InnovAgroWoMed
Photo © UNDP Lebanon – LHSP
Social Innovation in the Agri-food sector for Women’s Empowerment in the Mediterranean sea basin

About the project

On both sides of the Mediterranean Sea, there is a common trend in terms of low women empowerment and participation in the labor force. InnovAgroWoMed project aims at boosting women labor participation and entrepreneurship, by leveraging on the potential of the agri-food sector - an industry closely linked to the cultural identity of the Mediterranean region - and showing a significant level of untapped potential in terms of innovation and growth. While countries such as Spain and Italy feature comparatively high levels of growth in the agri-food sector, albeit, with very low levels of women participation, the MENA agricultural business is still fragmented, and with low women employment. This project will focus on two European regions (Valencia, Spain and Sicily, Italy) and two MENA areas (Béja and Médenine in Tunisia, and Palestine), identified as suitable for the implementation and scaling up of a sustainable value model in the agri-food sector: Rural Social Innovation (RSI). RSI redefines the boundaries between organizations and the community, addressing broader societal challenges by seeking economic, social and environmental sustainability, balancing tradition and innovation and explicitly seeking community development at the local level. 

Key information

InnovAgroWoMed
Social Innovation in the Agri-food sector for Women’s Empowerment in the Mediterranean sea basin
A.3 Promotion of social inclusion and the fight against poverty
A.3.1 Professionalization of young people (NEETS) and women
Italy, Spain, Tunisia, Palestine

Financial data

2.8 million
Total budget
2.4 million
EU contribution
%
13%
Project co-financing

Highlights

Project in numbers

5
Partners
4
Countries
11
Technical outputs

Project duration

Start date
End date

Partnership

News

Events

Library

Deliverables

Documents

Videos

What will be improved?

The innovative RSI model, tailored according to the local needs, ensures that the women after the intensive training programs will have the necessary skills to be competitive and more prepared to find a job or become entrepreneurs. This will allow them not only to find a job but also a “sustainable” and desirable job as it will transform them into real agents of change in the rural contexts they live in, reducing poverty and boosting social inclusion. 

Who will benefit?

  • 140 young women, especially NEETS, in rural areas of Italy, Palestine, Spain and Tunisia
  • Local agri-food businesses

Expected achievements

  • 140 women trained in marketable skills in the agri-food sector
  • 4 job profiles defined according to the needs of the agri-food sector
  • 4 coaching and mentoring programmes
  • 4 traineeship programmes for women on Rural Social Innovation
  • 2 agro-business fora to match job profiles with local business needs
  • 4 agreements for a local agri-food stakeholder network to help match between job offers and demand
  • 112 women with a sustainable job by the end of the project
     
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Project news

"من إيدين" المستفيدات من مشروع InnovAgroWoMed "أطيب"

نظمت جمعية "أصالة" الفلسطينية فعالية "من إيدينا أطيب"، تحت شعار "كل شي من اللبن"، شاركت فيها عديد الرياديات من قطاع تثمين منتجات الحليب وعلى رأسه…

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Project news

InnovAgroWoMed grant gave a boost to revive a local variety of peanut in Spain

Ana Climent Ortiz from Valencia has recovered a traditional variety of cocoa beans and markets them online in 15 gourmet stores in the province, thanks to the subgrant she has…

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"InnovAgroWoMed allowed me to realize the dream of entrepreneurship, I went from ideation to implementation"

Tatiana Gisela Bagnis has launched Emprenderse, a consultancy for sustainable rural planning and management, thanks to the subgrant and trai…

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"Joining InnovAgroWoMed has been a great personal and professional reinforcement”

Valencian Isabel Tomás Castelló has started her own agro-transition advisory and consultancy business thanks to the grant and the training received in the framework of the Inn…

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بيان قطيط -مستفيدة من InnovAgroWoMed: '' لدي صعوبة في الوصول إلى مزرعتي لوجودها في مناطق "ج" ولكنني متشبثة بإنجاح مشروعي''

قام فريق مشروع InnovAgroWoMed من فلسطين وإيطاليا يوم 20 مارس 2023 بزيارة ميدانية لمشروع المستفيدة بيان ق…

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InnovAgroWoMed-Italy: "Voices from the Mediterranean" event supporting a sustainable agri-food female entrepreneurship

