• Three prizes have been awarded for each of the four categories, endowed with 18,000, 12,000 and 7,500 euros.
• The objective of these awards is to recognize innovative projects developed by women that contribute to social and economic revitalization in rural areas and actions that recognize their fundamental role in the territory.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food ( MAPA ) has awarded the Spanish women's national football team special honorary recognition at the 15th edition of the Rural Women's Excellence Awards for Innovation , in recognition of its successes (world champion and Nations League champion), but also for becoming a great role model for girls and boys, particularly those living in rural areas.

In this 2024 edition, three prizes have been awarded for each of the four categories (innovation in agricultural activity, fishing and aquaculture, rural economic diversification, and communication), each with prizes of €18,000, €12,000, and €7,500.

With these awards, the ministry demonstrates its commitment to policies that promote full gender equality, facilitate young women's access to agricultural activity, and encourage the diversification of economic activity in rural areas, which contributes to halting the depopulation of these areas.

Excellence in innovation in agricultural activity

The first prize went to the extensive livestock farm OmañaCea TC , located in Muria de Paredes (León), which has its own cutting room. It also has a website through which it directly sells its own products (beef and prepared dishes) as well as those of other local producers.

Second prize went to Marta Martín Abad for her project Entrecabritos , dedicated to traditional pasture-fed goat breeding in Torralba de los Sisones (Teruel). Marta Martín combines original active tourism experiences with the sale of roasted suckling goat and other prepared products.

Third prize went to Quesería Soberón , in Arangas de Cabrales (Asturias). Its two promoters, Elena and Ana Soberón Pidal, aged 30 and 37, are currently the only producers of Arangas cheese, a variety that had not been produced for 20 years.

Excellence for innovation in fishing or aquaculture activities

The first prize in this category went to Conservas Ana María SL , a family business dedicated to the artisanal production of quality anchovies. In October 2023, it opened the first Anchovy Art Gallery in Santoña (Cantabria), where they showcase the artisanal anchovy production process through a five-sense experience, allowing visitors to hear, see, smell, taste, and feel.

The second prize went to Elisabet Casanova Costes, for her active nautical tourism project Xàrter Nàutic Eli in Deltebre (Tarragona), which offers unique experiences that promote the natural, cultural and gastronomic heritage of the Ebro Delta.

The third prize went to the O Fietal Redeiras Association , based in Malpica de Bergantiños (A Coruña). This association, made up of 27 members working in various fishing arts and gear, has contributed to its members' training, visibility, economic diversification, and participation in conferences and workshops, which has allowed them to improve their professional lives.

Excellence for innovation in diversification of economic activity in rural areas

The first prize went to Vetoven Veterinaria SLP , a company led by Leticia González García, located in Medina de Rioseco (Valladolid). Among the wide range of veterinary services it offers are a pet-friendly hotel and a hydrotherapy center.

The second prize went to Epwer Coop. V. for its Gymclass project, through which former gymnast Noa Ros offers rhythmic gymnastics classes to children in rural Castellón. In addition, each year they hold the Gymrience festival, which attracts more than 1,000 attendees.

The third prize in this category goes to illustrator Leticia Ruifernández , based in Garganta de la Olla (Cáceres), who combines the creation of illustrated books with the development of artistic encounters in public spaces in rural areas. Since 2020, she has had her own publishing house, Papel Continuo , developed entirely in Extremadura.

Excellence in communication

The first prize went to Comunicaciones del Campo Español, publisher of the agricultural and livestock newspaper El Campo de Asturias . The award was given for its website lamujerrural.es , which has its own website.

The second prize went to Laura San Felipe Frías for the podcast "Un Café entre Castillas ," about communication and entrepreneurship in rural areas, which she hosts monthly with her collaborator María de la Cruz. Through their programs, they seek to unite the territories of Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha, thus connecting the two rural realities.

The third prize went to Alberto Arija García for the documentary Rural Women , which highlights the visibility of several generations of women living in rural areas of Spain. The piece is divided into two chapters: Invisible Women, with interviews with those who lived through the postwar period, and Silent Women, in which the protagonists are women who had to emigrate from the villages of Palencia as children.

The awards ceremony will be held on October 15 , International Day of Rural Women. The award document is available at this link .