Boosting agrobiodiversity for food security and sustainable competitiveness
Overview
The Horizon Europe call titled "Boosting Agrobiodiversity for Food Security and Sustainable Competitiveness" (HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-06) offers a total budget of €12 million to support two large-scale research and innovation projects, each receiving €6 million. The funding is set to address critical agricultural challenges including genetic erosion and biodiversity loss, which threaten food security and agricultural resilience.
Eligible applicants for this grant include a diverse range of stakeholders such as universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, agribusinesses, public bodies, and policymakers, primarily from EU member states and associated countries. The multi-actor approach is a mandatory requirement, endorsing engagement from various stakeholders like farmers, land managers, and foresters throughout the project. International collaboration is encouraged, particularly with China, as part of the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions initiative.
The funding operates as a lump sum grant under the Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) category, allowing successful applicants to receive fixed amounts rather than reimbursements based on actual costs. This structure ensures predictability and lowers administrative burdens on the grant holders. The call specifies that the projects should focus on research through early stages of technological validation, avoiding the development of technologies beyond Technology Readiness Level 4.
Proposals must demonstrate measurable outcomes that enhance agricultural practices by promoting agrobiodiversity. The projects are required to quantify the economic impacts of agrobiodiversity on food security, develop risk assessment tools for diversification, and enhance financial instruments for farmers. They should address not only the environmental but also the socio-economic barriers that hinder broader adoption of diversified farming systems.
Applications must be submitted through a single-stage process by September 17, 2026. The evaluation will consider all proposals based on excellence, impact, and implementation, with successful applicants notified by January 2027. Co-funding is not explicitly required, although leveraging additional resources from partners is encouraged.
Overall, this initiative aligns with key EU policies aimed at fostering sustainable farming, enhancing food security, and reversing the loss of biodiversity, thus seeking to create a resilient agriculture sector equipped to tackle future environmental challenges.
Eligible applicants for this grant include a diverse range of stakeholders such as universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, agribusinesses, public bodies, and policymakers, primarily from EU member states and associated countries. The multi-actor approach is a mandatory requirement, endorsing engagement from various stakeholders like farmers, land managers, and foresters throughout the project. International collaboration is encouraged, particularly with China, as part of the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions initiative.
The funding operates as a lump sum grant under the Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) category, allowing successful applicants to receive fixed amounts rather than reimbursements based on actual costs. This structure ensures predictability and lowers administrative burdens on the grant holders. The call specifies that the projects should focus on research through early stages of technological validation, avoiding the development of technologies beyond Technology Readiness Level 4.
Proposals must demonstrate measurable outcomes that enhance agricultural practices by promoting agrobiodiversity. The projects are required to quantify the economic impacts of agrobiodiversity on food security, develop risk assessment tools for diversification, and enhance financial instruments for farmers. They should address not only the environmental but also the socio-economic barriers that hinder broader adoption of diversified farming systems.
Applications must be submitted through a single-stage process by September 17, 2026. The evaluation will consider all proposals based on excellence, impact, and implementation, with successful applicants notified by January 2027. Co-funding is not explicitly required, although leveraging additional resources from partners is encouraged.
Overall, this initiative aligns with key EU policies aimed at fostering sustainable farming, enhancing food security, and reversing the loss of biodiversity, thus seeking to create a resilient agriculture sector equipped to tackle future environmental challenges.
Detail
This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals focusing on boosting agrobiodiversity for food security and sustainable competitiveness. The call is part of the Horizon Europe Programme, specifically under Call 01 single stage (2026) (HORIZON-CL6-2026-01). The type of action is HORIZON-RIA, which stands for Horizon Research and Innovation Actions, and the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The deadline model is single-stage, with a planned opening date of April 17, 2026, and a deadline of September 17, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time.
The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are that land managers, farmers, foresters, agri-businesses (including SMEs), and policymakers will gain access to practical knowledge of clear demonstrations of benefits and trade-offs associated with biologically diversifying their agroecosystem. Furthermore, farmers, land managers, and foresters should be incentivized and rewarded for implementing practices that improve agrobiodiversity, leading to higher incomes and long-term sustainability and resilience of agriculture, greater food security, competitiveness, and healthier ecosystems. Finally, the projects should enhance capabilities for farmers to store, process, and market their diverse raw materials and products, derived from greater agrobiodiversity, while improving their market access and strengthening their position within the value chain.
