Maria Coto Sauras

María is a Senior Associate in the Spanish programme, specialising in land use, food systems, and nature.

With 20 years of experience, she has focused her career on analysing, monitoring, evaluating, and managing public policies related to regional and local development. Her primary areas of expertise include rural development, combating depopulation, climate change, sustainability, sustainable food systems, and the agri-food sector.

María has played an active role in engaging rural stakeholders through networking, training, and capacity-building initiatives. Prior to joining the ECF, she served as director of rural development and sustainability at a consultancy firm in Madrid.

She holds degrees in agricultural engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and sociology from UNED. María also holds a master’s degree in rural development from CIHEAM-Montpellier and has specialised in public policy innovation at the University of Alcalá.

Passionate about addressing societal challenges, María is committed to fostering an ecological transition that is both socially and territorially just. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, travelling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.