The event was organized by CESIE, partner of InnovAgroWoMed in Italy. The main issue that was raised was:…

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جمعية أصالة توقع عقود مع ٦ مشاريع نسوية فائزة بمنحة مشروع InnovAgroWoMed في فلسطين

وقعت الجمعية الفلسطينية لصاحبات الاعمال- أصالة عقود مع ستة نساء صاحبات مشاريع نسوية في قطاع الصناعات الغدائية للحصول على منحة ضمن مشروع InnovAgroWoMed لينطلقن مباشرة بعد التو…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Italy: discover AgroMini

AgroMini operates in the field of soil protection and sustainable soil management, offering farms training, consultancy and support in the transition to regenerative agriculture.

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"Nin'nuova" the first baby of InnovAgroWoMed!

The InnovAgroWoMed family is growing thanks to the efforts of our beneficiaries to make their dreams come true and to make our objectives, conceived on Excel files, become living beings!

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia receives its beneficiaries to award them their training certificates

After 10 months of in-depth training, the Tunisian beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed are now officially certified by the Tunisian authorities …

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia: two subgrantee´s women take part in a training in the fisheries sector

This complementary training will help them in their project of valorising fishery products.

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InnovAgroWoMed's commitment goes beyond the agri-food sector

The beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed are now well trained in agrifood related topics. Some have received a subgrant. The commitment of working on their social inclusion is stil…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Spain grants €7,500  to 6 women

An agroforum on the theme "Resilient: 4 challenges to feed the future" was organised. During this event, 6 women entrepreneurs who won the call for sub-grants were rewarded.

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InnovAgroWoMed in Italy awards 3 grants to women in rural Sicily

Providing training and consulting to the new generation of farmers, promoting bike tourism and local products as well as the bee sectors: here are the 3 projects of our women …

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia turns an enemy into an opportunity for women's empowerment!

The blue crab, renamed "Daech" for its voracity, has long been considered an invasive enemy. InnovAgroWoMed, after extensive research, has decided to transform it in…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia: a beneficiary participates in the fair on “women´s products in rural areas

Seewar Al Kouki, one of the women who benefitted from InnovAgroWoMed training, takes part in the “women´s products from rural area” fair whe…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia announces the awarded subgrants to 6 projects benefitting 16 women

CAWTAR, Tunisian partner of InnovAgroWoMed, announces the names of 16 Tunisian women who got the subgrants and are ready to launch their own projects in the field of agri-foo…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Spain: 6 women entrepreneurs receive a €7,500 subgrant

Six subgrants have been awarded to women entrepreneurs that live in the Valencian Community with an ammount of €7,500 to invest in their entrepreneurial proposals. Some projec…

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Sonia Falcó: "With InnovAgroWoMed, I had the opportunity to meet a very powerful group of women"

Get to know this restless and curious young woman, her experience and her expectations.

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Jessica Olcina: "Hopefully I can get the InnovAgroWoMed subgrant and start my project in rural areas"

Jessica hopes to turn her passion into a job and contribute to a necessary and urgent social change. All she needs is funding.

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InnovAgroWoMed in Spain launches 6 subgrants of 7,500 euros for women in the agri-food sector

Do you live in the Valencian Community? Have you set up your company from last July 2021 or are you planning to do so? This subgrant could b…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia launches sub-grants to finance women's projects in the agri-food sector

The total value of these sub-grants amounted to more than 288,000 Tunisian dinars. Last date for submitting the application: August 15, 2022…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Palestine opens its applications for sub-grants in the agrifood sector

Asala Association, the Palestinian partner of the InnovAgroWoMed project, is opening this sub-grant opportunity to Palestinian women who intend to launch their projects in the…

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InnovAgroWoMed Italy: call for sub-grant for agrifood start-ups!

To support women's entrepreneurship, InnovAgroWoMed calls for application to subgrant women's start-ups in the agri-food sector. Application deadline: July 24, 2022

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InnovAgroWoMed beneficiaries share their experiences & warm thoughts about their trip to Jordan

We collected for you some very relevant and emotional testimonies of the project beneficiaries who participated in the Winter Women Camp of …

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From now on, no cheese secret escapes the super-beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia!

The beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia went through the process of processing dairy products with a fine-toothed comb during 5 weeks of practical work as intense as it…

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InnovAgroWoMed beneficiaries in Spain can really count on the huge potential of agroecology in their area

This is a small glimpse of the agro-ecological context in Spain, a sector with a huge potential in which the women participating in the …

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InnovAgroWoMed gathered women from 4 countries to celebrate diversity and cooperation

Through its winter camp, the project gathered about 50 beneficiaries who met for the first time. On the table: opportunities, subgrants, cooking, music, professional discoveri…

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Sales and a well-deserved medal for the beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed

4 beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia participated in the exhibition-sale "culinary walks" and attracted the attention of all visitors and the jury too!

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InnovAgroWoMed in Spain meets María who wants to repopulate deserted areas

Through creating a cooperation to process almonds, a local product, and recovering livestock farming to stop depopulation.

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Women trained by InnovAgroWoMed share their career plan and ideas of business

After sharing their difficulties to start up during the 1st master class, the beneficiaries of InnovAgroWoMed are meeting again to talk about their projects and ambitions.

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InnovAgroWoMed in Palestine train 33 women on food processing

The training aims at providing InnovAgroWoMed beneficiaries with the necessary knowledge and skills in food safety and hygiene, food-processing, quality assurance, packaging and labelling.

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InnovAgroWoMed in Spain informs about EU funds in agroecology and helps connect women who want to enter this sector

The meeting was a point of encounter between the companies of the sector, the social entities, and the women entrepreneurs in the agricultur…

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InnovAgroWoMed offers an opportunity for Mediterranean rural women to share their challenges in the agri-food sector

For the first time, women from 4 Mediterranean countries felt they belong to a cross border cooperation project and were surprised to discov…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Tunisia organised a field visit to continue supporting women towards a stable job in the agrifood sector

The Tunisian and Italian partners were finally able to meet physically and discussed with the Tunisian Ministry of Women and exchange with w…

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InnovAgroWoMed puts sustainability at the core of its training

During its training in Italy, women were more aware about their ecological footprint. Our future professionals in the agri-food sector will be responsible women who rank sustainability as a top priority.

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InnovAgroWoMed in Italy explores ways towards ethical purchasing groups

Based on the experience of a Sicilian cooperative, InnovAgroWomed could encourage groups of people who buy from local producers while guaranteeing ethical, social and environm…

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InnovAgroWoMed in Spain provides training to women related to the agro-ecology sector

Social innovation, sustainability, entrepreneurship and digital skills are at the heart of this training to facilitate labour integration in the agro-ecological sector.

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InnovAgroWoMed-Palestine: ASALA is hiring trainers

ASALA, member of the InnovAgroWoMed Consortium in Palestine is hiring trainers to conduct courses on Food Processing. Deadline for submission: 6 October 2021.

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Rewrite your story! InnovAgroWoMed Campaign in Italy

In Italy, 30 women are benefiting from the InnovAgroWoMed project. The mission does not stop here, a raising awareness campaign "Riscrivi la tua storia" has been launched!

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Job vacancy at CESIE under InnovAgroWoMed project

CESIE-Italy is seeking for expert(s) in supporting start-up development. Deadline for submitting: 5/9/2021

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InnovAgroWoMed honors these heroines facing the pandemic!

They were as always and against all odds, on all fronts. These heroines facing the pandemic and discrimination, with few means, and a lot of bravery!

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InnovAgroWoMed – Interview: “If you like to learn & challenge yourself, you will enjoy entrepreneurship!”

Discover the story of Clementina Domingo, this young and cheerful Spanish social entrepreneur who dedicates her life to defend what belongs …

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InnovAgroWoMed-Spain: JOVESOLIDES is hiring teaching staff

JOVESOLIDES will be receiving proposals till one week before each unit training to start (check the attached "TORs" document).

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Rewrite your own story: the InnovAgroWoMed training courses are launched in Italy

For 35 aspiring young italian women, the time has come to start their training in the agri-food sector. CESIE inaugurated today the InnovAgroWoMed training.

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InnovAgroWoMed - interview with Samar Qawasmi: obstacles are nothing but challenges that push us to resist and succeed

Learn about the success story of the Palestinian investor, Samar Qawasmi, who accidentally entered the food industry while preparing a pasta…

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Tunisia: take part in the InnovAgro Med agro-food training course and make your dreams come true!

