The report "Innovation Yes, Renewal No: Better-Educated Young People, but a Countryside Running Out of Hands", published by Maldita.es, has been awarded third prize in the 3rd Rural Journalism Awards, organised by the Rural Journalists Network.
The award recognises the work of journalist Ainhoa Díez, from the Maldito Clima team, for addressing some of the main challenges facing rural communities through rigorous, data-driven journalism focused on people's lived experiences.
The award-winning report forms part of Maldita.es' prebunking strategy, which aims to strengthen public resilience against disinformation by explaining complex issues with evidence and reliable data before they become the subject of false claims or misleading narratives. Drawing on Agricultural Census data, expert interviews and scientific evidence, the investigation—developed as part of Maldita Agricultura 2.0, a project co-funded by the European Commission—examines the challenge of generational renewal in agriculture, challenging common stereotypes about farming while providing readers with the context needed to better understand an issue that is often oversimplified or distorted in public debate.
More than 100 entries, including written articles, radio reports and audiovisual pieces, were submitted to this year's competition. Entries were assessed on the basis of originality, journalistic rigour, their ability to portray the realities of rural areas, the human dimension of the stories, and innovation in journalistic storytelling.
The jury highlighted the exceptionally high standard of the submissions, leading it to expand both the second- and third-prize categories. Maldita.es shares the third prize with the report "Marga Vila, the Pride of Her Village from the Bar in San Facundo", published by El Bierzo Digital. The first prize was awarded to Sara Ayuso Delgado for "Mental Health in Rural Areas", broadcast on Castilla y León Televisión. The second prize went jointly to Natalia Calle Faulín for "Rural Entrepreneurship with Women's Names and the Taste of Honey", published in elEconomista, and Adrián del Pozo Jiménez for "Wildfires, El Bierzo's Second Economic Death: 'I Will Fight to See Las Médulas as They Once Were'", broadcast on Cadena SER. The jury was chaired by journalist Rosa Díez-Urrestarazu and included prominent media professionals such as Manuel Campo Vidal, Mari Pau Huguet, Chema López Juderías, Alberto Fandos Portella, Luis García, Isabel García Sanz, and Pepa Pizcueta Torino, Secretary General of the awards.
The award ceremony will take place on 7 July 2026 at the Estrella Galicia Chair for Rural Development in Madrid. The event will also host the Annual Assembly of the Rural Journalists Network and a series of talks and activities on rural journalism.