Editor’s Note: This post has been created in collaboration and with financial support from EIT Food. If you’re also interested in partnering with us, just reach out.
The Agrifood sector contributes to a great extent to climate change – 1/3 of all food purchased is wasted, 1/3 of all GHG emissions comes from the food industry and only 1/3 of the freshwater withdrawals are attributed to other sectors of the economy. We need to rethink our food system and in order to do that in a successful way we need innovators coming from various backgrounds, having different experiences that will provide unique solutions. Diversity is a prerequisite of the innovative food system transformation.
In a significant stride towards transforming the agrifood landscape, the Women in Agrifood Summit 2023 took place on December 1st at Talent Garden Vilnius in Lithuania. Organised by EIT Food and facilitated by AgriFood Lithuania DIH, this event marked the culmination of the 4th edition of the Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) programme. EIT Food, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community that accelerates innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.
The summit’s theme, “Balance for the Future: Why Food Systems Need Balance and What Does It Really Mean?” appeared to be the right theme to discuss at the end of turbulent 2023 and just before New Year coming. Bringing together many distinguished speakers and innovative women from across Europe, the summit delved into critical discussions, exploring the collaborative efforts needed to shape the future of the agrifood industry.
Why diversity and inclusion in the agrifood sector?
Science, economics, social and diverse sustainability, and circularity—these are the most important elements of the balance that we are searching for in tomorrow’s agrifood sector, as pointed out by Marja-Liisa Meurice, Director of EIT Food North-East. The importance of empowering women and bridging the gender gap in the agrifood system goes beyond statistics, as it directly enhances the well-being of women and, by extension, contributes to the improvement of society as a whole.
As the Policy Officer from DG GROW at the European Commission, Agnieszka Wojdyr, emphasized, the organizations that prioritize inclusion are six times more innovative and agile. In other words, addressing gender disparities and fostering diversity simply pay off, at the same time advancing a more equitable and just world for all.
Innovation Officer and Gender Equality Lead at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Magdalena Gryszko-Szántó, noted a correlation between a country’s position on the European Institute for Gender Equality’s Gender Equality Index and its standing on the European Innovation Scoreboard. She emphasized that we shall not fix women, we shall fix the system, ensure that institutions are free from gender based violence and sexual harassment, free from glass ceilings for women coming back from parental leave, blocking women participation in decision making.
In our world we need both empathy and tech skills to address the climate challenges, conflicts and wars – we need diverse teams composed of people with different mindsets and capabilities. Resilience and food security does not stand against sustainability and pro environmental solutions and that is why we need to ensure that we do not throw out the baby with the bathwater and guarantee that peace and stability will be based on green foundations – as pointed out by panelists.
Balance and harmony is about strong core – we need to work on our foundations to be able to tackle the challenges of the future, as summed up by Aleksandra Bara from EIT Food North-East.
Showcasing Innovations at the Walks of EWA Fame
During the Summit, the Walks of EWA Fame featured 11 mentees showcasing their innovative ideas and success stories. Women leaders and founders from Poland, Estonia, Ukraine, Serbia, Slovenia, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and Romania exchanged insights on challenges in the agrifood sector, developing valuable connections with potential partners. Read about their groundbreaking solutions!
Shaping a Future of Diversity and Balance
As we reflect on the Women in Agrifood Summit 2023, it is clear that the collaborative efforts showcased at the event serve as a blueprint for a balanced and prosperous future in the agrifood industry. The summit not only celebrated achievements but also ignited a call to action for continued collaboration and innovation. Together, we can shape a future where diversity and balance are at the core of the agrifood sector’s success.
EWA 2024: Towards the Future
Empowering Women in Agrifood – EWA programme supports women in the development of their agri-food business activities not only through funding, but above all through tailor-made training, mentoring and networking opportunities. The aim of this initiative is to comprehensively support female entrepreneurs at an early stage of their careers in using their potential, providing them with the appropriate knowledge and access to a network of contacts so that they can successfully start and develop sustainable business activities in the agri-food industry.
The programme can be joined by both women with an innovative idea that they would like to develop, as well as entrepreneurs with a recently registered business. In 2023 EWA was supporting 45 young female-led startups from Northern-Eastern and South Europe.
The 5th edition of the EWA programme will take place in 2024. The programme is conducted in local languages, and the exact list of eligible countries will be confirmed at the beginning of 2024.
The programme is organized around the following steps:
- Open application for EWA programme’s participants: April – June
- Evaluation and selection of applicants: May – June
- Matchmaking activity – creating mentoring pairs (Mentee & Mentor): June-July
- Mentoring and training process including Masterclass activity: June – November
- Pitching day (final event at local level): November
- Women in Agrifood Summit – final international event summarizing whole EWA programme: December
Find out more details about the programme here.
About EIT Food
Empowering Women in Agrifood (EWA) is a project under the support of EIT Food. EIT Food is the world’s largest and most dynamic food innovation community. They accelerate innovation to build a future-fit food system that produces healthy and sustainable food for all.
Supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, they invest in projects, organisations and individuals that share their goals for a healthy and sustainable food system. EIT Food unlocks innovation potential in businesses and universities and create and scale agrifood startups to bring new technologies and products to market. They equip entrepreneurs and professionals with the skills needed to transform the food system and put consumers at the heart of their work, helping build trust by reconnecting them to the origins of their food. Find out more about EIT Food via their website, or follow them on social media.
