GRASS CEILING Project

We visited Alfamén, a small town near Zaragoza, Spain. María José has been working here for over 25 years. She owns a livestock farm with her husband, where they raise lambs of a native Aragonese breed known as Ternasco de Aragón, certified under the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label. Products with the PGI label are, by definition, distinguished by a specific quality, reputation, or characteristic attributable to their geographical origin. Their production, processing, or preparation must occur in the defined geographical area that gives them their name, as detailed on the Spanish government website www.administracion.gob.es. María José tells us she loves her work because it allows her to choose her hours and be her own boss—though not always. "During lambing season, I don’t get to choose; I’m here all day." The workload during breeding season is intense because, under the quality standards of the Ternasco de Aragón certification, lambs are slaughtered before they are fifty days old. This makes that time of year especially demanding. "When I started, I knew nothing, but my family helped me a lot." María José’s beginnings, like many in Spain’s primary sector, are rooted in family tradition. She says the work is very tough; the farm doesn’t stop for holidays, long weekends, or vacations. Even on Christmas Day, the animals must be fed and taken to pasture. María José shares that they haven’t been able to vacation their entire lives. This hard work has its rewards, and she wouldn’t trade it for anything. "I like working outdoors, and I like working in my village. I don’t feel like I’m missing anything here." However, María José tells us that not all rural areas are so fortunate. "Many women farmers and ranchers miss having more services, which is why there are fewer of us." In a society that still upholds some patriarchal traditions, many rural women find it difficult to balance roles like raising children and managing household duties with the dedication their work and projects require. "If you don’t have daycare centers or health centers nearby, you can’t focus on your business as much as you’d like." For this rural entrepreneur, linking her livestock farm with a social economy organization, such as a cooperative, has been a huge help. Through her cooperative, Pastores Grupo Cooperativo, she has found the necessary support to channel her product sales, obtain the best feed for her animals, and manage administrative processes of all kinds. María José also combines her work with intense advocacy for rural women and the primary sector. She serves on the board of AMCAE, la Asociación de Mujeres de Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España, which is a partner in the Grass Ceiling project. "It’s important for us women to participate and take action. We’ve always been here (in the primary sector), but often in the shadow of men. That’s why it’s essential to make our presence known." https://lnkd.in/dEFUvzSZ

Our project is moving forward! Our Dutch colleagues hosted a workshop at Werkplaats Network Platteland in Den Bosch, discussing "Connected and resilient agriculture; the future of the farmer." Bettina Bock, Marloes van Schaik and Sonja van Uden actively participated. Learn more about this event in Sophie Kollewijn-Hopkins post. #GrassCeiling #womensupportingwomen #EUHorizon #InvestInWomen #Innovation #Impact #womeninagri #starttheconversation #breakingbarriers #ruralwomen

✈️ We're thrilled to be participating in the AgriFood Forum 24 in #Vilnius organised by our partner AgriFood Lithuania On November 26th at 2 PM in Hall C of the Vilnius Town Hall, we'll be hosting a #showcase event featuring 9 inspiring #womenentrepreneurs from our #livinglabs. 📝 Come and learn how they're using innovative approaches to tackle #ruralchallenges. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gchNCHR This event has Business at OECD (BIAC), Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, EIT Food as organisation partners and the European Union as co-funder. South East Technological University Wageningen University & Research European Environmental Bureau Women Entrepreneurship Platform AEIDL (European Association for Innovation in Local Development) CIHEAM Zaragoza CIHEAM Bari Università di Pisa Lietuvos socialinių mokslų centras Ruralis - Institute for Rural and Regional Research Universidad de Valladolid SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences COPA COGECA Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España Hrvatska poljoprivredna komora – Croatian Chamber of Agriculture University of Zagreb / Sveučilište u Zagrebu Oi! Trøndersk Mat og Drikke AgriFood Lithuania NuaFund ZLTO Legacoop Puglia Hela Sverige Oskarshamn Newcastle University Scotish Crofting Federation Macra na Feirme Amada de Salas Ortega

