News

• The awards recognize innovative projects led by women that generate activity, employment and added value in rural areas

• They are organized into four categories: agricultural activity, fishing or aquaculture activity, economic diversification, and communication.

• Each of these categories will be awarded with a cash prize.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ( MAPA ) has published today in the Official State Gazette (BOE) the extract of the call for the XVII Edition of the Excellence in Innovation Awards for Rural Women , corresponding to the year 2026.

These awards reflect the ministry's commitment to promoting female talent as an engine of economic development, innovation and territorial cohesion, as well as to strengthening a dynamic, competitive rural environment with opportunities.

The awards are divided into four categories : excellence in innovation in agriculture , in fishing or aquaculture , in the diversification of rural economic activity, and in communication . In each category, three initiatives will be recognized, with first, second, and third prizes of €18,000, €12,000, and €7,500, respectively.

In addition, an honorary award will be given for “Special Recognition for the career linked to supporting women in rural areas and rural fishing areas”.

The deadline for submitting applications is May 4th , one month after the publication of the call in the BOE (Official State Gazette).

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has been holding these awards annually since 2010 to highlight projects that demonstrate that rural areas are also spaces of innovation, entrepreneurship and opportunities, and to recognize the strategic role of women in economic, social and territorial sustainability.

Award Categories

The categories of agricultural activity and fishing or aquaculture activity distinguish projects that incorporate innovation and contribute to sustainable, efficient and market-oriented production.

The economic diversification category recognizes initiatives that generate new business and employment opportunities in rural areas, linked to the agri-food industry, services or tourism.

For its part, the communication award recognizes works that contribute to making visible the role of women in rural areas and fishing zones.

The honorary award, of an extraordinary nature, recognizes outstanding careers in the promotion and support of women in these fields.

More information and registration forms are available on the ministry's website, at this link .

2025 Edition

In the 2025 edition, the awards recognized leading initiatives across the region. In the agricultural sector , the first prize went to Villa Insect ( Protiberia , Villamalea, Albacete) for its pioneering model of sustainable insect protein production; the second prize went to Pomoma Fruits.   (Lleida), dedicated to organic fruit using regenerative and precision techniques; and the third for Ana Climent Ortiz for the project   Ca Climent (La Granja de la Costera, Valencia) ,   for the recovery of a traditional peanut variety in danger of extinction.

In fishing or aquaculture activity , Inés Carballo Tomé and her Aitana Espirulina project (Alicante) were distinguished first, followed by María Carmen Sánchez ( Galuriña , Esteiro, A Coruña) with bakery products enriched with algae, and by Bermeoko Neskatila eta Saregin Autonomoen Elkartea , from Bermeo (Vizcaya), thanks to their maritime tourism experiences.

In economic diversification , the first prize went to Onconature   The first prize went to Melida Wines , a food and wine tourism initiative led by two sisters in Mélida (Valladolid), from Órgiva (Granada) ; and the third to the Els Corremarges cooperative.   from Passanant i Belltall (Tarragona), dedicated to ethnobotany. The honorary recognition was awarded to the women cooperative members of the agri-food sector, for their collective and exemplary contribution in rural areas.

In the communication category,   The first prize goes to Pueblos en Arte , from Torralba de Ribota (Zaragoza), an association that revitalizes rural areas through art and culture, for their podcast, Una habitación con vistas (A Room with a View ). The second prize is awarded to Marta Belda Blanco for Dèmeter. Mujer, Tierra y Vida (Dèmeter. Woman, Land and Life) , a book that compiles the experiences of 33 women in the agri-food sector of Almería. The third prize goes to María Julián Prados for the documentary El legado de las pastoras (The Legacy of the Shepherdesses ), which recovers the lives of female shepherds from the Lower Lozoya Valley (Madrid) during the post-war period and promotes generational renewal.