From 10 to 12 June 2025, CIHEAM Zaragoza and the Union for the Mediterranean, in collaboration with the CIHEAM General Secretariat and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), organised an international symposium to promote women’s empowerment through innovation and pave the way for more inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems in the region.
The event brought together over one hundred participants from 15 countries, primarily from the Mediterranean region, as well as international organisations (FAO, OECD, European Commission, EESC, ICARDA, IWMI, GWP-Med), and stakeholders from civil society, the business sector, and the field of innovation. The symposium laid a solid foundation for driving transformative interventions ahead of the International Year of Rural Women in 2026.
Key experiences and approaches to female empowerment highlighted during the symposium included:
- Multilateral Organisations and Women-Led Rural Innovation: It was emphasised that, despite women constituting 36% of the global agri-food workforce, they face significant inequalities, such as limited access to land (only 7% of women in North Africa are landowners). Successful initiatives were showcased, including the FAO’s Greater Empowerment of Rural Women Project in Turkey and the GREAT Project in Albania, which established agribusiness incubators.
- Challenges and Transformative Approaches: Despite the challenges, Mediterranean women are emerging as environmental leaders. Innovative models were shared, such as the Gender Up training programme and the Pro-Women Index in Lebanon, ICARDA’s initiatives with mobile technology and youth participation, and the role of cooperatives in Tunisia in empowering less educated women. Theatre of the Oppressed was highlighted as a methodology for challenging social norms.
- Rethinking Education and Economic Empowerment: The need for participatory educational models that combine technical skills with personal confidence was stressed. Projects like those from the Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development (funded by AECID) and the FOODTECH agricultural business incubator in Tunisia demonstrated how technical training, mentoring, and continuous support achieve significant impact.
- The Case of Spain: Spain was presented as an inspiring model, showcasing the transformative impact of associationism and political engagement by rural women. The Spanish Association of Families and Women in Rural Areas (AFAMMER), with over 40 years of experience, and Law 35/2011 on Shared Ownership of Farms, served as examples of how economic independence is promoted. Also, FADEMUR is now working with other rural women’s organisations to build global momentum in addressing rural inequality.
- The Role of Cooperatives and Associations: It was evident how female leadership in agricultural cooperatives generates positive outcomes in community resilience, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Cases such as the Arab Olive Oil Women’s Network (Jordan), the Association of Rural Women-AFUD (Algeria), Darmmess Social Enterprise (Lebanon), and the Association of Women in Agrifood Cooperatives in Spain (AMCAE), women’s association of Cooperativas Agro-alimentarias de España, demonstrated women as agents of change.
- Innovation in the Mediterranean Food System through Female Entrepreneurship: The final session presented remarkable examples of innovation driven by women, from techniques to reduce livestock methane to projects transforming cheese industry waste into bread ingredients. Initiatives like the FoodSight platform in Lebanon and the Amal Association in Morocco, which empowers over 400 women through culinary training, were highlighted. The role of structured platforms and the EU’s GRASS CEILING project, of which CIHEAM Zaragoza is a partner, in supporting women-led innovation initiatives for socio-ecological transition was emphasised.
The symposium was closed by the project coordinator, Sally Shortall (watch below her closing intervention), who presented the event’s conclusions and the Grass Ceiling project. The symposium’s overall conclusions highlighted that women’s leadership in food systems is fundamental not only for equity but also for building resilient and sustainable food systems in the Mediterranean, involving the entire community, including men. CIHEAM’s Secretary General, Teodoro Miano, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to promoting gender equality, a central pillar of its 2030 Strategic Action Plan.