Do not miss this opportunity, your dream is not as far as you might imagine, sign up for the "InnovAgroWoMed" training course on a…

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Italy: join InnovAgroWoMed training program for women in the agri-food sector

The free of charge training is open to young women who wish to start an entrepreneurial activity in the agri-food sector or to get training in the field of food processing.

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InnovAgroWoMed-Palestine: Registration is open for training program

This program aims to implement 640 training hours for 35 women from Ramallah, in order to enhance their labour participation and entrepreneurship, by developing their knowledg…

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InnovAgroWoMed-Spain: Call for participation for a training program

The ultimate goal of this program is to stimulate the employability of women and strengthen their entrepreneurial spirit in the agri-food sector.

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[InnovAgroWoMed] Monthly interview : "Perseverance is a key element to success"

Marwa & Sawssen, these shining and determined young entrepreneurs who know very well rural women working in the agricultural and agrifood sector : they are aware of their …

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Monthly Dialogue project (InnovAgroWoMed): Perseverance is the key to all closed doors... It's a big part of success.

Sawsan and Marwa know a lot about the women of the Sector, their problems, the difficulties they face, their daily challenges and some of th…

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InnovAgroWoMed team in Tunisia visits Medenine

The Social Innovation Project team in the agricultural food sector for the empowerment of women in the Mediterranean region of Tunisia, represented by the project coordinator in Tunisia, the value chain expert …

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InnovAgroWoMed project meets local actors in Medenine, Tunisia

The InnovAgroWoMed project team in Tunisia made a field visit to Zarzis at the Governorate of Médenine, one of the regions targeted by the InnovAgroWoMed project in Tunisia.

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Tunisia: Taysir Conseil joins the InnovAgroMed stakeholders network

The Center of Arab Women for Training and Research (CAWTAR), executive partner of the InnovAgroWoMed project signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Taysir Conseil to collab…

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InnovAgroWoMed project takes stock of results and plans 2021 activities

The team of the InnovAgroWoMed project held a meeting to update on what has been achieved during the first year of the project and to plan for the new year 2021.

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Developing InnovAgroWoMed's training: Women entrepreneurs in the wine industry

In the second half of 2021, a training will be launched for 35 Sicilian women that aspire to run a business in the agri-food sector or to work as employee.

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Tunisia: InnovAgroWoMed meets with local stakeholders

In the framework of the InnovAgroWoMed project, CAWTAR team made a visit to the Thibar sectoral college of agricultural professional training (Beja-Tunisia).

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Tunisia: InnovAgroWoMed field visit to Testour

The Center of Arab Women for Training and Research team made a field visit to Testour (Beja Governorate), one of the two Tunisian regions targeted by the InnovAgroWoMed project.  

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Meet the InnovAgroWoMed consortium: Jovesólides, Spain

Let's discover Jovesólides, member of the InnovAgroWoMed consortium in charge of the implementation of project activities in Spain, with our guest Lourdes Mirón, president of Jovesólides.

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InnovAgroWoMed joins 'Startup Europe Mediterranean' (SEMED)

The InnovAgroWoMed project is pleased to announce its collaboration with Startup Europe Mediterranean SEMED and its registration on its digital platform.

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Meet the Palestinian partner of InnovAgroWoMed project

We often talk about what they do in the project, but rarely about who they are, these women and men who are behind the implementation of InnovAgroWoMed project.

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[InnovAgroWoMed] "Women are unstoppable and we have come to stay"

From Jovesólides, executive partner of the InnovAgroWoMed project, we interviewed Elisa Catalunya, a successful and courageous farmer form the Valencia region, Spain.

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Meet the InnovAgroWoMed Consortium: CAWTAR, Tunisia

We often talk about what they do in the project, but rarely about who they are, these women and men who are behind the implementation of InnovAgroWoMed.

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InnovAgroWoMed: The review of an intense and challenging first year!

A year like no other, strongly marked by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Meet the InnovAgroWoMed Consortium

We often talk about what they do in the project, but rarely about who they are, these women and men who are behind the implementation of InnovAgroWoMed.

