The Montañas del Teleno Local Action Group has secured a €10,000 grant from the Network of Agricultural Test Spaces (RETA) to develop 'Teleno Rural Lab', a pilot project that will promote women's entrepreneurship in beekeeping and extensive poultry farming.
The Montañas del Teleno Local Action Group has obtained a €10,000 grant in the 2026 call from the Network of Agricultural Test Spaces (RETA), an initiative driven alongside the Carasso Foundation. The funds will be used to launch the project 'Teleno Rural Lab: Women, Beekeeping and Poultry Farming', which aims to design an Agricultural Test Space adapted to the reality of this region in León.
A rural laboratory for female entrepreneurs
Agricultural Test Spaces are essentially a testing ground for those who want to enter the primary sector without taking on all the risks at once. They offer training, advice, and a real production environment to validate the project before making the definitive leap. In this case, the focus is on beekeeping and extensive poultry farming, two activities with a low entry threshold and high potential for differentiation.
The idea is for women in the region to test their business ideas in controlled conditions, with technical support and without the pressure of a high initial investment. The project is intended to be permanent: it is not just a course, but aims to create a stable structure that allows for generational change and retains population in the area.
Heather honey and free-range chickens
The project highlights two flagship products of the area. On one hand, heather honey, a high-quality product linked to the heaths of the Sierra del Teleno, which also contributes to biodiversity conservation through pollination. On the other, extensive poultry farming, which prioritises animal welfare and sales through short circuits, something that consumers increasingly value.
Both activities align with the philosophy of the circular economy and sustainable rural development. The Agricultural Test Space will not only train female entrepreneurs but will also help to energise the local economic fabric and enhance resources that have been underutilised until now.
Gender perspective against depopulation
One of the pillars of the project is its gender focus. The Agricultural Test Space will prioritise women from the region, a group with particular difficulties accessing the agricultural sector. According to the Local Action Group, the initiative aims to "facilitate their access to the agricultural sector, contribute to generational change, and generate new employment opportunities and ties to the territory."
The Montañas del Teleno region is experiencing significant aging and population loss, like many rural areas in Spain. Projects like this aim to offer real alternatives to those who want to stay or return to the village but need initial support to launch their own business.
In the coming months, the Local Action Group will work on designing the operational model through a participatory process. It is planned to involve local councils, women's associations, cooperatives, and agricultural organisations so that the Agricultural Test Space meets the real needs of the territory.
The €10,000 grant will cover the work of territorial analysis, technical and legal design, governance definition, and participant recruitment. Although the amount is not large, RETA's support represents a significant boost for a project that aspires to become a reference for social innovation in rural areas.
"This grant represents an important backing for an initiative that aims to open new opportunities for rural women in our territory," the entity states. The next step will be to seek complementary funding for the effective establishment of the space, which could be operational by 2027.
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