WOMEN4RURAL – Empowering Women and Communities for Inclusive Rural Innovation

WOMEN4RURAL is a bold European initiative designed to unlock the power of women, youth, and local changemakers in driving rural innovation.
Across Europe’s villages, small towns, and farming communities, countless practical solutions, grassroots ideas, and lived experiences exist — yet they rarely reach the places where they could have the biggest impact. WOMEN4RURAL aims to change that.

Our vision is to create a dynamic, cross-European knowledge-exchange ecosystem that connects Living Labs, advisors, researchers, and rural communities. Through a mobile and participatory approach, the project will make it easier for good practices, local innovations, and research results to travel across regions, countries, and sectors.

Aligned with the upcoming Horizon Europe 2026 Cluster 6 calls, the initiative places a strong focus on inclusive innovation, gender-responsive practices, and improved AKIS knowledge flows. By amplifying the voices and expertise of women and young rural leaders, we aim to support stronger, more resilient and more innovative rural territories.

We are looking for motivated partners who want to shape the future of rural Europe, including:

• Living Labs engaged in rural, agri-food or bioeconomy innovation

• Universities and research institutes working on AKIS, social innovation or gender equality

• Advisory services, NGOs, chambers, and community hubs supporting women, youth, farmers and rural SMEs

Gazda Kontroll Kft. brings experience in stakeholder engagement, communication, and EU-level dissemination, contributing to a strong and high-impact consortium.

If your organisation is committed to inclusive, community-driven innovation and wants to collaborate on a Horizon Europe CSA, we would love to connect.