The unique journey of the Grass Ceiling Project was presented last week at an event organised by CREA’s Center for Policy and Bioeconomics, in collaboration with the University of Bari and the University of Calabria. The meeting highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary vision to tackle the challenges related to social sustainability in agriculture, with a special focus on gender issues.
In her speech, Raffaella Bucci, a representative of the Biodistretto delle lame which collaborates in the implementation of the activities, together with the two co-leads Legacoop Puglia and Ciheam Bari, explained how the Living Lab, as a collective learning laboratory, has been crucial in supporting the eight participants from different backgrounds (from agricultural producers to female entrepreneurs and cultural workers). She stated: “The Living Lab represents a unique space for discussion and growth, where participants share experiences and challenges and also create innovative solutions to improve the area”.
The project has helped strengthen ties and collaborations that go far beyond the duration of the project itself. A concrete example of this continuity is a new project promoted by the Municipality of Ruvo di Puglia, a kind of spin off involving GRASS CEILING partipants with the goal of creating a connection between the countryside and the city, in order to strengthen the link between rural areas and urban centres.