The sustainable, community-focused approach of rural women entrepreneurs
Europe’s rural areas are home to 25 % of the EU population and cover 75 % of its territory. To build strong, prosperous communities, the European Commission’s initiative for a rural vision(opens in new window) recognises the importance of diverse, inclusive communities where everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential. Yet, in order for this vision to become reality, the social and economic challenges faced by women in agriculture(opens in new window) must be addressed. The EU-funded GRASS Ceiling(opens in new window) project invested in women-led innovations to support women entrepreneurs.
The farm-to-fork approach of women farmers
Women-led innovations in agriculture tend to be small and locally focused. They produce food for local markets and use materials that would otherwise become waste. They are also focused on community, producing consumer goods with local materials as well as local labour, and they prioritise local engagement with endeavours such as educational farm tours for children. Small, locally focused innovations are positive examples of sustainable agriculture, but they present financial challenges. “Women find it hard to access small pots of money to get started. Some are looking to generate self-employment or employment for one to three people, and most available finance for entrepreneurs focuses on initiatives that will generate high income, employ over 10 people and be export focused,” explains project coordinator Sally Shortall.
Living labs nurture innovation
The project coordinated nine living labs in nine EU countries (Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Spain and Sweden). In each case, the lab was facilitated by an academic partner and a relevant stakeholder organisation that recruited six to eight women for each lab. Each lab followed a similar programme for developing entrepreneurship. “We paid the women a daily rate to signal we valued their time as entrepreneurs. Women really appreciated this, and some told us it enabled them to justify being away from family responsibilities to attend the living lab,” comments Shortall. Project-supported innovations varied greatly, ranging from the start-up of a natural soap company and the takeover of a shuttered local ice cream parlour to the plan for an educational farm. In one case, the innovation stemmed from a very personal source: the aim of creating a soap gentle enough for a daughter’s sensitive skin. Shortall shares that “Gail Daniels, an Irish rural entrepreneur with deep roots in her community, has taken a bold step by creating Bó Bar Soap, a company that produces natural, handmade soap using cow’s milk directly sourced from her family farm.”
Gender equality and policy
Women entrepreneurs can and should play an important part in building resilient, eco-friendly rural communities. But government policies, particularly the next iteration of the common agricultural policy(opens in new window), need to meet the needs of these critical partners. Shortall hopes to see local enterprise offices offer greater support to micro-enterprises. Many of the women who participated in GRASS Ceiling shared that they were repeatedly told they were not entrepreneurs. This response undercut efforts to attain needed funding as well as the confidence necessary to pursue innovations. “GRASS Ceiling has shown what an asset women are to agriculture and to rural development,” Shortall says. “They are innovative, forward-looking, with a focus on sustainability and regenerative practices. It is time to ensure their needs are addressed.”
