• The awards recognize the work of 12 initiatives to enhance the value of women in rural areas and, for the first time, include a specific category for fishing and aquaculture.
• The MAPA annually convenes these awards to highlight the work of rural women in diversifying economic activity and entrepreneurial activities.

In this 2021 edition, three awards were presented in each of the four categories: "Excellence for Innovation in Agricultural Activity," "Excellence for Innovation in the Diversification of Economic Activity in Rural or Rural Coastal Areas," "Excellence for Communication," and, for the first time in this edition, "Excellence for Innovation in Fishing and Aquaculture." The honorary recognition was awarded to Pilar Carbonero Zalduegui, the first female member of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MAPA) has held these awards annually since 2010 with the aim of highlighting the work of rural women in the diversification of economic activity and entrepreneurial initiatives in the region. In this way, the Ministry demonstrates its commitment to policies that promote full gender equality, facilitate young women's access to agricultural activity, and foster economic diversification in rural areas, which contributes to halting the depopulation of rural areas.

The list of winners is as follows:

EXCELLENCE FOR INNOVATION IN AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITY

The first prize went to Agroforestal de Penyagolosa SL ., a producer of mycorrhizal trees with black truffles and also dedicated to the agroecological cultivation of vegetables and truffles in dryland highlands, covering seven hectares. This family-run business has its facilities in the Penyagolosa Natural Park, at 1,300 meters above sea level, in Vistabella del Maestrazgo (Castellón).

The second prize went to Taloagro , a family business located in Friol (Lugo) that produces, processes, processes, and markets certified organic beef and poultry from its own production. It has a meat and slow food biocenter for meat cutting, storage, processing, and aging, and an eco-shop offering more than 1,200 varieties of fresh, packaged, and bulk organic products, both from its own and from other local producers.

Third prize went to GBlactics SL , a goat farm located in the town of Torre d'En Besora (Castellón), with a population of less than 200. It produces goat's milk for direct sale, although it also sells organic goat meat and cheeses under its own brand, "Cabritillo del Maestrazgo," as well as manure for fertilizing plots.

EXCELLENCE FOR INNOVATION IN FISHING OR AQUACULTURE ACTIVITY

The first prize in this category went to Natalia Cristina Concepción Grande , who has been promoting a project since 2019 involving the artisanal cultivation, dehydration and processing of 100% pure and natural spirulina algae, from which she obtains a high-quality product with high nutritional value, located in Burguillos del Cerro (Badajoz).

Second place went to Grenoucerie SL , a company based in Carbellino (Zamora), dedicated to raising frogs for processing and marketing under its own brand, Singular. Founded in 2014, it currently offers a diversified production, selling 20 tons of products annually in six countries.

The third prize went to the National Association of Women in Fishing (Anmupesca) , a non-profit organization established in 2016 whose objectives include defending the economic and professional interests of women working in fishing, shellfish farming, aquaculture, and other related services, as well as promoting the visibility and recognition of women seafarers. It currently comprises 35 women's associations across Spain, representing approximately 15,000 professionals.

EXCELLENCE FOR INNOVATION IN DIVERSIFICATION OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN RURAL AREAS OR RURAL COASTAL AREAS

The first prize went to the Grío Cultural Association of Codos (Zaragoza), for its project "Let's Save the 'R' for Rural." This association, founded in 1989 by a group of young people concerned about the depopulation occurring in the region, aims to create jobs through the provision of social services. The two main projects launched are the Río Grío youth center, which houses children with special needs between the ages of 4 and 17, and the La Lonja senior residence.

Second prize went to Spiga Negra (the trade name of AIKB Ekoerrota SL), an artisanal pasta workshop with exclusive design and the only one in Spain with its own micro-semolina mill and cereal processing plant. It is currently the only surviving mill in the Antequera region, an area with a long cereal-growing tradition, and one of only four remaining in the entire province of Málaga.

The third prize goes to L'Aresta Cooperativa , a non-profit social initiative made up mostly of women in Santa Coloma de Queralt (Tarragona), which seeks to promote and sustain transformative projects in rural areas. In addition to baking bread, they teach young people about healthy and sustainable eating and conduct research on food systems and the rural world.

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATION

The first prize in this category went to Cuaderno Agrario , a television program covering current affairs in the primary sector produced by Andalucía Multimedia since 2014 and currently broadcast weekly on 7TV channels in Andalusia. It is also broadcast on the Latin American channel Agrotendencia TV, and online via the website www.cuadernoagrario.com and the program's own YouTube channel.

The second prize went to Salvaje magazine , a quarterly publication focused on rural areas and nature. The magazine was launched in 2019 with the aim of providing a fresh perspective on the complex reality of rural areas, striving for the highest quality in both reporting, images, design, and format, offering a new narrative about rural areas.

The Fishing and Shellfishing Foundation has won third place for its Redmar III project, a platform for employing women on board. Its objective is to promote the employability of women with maritime-fishing training and to foster good practices in safety, the environment, and gender equality.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR A CAREER RELATED TO SUPPORTING WOMEN IN RURAL AREAS

This year's honorary recognition is awarded to Pilar Carbonero , a pioneer in transgenic plant research in Spain and the first woman to join the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2003. She is currently an emeritus professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the School of Agricultural, Food and Biosystems Engineering at the Polytechnic University of Madrid.