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InnovAgroWoMed celebrates the International Day of Rural Women

On October 15, ENI CBC Med Programme organized a webinar on the theme "Unleashing the potential of Mediterranean women in rural areas: constraints and solutions in the COVID-19 era".

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InnovAgroWoMed: The research team holds a follow-up meeting

The research team of the InnovAgroWoMed project organized a follow-up and coordination meeting on October 6, during which a status on the progress of the research was presented to the partners.

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[InnovAgroWoMed] The monthly interview: Inaam Abu Musallam, founder of “Make a Wish”

Everything started when her son needed a diet that included healthy meals to help him lose weight. She started preparing these meals and snacks for him at home. These meals we…

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InnovAgroWoMed: a team meeting dedicated to project management

On September 24, 2020, a meeting was held and dedicated specifically to the management of the project.

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Palestine: InnovAgroWoMed is looking for an external auditor

The Palestinian Business Women Association - Asala is looking for an external auditor under the InnovAgroWoMed project.

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Meet the InnovAgroWoMed Consortium: #Guest1: University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy

We often talk about what they are doing in, but very little about who they are, these women and men who are behind the implementation of the InnovAgroWoMed project. Today we w…

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InnovAgroWoMed project is looking for an audiovisual production agency

The deadline for the submission of tenders is Monday, October 5th, 2020 at 3 p.m.

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InnovAgroWoMed - The monthly interview: Soumaya Atoui, founder of "Healthy & Bnin"

What started as an amateur blog quickly became a business: read the story of Soumaya, a talented young lady from Tunisia who created “Health…

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Meeting between InnovAgroWoMed and AQUACYCLE & CLIMA projects: Together we are more efficient!

The meeting, hosted by Center of Arab Women for Training and Researches “CAWTAR”, was an opportunity to explore potential synergies and coll…

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Open call for tenders: technical assistance for the InnovAgroWoMed project

CAWTAR is looking for expert(s) in Communication, Networking and Awareness Raising. Deadline for submitting offers is 20th of August 2020 at 01:00 PM (Tunis time).

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InnovAgroWoMed - The monthly interview: Souha Ben Mehrez, Tunisian beekeeper

Read the story of Souha Ben Mehrez, a 26 years old Tunisian agronomist engineer turned beekeeper.

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InnovAgroWoMed team prepares for the upcoming activities

The InnovAgroWoMed project team submitted its first progress report on July 1st, 2020, a few weeks after the kick-off webinar held on June 16th.

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Successful kick-off for InnovAgroWoMed project

The InnovAgroWoMed project was officially launched during its kick-off webinar held on June 16th in the presence of more than 120 participants for about 3 hours.

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Tunisia: InnovAgroWoMed is looking for researchers in women empowerment and agri-food sector

CAWTAR is is looking for researchers in women empowerment and agri-food sector to coordinate and implement the WP3 "research for the development of the training model&quo…

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13 June 2020
InnovAgroWoMed – Tunisia: Meeting with Minister of Women, Family, Children and the Elderly

The Executive Director of CAWTAR, Dr. Soukaina Bouraoui, held a working session with Ms. Asma Alssahiri, the Tunisian Minister of Women, Family, Children and the Elderly.

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03 June 2020
InnovAgroWoMed, a project aimed at increasing the employability of Mediterranean women in the agri-food sector

Despite the strong potential of the agri-food sector on both sides of the Mediterranean, figures still indicate alarming rates of unemployme…

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Project news

18 May 2020
Tunisia: the InnovAgroWoMed project is looking for an external auditor

The deadline for the receipt of bids is 19 June 2020.

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11 May 2020
InnovAgroWoMed: Women for the transition, Women for the generation...

A lucid analysis of what is needed to support women entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Project news

27 April 2020
InnovAgroWoMed: empowering Mediterranean women in the agri-food sector

The innovAgroWoMed project, based on rural social innovation paradigm, represents an effective opportunity to increase women employability in the agri-food sector. 

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Project news

25 April 2020
InnovAgroWoMed project team e-meeting

The InnovAgroWoMed project team discussed ways to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the project implementation plan.

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22 April 2020
InnovAgroWoMed: supporting women entrepreneurship in the agro-food sector

InnovAgroWoMed expects to train 140 women in marketable skills and to define four job profiles according to the needs of the agri-food sector.