The scope of the call addresses the threat of genetic erosion to agricultural resilience, emphasizing that genetic diversity is crucial for crops to withstand environmental stresses. It acknowledges that the demand for increased food production often drives large-scale agriculture, which compromises biodiversity and long-term productivity. The call aims to promote and expand agrobiodiversity to enhance agricultural resilience, overcoming socio-economic obstacles that hinder broader adoption. It seeks to demonstrate the role of conserving agricultural biodiversity in enhancing food production, increasing farmers' incomes, and safeguarding livelihoods against environmental challenges. A significant obstacle to a wider adoption of more diversified production systems, is perceived risk in that process, in terms of yield, (marginal) income, lack of demand, stable and sufficient pricing, and potential increase of pests.
Proposals submitted under this call should:
Quantify the contribution of agrobiodiversity (including soil microorganisms) at the parcel/farm level, considering both species abundance and composition, and its economic impact, particularly in regard to food security, such as yield stability, nutritional quality, nutrient cycling, and resilience to pests and diseases.
Develop solutions and strategies to scale successful agrobiodiversity practices tailored to local, regional, and national levels to strengthen farmers’ financial position in adopting more diversified production systems.
Test how instruments for mobilizing private finance, such as nature credits, could enhance the competitiveness of farmers, foresters, and other land managers, including by opening up new opportunities of income.
Build on and develop a decision support tool analyzing the risk of diversifying production systems, in terms of yield, marketability, pricing, pests and diseases, hazard assessment of adverse organisms, genes and chemicals, and more, to assist farmers, breeders and agribusinesses in farm diversification.
Provide recommendations for farmers, breeders, agricultural organizations, and agribusinesses for risk mitigation in adoption of wider varieties and marketability of non-conventional crops and local breeds produced in lower volumes.
Define and evaluate the costs of farm diversification, in terms of labor and management complexity, and explore how these may be offset via lower costs of external inputs. Identify behavioral determinants in different socio-economic and cultural contexts to adoption of biodiversity friendly practices.
Explore pathways for the valorization of products, including tailored food processing and storage, relevant risk assessments for new methods/varieties, and strengthened collaboration with food industries.
The projects funded under this topic are expected to align with EU policies related to the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food, the biodiversity strategy for 2030, the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production, the Nature Credits Roadmap, and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding to assess the inclusion of quantified data in the EU Food System Monitoring Dashboard and farm sector resilience analysis. Proposals should allocate appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service.
Proposals must adopt a multi-actor approach, engaging diverse stakeholders, particularly farmers and land managers, to integrate sector-specific knowledge and needs. This ensures impactful outcomes that address conservation and habitat requirements while aligning with agricultural contexts.
Proposals should build upon existing knowledge and solutions developed from previous projects demonstrating positive outcomes of enhancing agrobiodiversity for sustainable agriculture, funded by EU and national programs, including Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and the LIFE program. Cooperation with the Agroecology Partnership and the Mission Soil is also encouraged.
International cooperation, particularly with China under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative, is strongly encouraged. The development of specific technologies above TRL 4 is outside the scope of this topic.
The general conditions for this call include:
Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries are detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other Eligible Conditions: The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a beneficiary with zero funding or as an associated partner, but will not participate in proposal preparation and submission. Proposals must apply the multi-actor approach.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial setup of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. Further details are in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information:
Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions and a detailed budget table (HE LS) are provided, along with guidance on lump sums.
Additional documents include:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
The budget overview for the call in 2026 includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01: EUR 13,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03: EUR 18,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04: EUR 13,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-05: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-06: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01: EUR 11,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-02: EUR 11,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-03: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-05: EUR 6,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-06: EUR 3,000,000, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-07: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 3
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-08: EUR 8,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-09: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-10: EUR 8,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-11: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-02: EUR 11,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
Partner search announcements are available for those seeking collaborators. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.
For support, applicants are encouraged to consult the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.
