AGRO-WELL Open Call A - Demonstration of smart farming technologies with a proven potential to enhance working conditions in agriculture

The AGRO-WELL Open Call A is a funding opportunity under an EU initiative focused on advancing smart farming technologies aimed at improving working conditions and enhancing occupational safety in agriculture. This call targets innovations that are at Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL5), which are ready for demonstration in real-farm environments. It encourages applications from individual innovators and small consortia of up to three parties from countries eligible under the Horizon Europe HORIZON-CL6 call. The funding type is a non-repayable grant, providing €37,500 per selected project, with a total budget of €150,000 aimed at funding a maximum of four projects. The call explicitly seeks solutions that employ robotics, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and automation within agriculture, particularly to address environmental impacts and enhance farmer productivity and decision-making abilities. The eligible geographic scope includes EU member states, associated countries, and eligible widening countries participating in Horizon Europe. The application process is straightforward, requiring submission through a dedicated email with a form, rather than through complex online systems. The timeline for this call commenced on November 5, 2025, and will close on February 4, 2026. Applications will undergo a rigorous three-stage evaluation process that includes eligibility checks, expert assessments, and final selection by an Advisory Board. Although specific success rates for this call are not provided, with only four projects being funded, it is anticipated to be competitive. Overall, this call represents an opportunity for innovators and farms to receive financial support to validate and demonstrate their technologies, bridging the gap between innovation and practical application in the agricultural sector, while aligning with the EU's sustainability goals and the European Green Deal. The expected outcomes include real-world demonstrations of selected technologies that prove effective in enhancing working conditions in agriculture.

AGRO-WELL Open Call A:Demonstration of smart farming technologies with a proven potential to enhance working conditions in agriculture.

The AGRO-WELL project is an EU-funded initiative focused on developing and supporting innovative smart farming technologies. The project aims to improve working conditions, enhance worker safety, and increase sustainability in agriculture. This is achieved through stakeholder engagement, sustainable business models, and supportive policy recommendations. The project's impacts are intended to span across agricultural technology, governance, business, the food value chain, and policymaking, fostering sustainable development and growth.

Through two Open Calls, AGRO-WELL aims to identify and promote cutting-edge technological ideas and solutions at various Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), significantly increasing their technology readiness and marketable development.

This first Open Call will fund up to 4 top-ranked projects that align with the AGRO-WELL mission. The mission is to enhance occupational safety, optimize decision-making, and mitigate environmental impact to drive long-term agricultural sector transformation. The call targets innovators with solutions at TRL5 who are looking to demonstrate their solution in a real-farm environment, as well as farms interested in hosting demonstrations for innovative data-based and automated solutions. A secondary goal is to attract individuals working on Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), motivating them to develop high-impact solutions to improve working conditions in agriculture.

Technological depth and innovativeness, human-centered innovation, and field experience are central to AGRO-WELL. The Open Call will highlight thorough needs analysis, impact-oriented innovations, and realistic market plans.

Key Details:

Opening Date:05 November 2025

Deadline:04 February 2026, 23:59 (Brussels time)

Deadline Model:Single-stage

Total Funding Available:€150,000.00

Funding per Project:€37,500

Number of Projects to be Funded:Up to 4

Project Acronym:AGRO-WELL

Full Project Name:Agricultural Robotics and Augmented Reality for Workplace Enhancement and Labor Linkage

Grant Agreement Number:101182923

Topic:HORIZON-CL6 - Enhancing working conditions and strengthening the work force through digital and data technologies – the potential of robotics and augmented reality in agriculture

Eligibility:

AGRO-WELL will accept applications from individual applicants and small consortia of up to 3 parties from countries eligible for the HORIZON-C6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-7 call.

Submission Process:

Applicants can submit a proposal by entering their information into an application form and sending the application to an AGRO-WELL e-mail address provided.

Selection Process:

The selection of proposals will be carried out through a three-step process:

Step 1:An initial check will verify whether the application meets the basic eligibility requirements.

