Gender Equality in Rural and Agricultural Innovation SystemS

Project Information

GRASS Ceiling

Grant agreement ID: 101083408

DOI

10.3030/101083408

Project closed

EC signature date 5 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2025

Funded under

• Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Total cost

€ 2 817 498,75

EU contribution

€ 2 817 498,50

Coordinated by

SOUTH EAST TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Ireland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GRASS Ceiling (Gender Equality in Rural and Agricultural Innovation SystemS)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

GRASS CEILING is striving to develop a context where women can drive socio-ecological transitions, that is, develop innovations in response to socio-ecological challenges and strengthen the resilience of rural areas. This goal is supporting the UN’s goals on gender parity, realise the EU gender equality strategy and support the objectives of the Green Deal, the Farm to Fork strategy, the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas and the European Pillar of Social Rights.

GRASS CEILING is a multi-actor project that will increase women-led socio-ecological innovations in farming, the rural economy and rural communities (i.e. smart-agri skills, eco-tourism, pasture-led agriculture, organic cheese, energy-neutral village halls, community gardens, elderly care cooperatives). Socio-ecological innovation in farming and rural areas is a quickly developing area in Europe, and GRASS CEILING will build on this by co-creating tools to ensure women can fully participate and benefit accordingly. Our consortium includes end-users (women innovators), stakeholders and researchers from Member States, and European bodies who are helping us influence EU policymakers.

GRASS CEILING has brought together leading academic partners with many years of experience in research and practice in projects that seek to empower and support women in agriculture and rural areas throughout various contexts in Europe. GRASS CEILING will support, guide, and mentor women innovators on farms and in rural settings and will deliver nine innovation-focused living labs across 9 EU countries. GRASS CEILING Living Labs are practical - hands-on, women-led, interactive peer-driven initiatives that will increase knowledge, share best practices and provide tools to assist women innovators and relevant support organisations bring meaningful change at Member State and EU levels.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

At this point in the project, the following has been achieved:

Living Labs and Co-creation: GRASS CEILING has established Living Labs across nine EU countries, where women innovators are actively co-creating knowledge, sharing challenges, and identifying necessary supports required to support innovation in their respective settings. Digital tools and networks are being developed and nurtured to provide ongoing training and support, which can extend beyond the project’s lifecycle.

Data and Trends Analysis: An inventory of available data on women’s roles in agriculture and rural areas, identifying critical gaps. These analyses will inform future policy development and resource design.

Understanding Gender Norms: Qualitative studies and targeted focus group activities have enabled a more comprehensive understanding of gender norms, drivers, and barriers impacting women-led innovation. These findings are crucial for understanding the role of gender in innovation processes in rural areas.

Policy Toolbox Initiation: a policy toolbox is under development to promote gender equality in rural policies. This includes gender benchmarking templates and training webinars, which will be further refined in the coming phases of the project when the gender benchmarking of EU and National policy in agricultural policies is complete.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Work on GRASS CEILING has so far has led to significant insights and developments:
1. Enhanced Understanding of Women Innovators' Needs in Rural Settings: The diverse contexts captured by our Living Labs have provided a deeper understanding of the specific needs of women innovators. We have begun offering tailored training, both cross-lab and context-specific, to address these needs effectively.
2. Understanding Gender Norms in Innovation: Research has shown that gender norms significantly influence women’s innovation journeys, both externally (e.g. access to resources) and internally (e.g. confidence levels). Distinct motivations between male and female innovators are shaping the approach to supporting women-led innovations.
3. Policy Tools for Gender Equality: We have started work to develop tools to analyze and address gender biases in existing policies related to rural development. This work is crucial as we continue to advocate for more inclusive policies that address the unique challenges faced by rural women.
4. Transnational Networking: To date, GRASS CEILING has successfully facilitated networking among women innovators across Europe. The GRASS CEILING Showcase Event in Brussels marked a significant milestone in sharing best practices and fostering cross-country collaboration whilst engaging with policy makers.

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