ökolandbau Brandenburg" and innovation projects.

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In 2021, the European Commission presented a longer-term vision for rural areas, which highlighted the challenges facing the population of rural areas, including demographic developments, lower per capita gross domestic product and poor access to basic services, as well as reduced availability of water, electricity and broadband internet access.

In addition, major current trends such as climate change, gender inequalities and the Covid-19 pandemic pose new challenges for Europe's rural areas. At the same time, however, change in rural areas also offers opportunities to develop more resilient, inclusive and sustainable rural regions, such as those created by the digital and ecological transition.

Note on image material
The photos available here may be used for reporting purposes. Please note the copyright notice © HNEE / Dr Susanne von Münchhausen