Polish woman one of the most innovative female farmers in EU

Magdalena Węgiel, a trout breeder, is among the most innovative female farmers in the European Union, the Permanent Representation of Poland to the EU has reported.

In the "Innovation Award for Women Farmers 2018 - Innovative Solutions for Farming Sustainability - Women Farmers’ projects" competition which ended last week, the Polish woman received an award from COPA-COGECA, the united voice of farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU, which promotes the agriculture sector.

Węgiel's project, "Pstrąg Ojcowski", whose goal is to restore the breeding of brown trout in the Ojców National Park, won in the aquaculture category. The competition, supported by the Austrian Presidency, the Directorate-General for Agriculture in the European Commission and AnimalhealthEurope, aims to draw attention to innovative projects carried out by European women involved in the agricultural or forestry sectors.

This edition of the competition was full of exciting and diverse projects that clearly demonstrate the benefits of the empowerment of the position of women in rural areas, in agriculture, the economy and society, in general. It's obvious that more women are needed in agriculture, stressed Lotta Folkesson, the chairwoman of the COPA-COGECA Women's Committee.

"Pstrąg Ojcowski" is a family company founded by a mother and daughter who decided to restore the splendor of ponds located in the heart of the Ojców National Park. The goal of Magdalena Węgiel and her daughter is to restore brown trout breeding, promote environmentally conscious and ethical breeding, and to educate the community about the history of the region and its culinary traditions.