In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to promote agrobiodiversity to enhance food security, increase farmers' incomes, and safeguard livelihoods against environmental challenges. It encourages projects that quantify the benefits of agrobiodiversity, develop strategies for scaling successful practices, test instruments for mobilizing private finance, and provide recommendations for risk mitigation in farm diversification. The call emphasizes a multi-actor approach, international cooperation, and alignment with EU policies related to agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainability. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the submission deadline is September 17, 2026.
The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this call are that land managers, farmers, foresters, agri-businesses (including SMEs), and policymakers will gain access to practical knowledge of clear demonstrations of benefits and trade-offs associated with biologically diversifying their agroecosystem. Furthermore, farmers, land managers, and foresters should be incentivized and rewarded for implementing practices that improve agrobiodiversity, leading to higher incomes and long-term sustainability and resilience of agriculture, greater food security, competitiveness, and healthier ecosystems. Finally, the projects should enhance capabilities for farmers to store, process, and market their diverse raw materials and products, derived from greater agrobiodiversity, while improving their market access and strengthening their position within the value chain.
The scope of the call addresses the threat of genetic erosion to agricultural resilience, emphasizing that genetic diversity is crucial for crops to withstand environmental stresses. It acknowledges that the demand for increased food production often drives large-scale agriculture, which compromises biodiversity and long-term productivity. The call aims to promote and expand agrobiodiversity to enhance agricultural resilience, overcoming socio-economic obstacles that hinder broader adoption. It seeks to demonstrate the role of conserving agricultural biodiversity in enhancing food production, increasing farmers' incomes, and safeguarding livelihoods against environmental challenges. A significant obstacle to a wider adoption of more diversified production systems, is perceived risk in that process, in terms of yield, (marginal) income, lack of demand, stable and sufficient pricing, and potential increase of pests.
Proposals submitted under this call should:
Quantify the contribution of agrobiodiversity (including soil microorganisms) at the parcel/farm level, considering both species abundance and composition, and its economic impact, particularly in regard to food security, such as yield stability, nutritional quality, nutrient cycling, and resilience to pests and diseases.
Develop solutions and strategies to scale successful agrobiodiversity practices tailored to local, regional, and national levels to strengthen farmers’ financial position in adopting more diversified production systems.
Test how instruments for mobilizing private finance, such as nature credits, could enhance the competitiveness of farmers, foresters, and other land managers, including by opening up new opportunities of income.
Build on and develop a decision support tool analyzing the risk of diversifying production systems, in terms of yield, marketability, pricing, pests and diseases, hazard assessment of adverse organisms, genes and chemicals, and more, to assist farmers, breeders and agribusinesses in farm diversification.
Provide recommendations for farmers, breeders, agricultural organizations, and agribusinesses for risk mitigation in adoption of wider varieties and marketability of non-conventional crops and local breeds produced in lower volumes.
Define and evaluate the costs of farm diversification, in terms of labor and management complexity, and explore how these may be offset via lower costs of external inputs. Identify behavioral determinants in different socio-economic and cultural contexts to adoption of biodiversity friendly practices.
Explore pathways for the valorization of products, including tailored food processing and storage, relevant risk assessments for new methods/varieties, and strengthened collaboration with food industries.
The projects funded under this topic are expected to align with EU policies related to the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food, the biodiversity strategy for 2030, the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production, the Nature Credits Roadmap, and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation.
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding to assess the inclusion of quantified data in the EU Food System Monitoring Dashboard and farm sector resilience analysis. Proposals should allocate appropriate resources to ensure close cooperation with the EC Knowledge Centre for Biodiversity (KCBD) and its Science Service.
Proposals must adopt a multi-actor approach, engaging diverse stakeholders, particularly farmers and land managers, to integrate sector-specific knowledge and needs. This ensures impactful outcomes that address conservation and habitat requirements while aligning with agricultural contexts.
Proposals should build upon existing knowledge and solutions developed from previous projects demonstrating positive outcomes of enhancing agrobiodiversity for sustainable agriculture, funded by EU and national programs, including Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, and the LIFE program. Cooperation with the Agroecology Partnership and the Mission Soil is also encouraged.
International cooperation, particularly with China under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative, is strongly encouraged. The development of specific technologies above TRL 4 is outside the scope of this topic.
