• The Spanish projects chosen to receive a possible award in their category are "Mycorrhizae"; "+Companies +Employment +Rural"; and the Phytovid Operational Group.
• The jury has selected 24 projects across Europe in four thematic categories related to the objectives of the CAP.
• The popular vote is open until December 1st to vote for the finalist candidates.

The ARIA 2023 Agricultural and Rural Inspiration Awards , the successor to the Rural Inspiration Awards , now have 24 finalists across Europe who are vying for a possible award in their thematic category, thanks to the European CAP Network . The CAP Network in Spain has been responsible for selecting the best projects submitted in each category and, as such, has encouraged participation and reviewed the applications for submission to the European Union.

This year's theme is "Boosting skills for agriculture and rural areas" , as 2023 is the "European Year of Skills" . The projects presented draw on the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development ( EAFRD ) and/or the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund ( EAGF ) , and are in line with the values and objectives promoted by the European Union's Long - Term Vision for Rural Areas and the Rural Pact .

Spanish finalists

In Spain's case, following the evaluation by the European CAP Network of the applications received by the national CAP networks of each country, the projects selected to compete in the finals — according to their thematic categories — are:

1. Environmental protection

“Mycorrhiza” Innovation Team: Cultivation and application of native mycorrhiza for horticultural production in La Rioja (La Rioja) .

The project has used natural solutions to improve horticultural production and combat climate change, reducing chemical use to 0% and creating a replicable method for rural areas.

2. Socioeconomic fabric of rural areas

Regional cooperation project “+Companies +Employment +Rural” (Castilla y León) .

Eleven Local Action Groups (LAGs) in Castile and León have worked and continue to work together to improve employment and entrepreneurship, highlighting job opportunities and promoting sustainable development in rural areas. They thus contribute to the revitalization and promotion of the labor market through information, advice, and monitoring aimed at the unemployed, entrepreneurs, and businesses. They also have a rural employment platform.

3. Smart and competitive agriculture

GO Phytovid: Optimizing the use of phytosanitary products in viticulture based on vigor maps (Catalonia) .

This innovation project has demonstrated that reducing chemical pesticide use is possible by combining training and technology. Furthermore, the practices are aligned with the Farm to Fork Strategy.

Popular vote and ceremony

Along with these categories, a Popular Vote Award will be awarded through an online vote. Any European citizen can vote for each of the 24 finalist projects for a chance to win a prize in this category here . Voting is open until 6:00 PM on December 1st .

The 2023 ARIA Awards ceremony will take place on December 4 in Brussels and will also be available to watch online. The five ARIA 2023 winners will be revealed: four thematic winners (one per category), selected by the jury, and the Popular Vote winner.