How can research contribute to real-world change? The new SWIFT Advocacy Tool brings together research, evidence and experiences from the field to support advocacy for more gender-equitable agricultural policies.

Research projects generate valuable knowledge. But academic papers and reports are not always easy to access or use for people working on the ground, engaging in policy discussions or advocating for change.

This was one of the motivations behind the new SWIFT Advocacy Tool, launched on 30 September 2026 as part of the Horizon Europe project SWIFT – Supporting Women-Led Innovations in Farming and Rural Territories.

Rather than presenting research as a collection of reports and academic publications, the tool translates insights from the SWIFT project and beyond into an accessible, visual and story-driven format. It is designed to help users connect evidence and experiences with practical strategies for change.

Three entry points into the agricultural policy landscape

The tool is structured around three themes: Income & Subsidies, Generational Renewal and Access to Land.

These themes provide different entry points into some of the challenges shaping the present and future of farming.

Through each theme, visitors move through stories from the field, research findings and evidence. Along the way, they can explore how policies and structures affect different people and communities, and consider possible strategies for change.

The tool ultimately leads towards practical resources that can support advocacy and decision-making.

From knowledge sharing to advocacy

The SWIFT Advocacy Tool is primarily aimed at social movements and organisations engaging in policy discussions at EU level. Researchers, policymakers and others interested in gender-equitable agricultural and rural policies are also important audiences.

Its purpose is not simply to communicate research findings. It is intended to facilitate knowledge sharing, advocacy and decision-making in support of medium- and long-term gender-responsive strategies for farming and rural areas.

By bringing together evidence, lived experiences and practical resources, the tool aims to make knowledge more accessible and useful for those working towards change.

Explore the tool

The SWIFT Advocacy Tool is now available at: https://feministagroecology.com

We invite researchers, policymakers, social movements, farmers’ organisations and others working on agricultural and rural issues to explore the tool and share it with their networks.

The Advocacy Tool is one of the outputs of SWIFT – Supporting Women-Led Innovations in Farming and Rural Territories, a four-year Horizon Europe project working to advance the position of women and LGBTQI+ persons in farming and rural territories.

We’re pleased to welcome Giacomo Giulietti to the Rural Sociology Group as a visiting scholar from the University of Perugia, Italy. Giacomo is a PhD candidate whose research explores the role of local food systems in fostering sustainable development and territorial regeneration in rural, peripheral and internal areas. His research is grounded in the South-West Orvietano Internal Area in Umbria, Italy, with a particular focus on the Valle del Chiani. During his time at RSO, he is further developing his work on local food systems and Alternative Food Networks, while engaging with broader debates on food system transformation, rural development and food governance.

Research focus

Giacomo’s research focuses on how the reorganisation of local food systems and Alternative Food Networks can strengthen territorial resilience, support local agricultural production, and reconnect food, communities and territories. His work also examines how farmers, consumers, public institutions and civil society can contribute to developing more sustainable and locally embedded food systems.

His research brings a perspective on local food systems and territorial change to broader debates in rural sociology, food system transformation, rural development and food governance, connecting insights from his case study in Umbria to wider theoretical and comparative discussions.

Current work at RSO

During his visiting stay at the Rural Sociology Group, Giacomo is further developing the theoretical framework of his PhD research on local food systems and Alternative Food Networks in rural and internal areas. He aims to deepen his understanding of current debates on food system transformation, rural development and food governance, while exploring different perspectives on community engagement and participatory approaches.

This visit also provides an opportunity to exchange ideas with researchers working on related topics and to place his case study within a broader international research context.

Why RSO and Wageningen?

Giacomo was drawn to Wageningen for its strong expertise in food systems, rural development and the social dimensions of agricultural and territorial change. The themes addressed within RSO, particularly food provisioning and rural development, closely connect with his PhD research on local food systems and Alternative Food Networks in internal areas.

This visit offers valuable opportunities to engage with different theoretical perspectives, exchange ideas with an international research community and further develop his research within a stimulating interdisciplinary environment.

Beyond research

Outside his academic and professional work, Giacomo enjoys spending time outdoors, especially walking and exploring rural and natural areas. He has a particular interest in maps, rural landscapes and the history of traditional rural buildings. He also enjoys researching the stories behind old farmhouses, agricultural structures and traces of past land use.