The general conditions for this call include:
Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
Eligible Countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries are detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other Eligible Conditions: The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a beneficiary with zero funding or as an associated partner, but will not participate in proposal preparation and submission. Proposals must apply the multi-actor approach.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial setup of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021. Further details are in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information:
Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA, IA).
Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA).
Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide.
Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include the Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions and a detailed budget table (HE LS) are provided, along with guidance on lump sums.
Additional documents include:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
The budget overview for the call in 2026 includes several topics:
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-01: EUR 13,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-02: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-03: EUR 18,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-04: EUR 13,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-05: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-BIODIV-06: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-01: EUR 11,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-02: EUR 11,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-03: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-04: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-05: EUR 6,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-06: EUR 3,000,000, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-07: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 3
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-08: EUR 8,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-09: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-10: EUR 8,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-CIRCBIO-11: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01: EUR 10,000,000, indicative number of grants: 1
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-02: EUR 11,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
HORIZON-CL6-2026-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03: EUR 12,000,000, indicative number of grants: 2
Partner search announcements are available for those seeking collaborators. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.
For support, applicants are encouraged to consult the Online Manual, Horizon Europe Programme Guide, Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, Research Enquiry Service, National Contact Points (NCPs), Enterprise Europe Network, IT Helpdesk, European IPR Helpdesk, and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks.
In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to promote agrobiodiversity to enhance food security, increase farmers' incomes, and safeguard livelihoods against environmental challenges. It encourages projects that quantify the benefits of agrobiodiversity, develop strategies for scaling successful practices, test instruments for mobilizing private finance, and provide recommendations for risk mitigation in farm diversification. The call emphasizes a multi-actor approach, international cooperation, and alignment with EU policies related to agriculture, biodiversity, and sustainability. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and the submission deadline is September 17, 2026.
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Breakdown
Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the call is open to a wide range of stakeholders including land managers, farmers, foresters, agri-businesses (including SMEs), policymakers, breeders, and agricultural organizations. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium. The multi-actor approach is mandatory, implying the need for diverse stakeholders in the consortium. Eligibility extends to non-EU/non-Associated Countries with specific funding provisions, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Funding Type: The funding type is primarily grant-based, specifically HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) are also available. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.
Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required, as indicated by the mandatory multi-actor approach and the involvement of diverse stakeholders such as farmers, land managers, and the potential participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as a consortium member.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. However, a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. International cooperation is strongly encouraged, including with China under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative.
Target Sector: The program targets the agriculture and food sector, specifically focusing on agrobiodiversity, food security, sustainable agriculture, organic production, nature restoration, and the bioeconomy. It also touches upon climate, environment, and innovation within these sectors.
Mentioned Countries: China is explicitly mentioned due to the encouragement of international cooperation under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative. The primary geographic focus is on the EU and associated countries.
Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the type of action. HORIZON-RIA actions typically support projects from research to demonstration, while HORIZON-IA actions focus on innovation and market uptake. The call specifies that the development of specific technologies above TRL 4 is out of the scope of this topic.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic, ranging from €3,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) to €18,000,000 for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). For Innovation Actions (IA), the funding ranges from €5,000,000 to €6,000,000.
Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.
Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants to cover eligible costs.
Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.
Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate. For example, topics with a budget of €10,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants suggest a more competitive environment than topics with a similar budget but fewer grants.
Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated, but as a Horizon Europe action, it is likely that co-funding is not mandatory but can strengthen a proposal.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on "Boosting agrobiodiversity for food security and sustainable competitiveness." It aims to address genetic erosion and promote agricultural resilience by enhancing agrobiodiversity. The call encourages projects that quantify the economic and food security impacts of agrobiodiversity, develop strategies for scaling successful practices, test private finance instruments, and build decision support tools for farmers. It emphasizes a multi-actor approach, engaging diverse stakeholders including farmers, land managers, and agri-businesses. International cooperation, particularly with China, is encouraged. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with amounts varying by topic, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The call is relevant to EU policies on agriculture, food, biodiversity, and nature restoration, seeking to incentivize practices that improve agrobiodiversity, increase farmer incomes, and enhance the sustainability and resilience of agriculture.
Funding Type: The funding type is primarily grant-based, specifically HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) are also available. The Model Grant Agreement (MGA) is a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme.
Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is required, as indicated by the mandatory multi-actor approach and the involvement of diverse stakeholders such as farmers, land managers, and the potential participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) as a consortium member.
Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. However, a number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. International cooperation is strongly encouraged, including with China under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative.
Target Sector: The program targets the agriculture and food sector, specifically focusing on agrobiodiversity, food security, sustainable agriculture, organic production, nature restoration, and the bioeconomy. It also touches upon climate, environment, and innovation within these sectors.
Mentioned Countries: China is explicitly mentioned due to the encouragement of international cooperation under the EU-China Food, Agriculture and Biosolutions (FAB) flagship initiative. The primary geographic focus is on the EU and associated countries.
Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the type of action. HORIZON-RIA actions typically support projects from research to demonstration, while HORIZON-IA actions focus on innovation and market uptake. The call specifies that the development of specific technologies above TRL 4 is out of the scope of this topic.
Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary by topic, ranging from €3,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) to €18,000,000 for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA). For Innovation Actions (IA), the funding ranges from €5,000,000 to €6,000,000.
Application Type: The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.
Nature of Support: Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of lump sum grants to cover eligible costs.
Application Stages: The application process involves a single stage.
Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight into the potential success rate. For example, topics with a budget of €10,000,000 and an indicative number of 2 grants suggest a more competitive environment than topics with a similar budget but fewer grants.
Co-funding Requirement: The need for co-funding is not explicitly stated, but as a Horizon Europe action, it is likely that co-funding is not mandatory but can strengthen a proposal.
Summary: This Horizon Europe call focuses on "Boosting agrobiodiversity for food security and sustainable competitiveness." It aims to address genetic erosion and promote agricultural resilience by enhancing agrobiodiversity. The call encourages projects that quantify the economic and food security impacts of agrobiodiversity, develop strategies for scaling successful practices, test private finance instruments, and build decision support tools for farmers. It emphasizes a multi-actor approach, engaging diverse stakeholders including farmers, land managers, and agri-businesses. International cooperation, particularly with China, is encouraged. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with amounts varying by topic, and the application process involves a single-stage submission. The call is relevant to EU policies on agriculture, food, biodiversity, and nature restoration, seeking to incentivize practices that improve agrobiodiversity, increase farmer incomes, and enhance the sustainability and resilience of agriculture.
Short Summary
Impact The funding aims to enhance food security and sustainable competitiveness by promoting agrobiodiversity and its benefits for agricultural resilience and farmer incomes. | Impact | The funding aims to enhance food security and sustainable competitiveness by promoting agrobiodiversity and its benefits for agricultural resilience and farmer incomes. |
Applicant Applicants should possess expertise in agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and stakeholder engagement, particularly in a multi-actor context involving farmers and land managers. | Applicant | Applicants should possess expertise in agriculture, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and stakeholder engagement, particularly in a multi-actor context involving farmers and land managers. |
Developments The funding will support projects focused on agrobiodiversity, food security, sustainable agriculture, and the development of decision support tools for farmers. | Developments | The funding will support projects focused on agrobiodiversity, food security, sustainable agriculture, and the development of decision support tools for farmers. |
Applicant Type This funding is designed for universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, government bodies, and non-profit organizations. | Applicant Type | This funding is designed for universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), large enterprises, government bodies, and non-profit organizations. |
Consortium A multi-actor consortium is required, engaging diverse stakeholders including farmers, land managers, and agribusinesses. | Consortium | A multi-actor consortium is required, engaging diverse stakeholders including farmers, land managers, and agribusinesses. |
Funding Amount Each project will receive €6,000,000, with a total budget of €12,000,000 available for two projects in 2026. | Funding Amount | Each project will receive €6,000,000, with a total budget of €12,000,000 available for two projects in 2026. |
Countries The funding is primarily relevant for EU member states and associated countries, with encouragement for international cooperation, particularly with China. | Countries | The funding is primarily relevant for EU member states and associated countries, with encouragement for international cooperation, particularly with China. |
Industry This funding targets the agriculture and food systems sector, specifically focusing on agrobiodiversity, food security, and sustainable agricultural practices. | Industry | This funding targets the agriculture and food systems sector, specifically focusing on agrobiodiversity, food security, and sustainable agricultural practices. |
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