🟢 You still have time to join this interesting webinar! It will take place on November 14th and you can sign up using the link below. As the Joint Programme on Gender Transformative Approaches (JP GTA) comes to a close in December 2024, the Programme is organizing a #webinar to share reflections on key achievements and lessons learned that can contribute to the promotion and uptake of #gender transformative approaches in the context of #foodsecurity, #nutrition and #sustainableagriculture interventions. During the webinar, panelists will provide insights into the experience of the Rome-based Agencies in implementing the Joint Programme, including joint advocacy efforts, technical work and pilot projects in #Ecuador and #Malawi. In addition, three new knowledge products will be presented as a contribution to the legacy of the Joint Programme: ✔️ Theory of change for gender transformative programming ✔️ Step-by-step guide to integrating the gender transformative approach throughout the project cycle, and ✔️ Gender transformative change for climate action. FAO International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Programa Mundial de Alimentos European Union

We recently showcased our project at #SynergyDays2024 in #Barcelona, connecting with other innovative European initiatives. Following our participation, SmartAgriHubs interviewed our coordinator, Sally Shortall. Our project, born from years of research on #genderequality in #ruralareas, aims to address barriers faced by #womeninnovators. As Shortall explains in the shared interview, "our approach targets macro, meso, and micro-level barriers, focusing on European and national policies. We've gathered evidence from nine countries, highlighting challenges like lack of microcredit and childcare in rural areas". ▶️ Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eJs5CHda South East Technological University Wageningen University & Research European Environmental Bureau Women Entrepreneurship Platform AEIDL (European Association for Innovation in Local Development) CIHEAM Zaragoza CIHEAM Bari Università di Pisa Lietuvos socialinių mokslų centras Ruralis - Institute for Rural and Regional Research Universidad de Valladolid SLU - Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences COPA COGECA Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España Hrvatska poljoprivredna komora – Croatian Chamber of Agriculture University of Zagreb / Sveučilište u Zagrebu Oi! Trøndersk Mat og Drikke AgriFood Lithuania NuaFund ZLTO Legacoop Puglia Hela Sverige Oskarshamn Newcastle University Scotish Crofting Federation Macra na Feirme

📢 Synergy Days is designed to celebrate and showcase 🇪🇺 research projects that are transforming the European agri-food sector. Who are they, and how are they using digital technology to innovate the sector? We spoke to GRASS CEILING Project to learn more about the project, its goals and journey. Read the interview here: https://lnkd.in/eJs5CHda #digitalinnovation #agriculture #food #genderequality

Empowering #RuralWomen and Driving Innovation: Join the Conversation! Don't miss this exciting panel discussion hosted by the SERIGO project, featuring GRASS CEILING. Join us as we explore multistakeholder collaboration for innovation and inclusion of vulnerable communities. We will do it hand in hand with our colleague in the GRASS CEILING project, Blanca Casares Guillén from AEIDL (European Association for Innovation in Local Development) who will share the panel with: Sonia Marcos Naveira - Universidad de Burgos, Coordinator of the ESIRA Project Maura Farrell - University of Galway, Lead Coordinator of the FLIARA Project The expert panelists will discuss: 🌾 Empowering rural women 🍀 Driving innovation in agriculture 🏞️ Policy considerations for sustainable rural development 📅 Mark your calendars: Date: November 21st Time: 1 PM - 2 PM (CET) Format: Virtual More info and registration: https://lnkd.in/deSKvfs5 Let's work together to build a more sustainable and equitable future for #ruralcommunities #SERIGO #GRASSCEILING #RuralInnovation #WomenInAgriculture #SustainableAgriculture #RuralDevelopment