Step 2:External experts will assess the proposals based on defined evaluation criteria.

Step 3:The Advisory Board will select the 4 proposals with the highest score given by the evaluators.

Selected beneficiaries will undergo a final eligibility check and sign the Sub-grant Agreement before joining the programme.

Expected Outcomes:

Results from the funded projects will be highly variable and dependent on the topic, but at a minimum should include:

Demonstration on a commercial farm of an AR, robotic, or automation-based solution already at TRL5 and with a proven potential to enhance working conditions in one of the four farming systems identified.

In the case of fruit and vegetable farming, at least one growing season should be covered.

Assessment of the impacts of the demonstrated solutions.

Further Information:

For further information, see the Guide for Applicants.

For further information about the AGROWELL project, visit agro-well.eu

The AGRO-WELL Open Call A is an opportunity for innovators and farms to receive funding to demonstrate smart farming technologies that can improve working conditions in agriculture. The call specifically targets solutions at TRL5, focusing on Augmented Reality, robotics, and automation. The goal is to enhance occupational safety, optimize decision-making, and mitigate environmental impact in the agricultural sector. Successful projects will involve demonstrating these technologies on commercial farms and assessing their impact, particularly in fruit and vegetable farming where at least one growing season should be covered. The project aims to bridge the gap between innovative technologies and real-world application in agriculture, fostering a more sustainable and efficient future for the industry.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are individual applicants and small consortia of up to 3 parties.

Funding Type:The funding type is a grant, specifically cascade funding.

Consortium Requirement:Both single applicants and consortia are eligible, with consortia limited to a maximum of 3 parties.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility is limited to countries eligible for the HORIZON-C6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-7 call.

Target Sector:The target sector is agriculture, with a focus on smart farming technologies, agricultural technology, robotics, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital and data technologies. The program also touches on governance, business, food value chain, and policymaking within the agricultural context.

Mentioned Countries:The opportunity does not explicitly mention specific countries, but eligibility is restricted to countries eligible for the HORIZON-C6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-7 call. Therefore, the relevant region is defined by the eligibility criteria of the HORIZON-C6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-7 call.

Project Stage:The project stage is demonstration. The call targets innovators with solutions at TRL5 looking to demonstrate their solution in a real-farm environment.

Funding Amount:The funding amount is €37,500 per project. The total funding available is €150,000, allocated to up to 4 projects.

Application Type:The application type is an open call.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a grant.

Application Stages:The application process involves three stages: an initial eligibility check, assessment by external experts, and selection by the Advisory Board.

Success Rates:Up to 4 projects will be funded out of all applications received, so the success rate is likely to be below 10%, depending on the number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement:The provided text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:

The AGRO-WELL Open Call A is an EU-funded initiative designed to promote the adoption of smart farming technologies to improve working conditions, enhance worker safety, and increase sustainability in the agricultural sector. This open call seeks to identify and support innovative solutions at TRL5, specifically focusing on demonstrating these solutions in real-farm environments. The call encourages applications from both individual innovators and small consortia (up to 3 parties) from countries eligible for the HORIZON-C6-2024-GOVERNANCE-01-7 call. The primary focus is on solutions that leverage augmented reality, robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation to address challenges in agriculture.

The AGRO-WELL project aims to foster sustainable development and growth by impacting agricultural technology, governance, business, the food value chain, and policymaking. The call is particularly interested in projects that enhance occupational safety, optimize decision-making, and mitigate environmental impact. The selected projects will receive €37,500 each, with a total of €150,000 allocated to support up to 4 projects. The application process involves submitting a proposal via an application form to a specified email address, followed by a three-step evaluation process: eligibility check, external expert assessment, and final selection by the Advisory Board. The opening date for submissions is November 5, 2025, and the deadline is February 4, 2026. The project aims to support the demonstration of AR, robotic, or automation-based solutions on commercial farms, covering at least one growing season for fruit and vegetable farming, and assessing the impacts of the demonstrated solutions.