Description
GRASS CEILING (Gender Equality in Rural and Agricultural Innovation Systems) is a three-year, multi-actor research project funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe.
Operating across nine countries – Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Scotland, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands – the project works to empower rural women and increase the number of socio-ecological innovations led by women in agriculture, the rural economy and rural communities.
At the heart of the project are nine Living Labs, where women innovators collaborate with academic partners and Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) actors to develop and scale innovative solutions.
The project also offers an Online Academy with training resources, MOOCs and webinars, alongside a dedicated Policy Forum that produces tools and recommendations to influence EU and national policy.
GRASS CEILING contributes to the UN’s gender parity goals, the EU Gender Equality Strategy, the Green Deal and the Farm to Fork Strategy, making it a key initiative at the intersection of gender equity, rural development and sustainable agriculture.
Why this matters for Grapes of Change
GRASS CEILING directly complements Grapes of Change by demonstrating what systemic, research-backed support for women in agriculture can achieve.
Its Living Lab model, co-led by women innovators and academics, offers a proven participatory methodology that Grapes of Change could adapt for wine sector contexts.
The project’s Policy Toolkit provides ready-made frameworks for influencing workplace and sectoral policy, highly relevant for Grapes of Change’s own policy implementation goals.
Both projects share a commitment to dismantling structural barriers facing women in male-dominated rural industries, making GRASS CEILING a natural source of evidence, inspiration and potential cross-project learning for building safer, more gender-equal workplaces across European viticulture.
Lessons learned
GRASS CEILING demonstrated the immense value of creating dedicated spaces where rural women can come together, share knowledge and develop skills, particularly when backed by structured platforms, policy forums and peer networks.
The Living Lab model proved effective in connecting women innovators with key stakeholders and policymakers, fostering genuine co-creation.
The project’s legacy includes a MOOC and a newly established Rural Pact Community Group, ensuring continuity beyond its lifespan.
At the same time, the project highlighted the need to better listen to women farmers’ specific needs from the outset and to adapt structures and processes accordingly.
Persistent gaps in gender-disaggregated data and weak policy mainstreaming across participating countries remain systemic challenges requiring longer-term institutional commitment.