Grants for Boosting Women-Led Innovation in Farming and Rural Areas

Deadline: 15-Feb-22

European Commission is calling for proposals for Boosting Women-Led Innovation in Farming and Rural Areas.

The role that European women play in rural development and in farming is still widely under-researched. And so is their role as entrepreneurs and innovation leaders, the specifics of the innovations they develop and how the current governance framework contributes to boosting their innovation capacity or to hampering it. Current evidence suggests that this role is underestimated and that the potential of rural women to contribute to sustainability transitions remains partially untapped, in particular due to a lack of targeting in policy frameworks and innovation support systems.
Proposals should analyse the role that women play and will play in the future of rural areas considering megatrends in European rural economies and communities in general and in farming in particular (proportion of official and non-official farm labour, involvement in innovative activities, role in social capital, specific social challenges and risks, relation to environment and environmentally-friendly farming practices etc.), highlighting differences between and within studied countries.

The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:

public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).

Projects results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

more effective policy and governance frameworks and knowledge and innovation systems to boost women’s roles in the sustainable development of rural areas and in innovation in farming, in the rural economy and in rural communities;
improved understanding, awareness and recognition of women’s role in the future of the farming sector (in particular ecological transitions), rural economies and communities and related innovation by policy-makers, rural citizens, innovation support services and scientists;
combating and transforming gender norms and stereotypes, fostering broad social equalities and advancing Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality; and
enhanced capacity of rural women to innovate for change, including improved skills, solutions to challenges faced by rural women, stronger networks and enhanced knowledge flows from, between and towards women innovators in rural areas and in farming, facilitating the uptake and dissemination of successful innovations and innovation-support tools, in particular those contributing to ecological transitions.

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:

the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe
- low- and middle-income countries

For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3BmRJvG