• These awards recognize excellent and innovative projects carried out by rural women and actions that recognize their work and role in rural areas.
• The first prize in each category has a prize of 18,000 euros.
• The deadline for submitting applications is April 10.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has published today, coinciding with International Women's Day, the extract of the call for applications for the 14th edition of the Excellence Awards for Innovation for Rural Women , corresponding to the year 2023, in the Official State Gazette .

These awards, which the ministry has held annually since 2010, seek to highlight the work and life projects of women in rural areas and the essential work they do to maintain and revitalize their territories. By doing so, the ministry demonstrates its commitment to policies that promote full gender equality, facilitate young women's access to agricultural activity, and encourage the diversification of agricultural activity in rural areas, which contributes to halting the depopulation of rural areas.

The Rural Women's Excellence in Innovation Awards include four categories: "Excellence in Innovation in Agricultural Activity" , "Excellence in Innovation in Fishing or Aquaculture Activity" , "Excellence in Innovation in the Diversification of Rural Economic Activity", and "Excellence in Communication" . Three initiatives will be awarded in each category, with first, second, and third prizes of € 18,000 , €12,000 , and €7,500 , respectively.

These categories include an honorary award for "Special Recognition for a Career in Supporting Women in Rural Areas and Rural Fishing Areas."

The deadline for submitting applications is April 10th . More information about these awards and downloadable registration forms are available on the Ministry's website .

Award categories

The "Excellence for Innovation in Agricultural Activity" and "Excellence for Innovation in Fishing Activity" awards will recognize the best projects that utilize agricultural, livestock, or forestry technologies, or, in the latter case, fishing, aquaculture, and other complementary technologies from the fishing sector. These technologies contribute to the advancement of sustainable, efficient activity in obtaining quality products, while also responding to consumer demand and integrating marketing and promotion strategies.

The "Excellence for Innovation in the Diversification of Economic Activity in Rural Areas" award will be given to the best projects that diversify economic activity in rural areas and that are linked, among others, to the agri-food industry, the provision of services to agriculture and forestry, activities related to the provision of services and social integration, and tourism activities that promote new economic sectors or generate employment in rural areas.

The "Excellence in Communication" award seeks to recognize the best work in the fields of communication, information, and media that has contributed to disseminating women's work in rural areas or rural fishing areas, their social recognition, and their national and international promotion, thereby promoting equal opportunities between women and men.

The "Special Recognition for Career Support for Women in Rural Areas and Rural Fishing Areas" is an extraordinary award and is intended for women or organizations with a woman as director who have played a prominent role in supporting, promoting, and enhancing women in rural areas or rural coastal areas. This is an honorary award that does not include a monetary prize.

The rules for the awards and the forms for participating in the 2023 call for applications can be consulted and downloaded at the following address on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's website: https://sede.mapa.gob.es/portal/site/seMAPA/fichaprocedimientoprocedure_suborg_responsable=23&procedure_etiqueta_pdu=null&procedure_id=272&by=theme