Women are at the heart of family farming, food production and life in rural areas. They are the custodians of knowledge and practices, guardians of seeds, builders of solidarity networks and key players in many of the social and political transformations that have shaped the rural world. However, all too often, their work, their knowledge and their demands remain invisible or are undervalued.

It is with the aim of giving visibility to the perspectives, experiences, knowledge and demands of women farmers that the URGE project – Cultivating Equality: Rural Women, Food Systems and Agroecology in the Iberian Peninsula – was launched. The project places women farmers at the centre of research and action, recognising their fundamental role in family farming, food systems and the sustainability of rural areas. It aims to contribute to a greater appreciation of their work and knowledge, strengthening their voice in the debates and decision-making processes that affect rural areas and the future of food.

To this end, we aim to bring together women farmers, associations, co-operatives, organisations and movements linked to family farming, agroecology, feminism and food systems, creating spaces for dialogue, learning and collective action based on the experiences, priorities and proposals of the women farmers themselves.

This 1st URGE Workshop aims to be a space for listening, reflection and collective action, where women farmers will take centre stage. The meeting seeks to create the conditions for sharing experiences, identifying common challenges and collectively developing proposals for fairer, more sustainable and more inclusive food systems and local areas.

We also hope that this meeting will help to chart the course for the project’s future research and actions, including the organisation of a possible Agroecological Caravan in Portugal, centred on the practices, initiatives, knowledge and demands of women farmers and rural women.

Throughout the meeting, we will:

- To share experiences and practices in agroecology and family farming led by women farmers;
- To reflect on the challenges currently faced by women in family farming and in rural areas;
- To identify demands and policy changes considered a priority by the participants;
- To learn about initiatives, networks and experiences of collective organisation driven by women;
- To map out projects, knowledge, practices and struggles that need to be made more visible;
- Collectively shape the future Agroecological Caravan;
- Define possible itineraries, areas, experiences and key figures that the Caravan might encounter, visit and raise awareness of.

The Agroecological Caravan aims to be a collective process of coming together, learning, raising awareness and taking action, built upon the proposals and priorities of the participating women farmers. As it travels through different rural areas, it will seek to highlight their experiences, their knowledge and their contributions to family farming, agroecology and food systems, whilst also helping to develop proposals for transforming public policies, local areas and food systems.

Because fostering equality also means recognising, valuing and strengthening the role of women farmers in shaping the future of our regions.

Free to attend, subject to prior registration

_{Organised by: CES, DINAMIA-CET-Iscte}