The new Ministerial Order includes rural sectors in the coast and contemplates the granting of an economic endowment for the prizes, whose amount will be set in the corresponding calls.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has published in the Official State Gazette a Order by which the regulatory bases of the "Excellence for Innovation for rural women" awards are modified, extending the objective to rural sectors in coastal areas, thus incorporating among its recipients the fishing sector, key in the economic development of our country, in the establishment of population and in the preservation of traditional and sustainable livelihoods on the coast.

Thus, the prize of "Excellence in innovation in fishing or aquaculture activity" is created as a new category, and includes rural sectors in the coast through the prize "Excellence in innovation in diversification of activity" economic development in rural areas or rural coastal areas ".

The new Order also contemplates the granting of an economic endowment for some of the awards, the amount of which will be set in the corresponding calls, and the criteria for project valuation are defined more precisely, in line with the objectives set by the General Directorate of Rural Development, Innovation and Forest Policy.

Award categories

Based on the modifications introduced in the regulatory bases, the following categories of awards are established:

  • "Excellence in innovation in agricultural activity" award. It will be granted to those projects that in the development of their activity use agricultural, livestock or forestry technologies that result in the advancement of a sustainable sector, efficient in obtaining quality products, that respond to the demand of consumers and consumers and that can integrate marketing and promotion strategies.
  • "Excellence in innovation in fishing or aquaculture activity" award. This award will be granted to those projects that in the development of their activity use fishing or aquaculture technologies that result in the advancement of a sustainable sector, efficient in obtaining quality products, that respond to the demand of consumers and consumers and that can integrate marketing and promotion strategies.

Rural women or entities of women linked to the fishing economic sector may participate, understood as a conglomerate of closely related activities, based on the exploitation and exploitation of living marine resources, which includes extractive fishing, commercialization, transformation, shipbuilding , the auxiliary industry and related services.

  • Award of "Excellence for innovation in diversification of economic activity in rural areas or rural coastal areas". It will be granted to those projects that diversify the economic activity of the rural environment, linked, among others, to the agri-food industry, to the industry of the products of fishing or aquaculture, to the provision of services to agriculture and forestry, to activities related to the provision of services and social integration and tourism activities that favor new economic areas or generate employment in rural areas or in rural coastal areas.
  • "Excellence in communication" award. Aimed at recognizing the work in the fields of communication, information and media that have contributed to spreading the activity of women in rural areas or in rural coastal areas, their social recognition and their national and international promotion and with this they have promoted equality of opportunities between women and men.
  • "Special recognition for the trajectory linked to support for women in rural areas". It is an extraordinary recognition that can be granted to that natural person who is a woman or legal entity in whose direction a woman participates, when there are outstanding or continuous circumstances related to the support, promotion and enhancement of women in rural areas or in rural coastal areas. It is a recognition of honorific character that will not entail economic endowment.

The published Order also contemplates the granting of an economic endowment for the awards, except recognition for the trajectory linked to support for rural women, and its amount will be set in the corresponding annual calls.

Within each of the categories, a first, second and third prize will be established, chosen according to the score obtained based on the assessment criteria and whose cash endowment will be proportional to the position obtained.

The new Order also defines, with more precision, the evaluation criteria of the projects, in line with the objectives set by the General Directorate for Rural Development, Innovation and Forest Policy.



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