Empowering Women in Agriculture: Key Takeaways from the Spanish GRASS CEILING Living Lab Workshop The Spanish GRASS CEILING Living Lab, through the Spanish project partners, Universidad de Valladolid - Campus de Palencia and Cooperativas Agroalimentarias de España organized recently a powerful workshop that brought together #womenfarmers with key players in the #agri-food sector to discuss critical issues facing #ruralareas and #agriculture. 🔴 Key takeaways from the workshop: ▶️ Lack of access to #leadership positions: Women farmers are underrepresented in leadership roles within agri-food cooperatives. The discussion explored the challenges of work-life balance and lack of transparency that contribute to this issue. ➕ Women's role in the new CAP: The workshop examined the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on women farmers and their perspectives on its effectiveness. ✅ Promoting #genderequality: The importance of strengthening networks, sharing best practices, and amplifying the voices of women in agriculture was a central theme. This workshop was a crucial step towards building a more inclusive and equitable agricultural sector. Let's continue the conversation! For more information on the workshop and the GRASS CEILING project, visit: https://lnkd.in/dYQHCCfZ 🟢 Feel free to share your thoughts on the role of women in agriculture in the comments! #GRASSCEILING is a European project that aims to empower women in rural areas to lead innovation in farming and the rural economy. #WomenInAg #RuralDevelopment #GRASSCEILING Universidad de Valladolid - Palencia's Campus Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España Agropal Grupo Alimentario Margarita Rico Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenierías Agrarias de Palencia Julia Gómez Ángel María Gómez Rivero - Junta de Castilla y León Ana Isabel de Coca Sinova URCACYL Jerónima Bonafé Amada de Salas Ortega Lucia Velasco Rodriguez Marta Llorente Tomas Garcia Azcarate CSIC Nuria Ruiz Corral ASAJA (Asociación Agraria-Jóvenes Agricultores) - Castilla y León Amalia Rodríguez - Facultad de Comercio y RR.LL.-UVa CIHEAM Zaragoza

El próximo jueves 24 de octubre, a las 10:00h, organizamos, junto a la Universidad de Valladolid Campus de Palencia, una jornada de debate, titulada "Diálogos con agricultoras y ganaderas: Cooperativismo y PAC", en la sede de la cooperativa Agropal Grupo Alimentario. La finalidad de este encuentro es profundizar en los problemas del medio rural y del sector agrario, donde las respuestas que ofrece el movimiento cooperativo junto con los instrumentos de la #PAC, pasan por considerar el papel de las #mujeres como dinamizadoras del campo e impulsoras del #relevogeneracional. Esta jornada tiene lugar dentro del marco del proyecto europeo GRASS CEILING Project, dedicado a analizar las barreras de género e impulsar el liderazgo femenino en iniciativas de innovación en el medio rural. Las inscripciones pueden hacerse a través de URCACYL. Más info 👉 https://lnkd.in/dqncnBG5

Walton Institute are proud members of the Gender Alliance for Innovation in Agriculture (GAIA), which is dedicated to supporting the 4th agricultural revolution in Europe, by supporting inclusive and sustainable solutions. Yesterday, October 15th, as we celebrated International Day of Rural Women, GAIA members put together a fantastic agenda as part of the Synergy Days programme in Barcelona to discuss women in rural communities and what we (GAIA) and others could do to support them. This included a powerful panel discussion on the topic of 'Empowering Women in Rural Communities'. Speakers included Sara Cosgrove, Behavioural Coach; Dr. Irene Lopez de Vallejo, Head of EU Affairs, CTIC Centro Tecnológico; and Prof Sally Shortall, Duke of Northumberland Chair of Rural Economy and UK Joint Professor at South East Technological University. Moderated by: Lorena van de Kolk, Schuttelaar & Partners 👩🌾 A number of insightful workshops were also held: Prof Sally Shortall GRASS CEILING Project Coordinator focused on 'Advancing equality for rural and farm women in Europe. While Sara Cosgrove's workshop explored the topic of how 'Mindset is key to enabling healthy EDI practices.' Thanks to all who took part in these compelling conversations 🙌 #GenderAlliance #RuralWomen #RuralCommunities #EDI SmartAgriHubs Lorena van de Kolk, Hazel Peavoy ENTIRE EDIH Ireland Anneleen De Visscher Ella Deroo ILVO (Instituut voor Landbouw, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek) reframe.food Grigoris Chatzikostas Fraunhofer IIS Enrica Belfiori CEMAAGRI European Digital Innovation Hubs Network