News

• The LIDER-ESAS initiative has been selected as the Spanish representative by the European CAP Network in the ARIA Awards 2026 to compete in the Gender Equality category.
• The project has created a network of more than 90 women entrepreneurs, businesswomen and professionals in the Alagón Valley
• In addition to this category, you may be eligible for the People's Choice Award, chosen by the public through online voting until December 1, 2026.

Promoting female entrepreneurship in rural areas requires more than simply facilitating business start-ups: it also involves creating opportunities, sharing knowledge, and building support networks among women. With this perspective, LIDER-ESAS was born , an initiative developed in the Alagón Valley (Extremadura) that works to give visibility to rural businesswomen and support them in the development and consolidation of their projects.

The project, promoted by the Local Action Group (LAG)   Adesval has successfully established a community of over 90 participants and facilitated the creation of new business initiatives and professional collaborations. As a result, its work has garnered European recognition, becoming the Spanish project shortlisted for the 2026 Agrarian and Rural Inspiration Awards (ARIA) , promoted by the European CAP Network , in the Gender Equality category .

A network to promote female talent and entrepreneurial initiatives

LIDER-ESAS was created to recognize the role of women in the economy and social life of rural areas, providing them with tools and opportunities to develop their business ideas. To this end, the initiative has combined various support and training activities with spaces for meetings and the exchange of experiences. Its main lines of work include:

• Mentoring and personalized advice: support for women entrepreneurs and businesswomen to launch their initiatives and consolidate their businesses.

• Specialized training: workshops on innovation, digitalization, leadership, financing and business development.

• Meetings and conferences: spaces to share experiences, establish contacts and promote collaboration between professionals from different sectors.

• Creation of support networks: promoting relationships of trust and cooperation that strengthen the female business fabric of the territory.

These actions have helped to create a collaborative environment in which participants can share knowledge, identify opportunities, and establish new professional partnerships.

More than 90 women are part of the initiative

One of the main results of LIDER-ESAS has been the creation of a network that brings together more than 90 participants , including 13 female entrepreneurs , 64 businesswomen , and other professionals from the Alagón Valley. The project has also achieved concrete results in the development of new businesses and the training of its participants.

• 13 women have participated in business support programs.

• 9 projects have managed to get underway.

• 8 business collaborations have been facilitated through the network.

• Nine training sessions have addressed issues such as digitalization, marketing, financing, emotional intelligence and business management, with an average of 30 attendees per session.

• The generation of direct and indirect employment has been promoted through cooperation and the exchange of services between businesses led by women.

The initiative has also led to the creation of the LIDER-ESAS Valle del Alagón Association , driven by the participants themselves. This new structure allows for continued collaboration among businesswomen and entrepreneurs, as well as further promotion of business, employment, and self-employment opportunities in the region.

A European recognition at the ARIA Awards 2026

The European CAP Network has selected LIDER-ESAS as a finalist for the new edition of the ARIA Awards in the Gender Equality category. Under the motto “When equality drives the next generation,” the 2026 call for proposals recognizes initiatives funded by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) that contribute to strengthening agriculture and rural communities, with a particular focus on equal opportunities and the role of women and young people.

In this edition, 24 finalist projects have been selected from 128 applications received from various European countries. In addition to the four prizes corresponding to the thematic categories, two awards will be presented: the Generational Transition Award, chosen by the jury, and the People's Choice Award , decided by online voting.

LIDER-ESAS is also eligible for the People's Choice Award . Voting is now open and will remain so until Tuesday, December 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.

The ARIA Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on December 2 in Brussels and can be followed live via the European CAP Network website.

In addition, the European CAP Network has published a promotional video of LIDER-ESAS on its YouTube channel.