EU-FarmBook: Explore 200 Women-Led Success Stories
To mark the United Nations’ International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF 2026), EU-FarmBook highlights the Horizon Europe research project on female-led innovation in agriculture and rural areas (FLIARA).
The project investigated women-led innovations in ten EU countries and analysed 200 success stories, demonstrating that women are not only participating in rural change – they are driving the green transition. “Women’s leadership in agriculture is vital to rural resilience. The CAP must do more to support their contributions,” concluded Project Coordinator Professor Maura Farrell of the University of Galway/Ireland.
All key insights from three years of research and field visits are accessible on EU-FarmBook (Graphic: FLIARA)
Dr Susanne von Münchhausen from the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) in Germany highlighted that a lack of professional networks and difficulty in accessing capital remain massive hurdles for women with fresh business ideas. The data also pointed to a quieter barrier: the self-doubt that often stemmed from working in a sector where women’s contributions were still undervalued.
Practical, sustainable and community-building
FLIARA ran from early 2023 and concluded at the end of 2025. The project identified a strong common thread among many women innovators: They combine sustainable production with consumer education on climate protection, biodiversity, animal welfare and regional value chains. Others develop ethical livestock systems, safeguard agricultural biodiversity, or build cooperative and solidarity-based business models.
Common features encompass inclusive leadership, participatory decision-making and social inclusion, such as employment opportunities for disabled people and measures that support work–life balance. Women also strengthen local supply systems by building regional networks, from community-supported agriculture to mobile services and rural meeting places.
Discover FLIARA on EU-FarmBook
As FLIARA participant HNEE researcher Felicia van Tulder puts it: “These women don’t just wait for change, they build the networks to make it happen.”
Nevertheless, the conclusions underline that seven thematic areas driving innovation must be strengthened: Social, Financial, Work-Life, Economic, Advisory, Learning, and Political. Visit the FLIARA project page on EU-FarmBook to explore the stories, findings and practical takeaways from across Europe.
