Boosting circularity and diversification strategies of terrestrial livestock production systems

The Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-05 aims to boost circularity and diversification strategies in terrestrial livestock production systems through funding of innovative projects. Under the Horizon Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), this opportunity is structured as a single-stage application process with a budget of €12 million, anticipating two grants of €6 million each. The call opens on January 14, 2026, and closes on April 14, 2026.

Eligible applicants must form a mandatory consortium, comprising multiple stakeholders including farmers, livestock organizations, researchers, universities, private sector actors, policy-makers, and consumers, emphasizing a multi-actor approach. This approach ensures coverage of the entire value chain in livestock production while mandating collaboration across sectors.

The geographic scope of eligible participants includes all EU member states and Associated Countries. Projects must focus on various livestock systems, targeting agriculture, bioeconomy, and sustainability, particularly through the lens of circular economy principles.

Proposals should develop and validate innovative strategies that integrate diverse animal breeds and species, valorize animal by-products, and enhance farming resilience through sustainability practices. The initiative aligns with broader EU policies, including the EU Green Deal and the biodiversity strategy, focusing on reducing the environmental impact of livestock farming, enhancing biodiversity, and minimizing waste.

Funding will be provided as a lump sum to simplify administrative processes. The application will require complete proposals without preliminary stages, and evaluation will consider excellence and impact criteria. Success rates are not explicitly mentioned but are anticipated to be competitive based on previous funding trends within Horizon Europe.

Overall, this call encourages the development of practical tools and validated systems to promote sustainability in livestock farming, supporting contemporary policy objectives for a greener economy and resilient agricultural practices across Europe.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-05, aimed at boosting circularity and diversification strategies of terrestrial livestock production systems. It falls under the broader Horizon Europe program and is part of Call 02, a single-stage call planned for 2026. The action type is HORIZON-RIA, meaning Horizon Research and Innovation Actions, and the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) type is HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The planned opening date is January 14, 2026, with a deadline of April 14, 2026, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. The budget for this specific topic is 12,000,000 EUR, and it is anticipated that around two grants will be awarded.

The expected outcomes of funded projects are that farmers, rural communities, and agrifood or animal by-product value chain operators will benefit from improved practices, technologies, and validated tools that promote sustainability through diversification and circularity in livestock farming systems, contributing to agricultural biodiversity. Public authorities, consumers, and other actors of the value chain will receive evidence-based information on the socio-economic-environmental impacts of diversification and circularity strategies in livestock farming systems to support their choices. Tailored collective actions will be implemented to support the organization of farmers, producers, rural communities, and other value chain stakeholders into cooperatives, associations, or community networks to enhance collaboration, resource sharing, market access, bargaining power, and sustainable development.

The scope of the call focuses on strategies that integrate diverse animal breeds and species, multiple animal products and by-products, and sustainable land-use approaches like mixed crop-livestock systems and agroforestry. These strategies aim to reduce environmental and climate impact, increase biodiversity, minimize waste, and enhance farming system resilience. They can also provide alternative revenue streams, improve farmers’ income stability, reduce dependency on external inputs and single-product markets, and create more sustainable farms and rural economies. The call aims to assess the short- and long-term impact and scalability of these strategies in different pedo-climatic regions and various terrestrial livestock systems, including organic farming. It emphasizes investigating local agricultural and agro-industrial resources, including residues, by-products, and co-products that are not valorized for energy or bio-based chemicals but remain within the farming system for circular uses.

Proposals should address the following activities: developing and validating innovative strategies and tools, including monitoring systems, to optimize diversification and circularity in terrestrial livestock farming systems; fostering the utilization of locally available value-added products, co-products, and by-products; enhancing exchange among participants along the value chain; analyzing the social and economic viability of diversified and circular livestock farming systems; and providing scientific evidence and policy advice to support the assessment of the current EU regulatory framework.

Proposals should address either Area A, any terrestrial livestock production system, or Area B, production system on the wool value chain (i.e., fiber animal production systems), with the chosen area clearly indicated in the application. The projects are relevant to EU policies related to the EU Green Deal, the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, the Circular Economy Action Plan, the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the EU climate policy, and the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic production.

The multi-actor approach is mandatory, requiring the involvement of stakeholders such as farmers, shepherds, livestock sector organizations, territorial planners, advisors, private sector/industry, policymakers, and consumers. Proposals should also capitalize on relevant research findings and tools from previous projects.

Admissibility conditions require adherence to Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes for proposal page limits and layout, with specific details found in Part B of the Application Form in the Submission System. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with additional provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide. Other eligibility conditions include applying the multi-actor approach, as defined in Annex B. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria are described in Annex C.

To ensure a balanced portfolio, grants will be awarded based on ranking, with consideration given to at least one application within the wool value chain and one application within another relevant value chain, provided all thresholds are met. Award criteria are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes, while submission and evaluation processes are detailed in Annex F and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is also described in Annex F.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum, as defined in the Decision of July 7, 2021, authorizing the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme. Legal and financial setup details are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific conditions outlined in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms, along with the model grant agreement (MGA), are available in the Submission System. Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027, the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, the EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the Decision authorizing the use of lump sum contributions, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Terms and Conditions, and Privacy Statement.

The call for proposals aims to foster sustainable and resilient agricultural practices by promoting circularity and diversification in livestock farming systems. It encourages collaborative projects that involve various stakeholders, from farmers to policymakers, to develop and implement innovative strategies that benefit both the environment and the economy. The EU is looking for projects that can demonstrate real-world impact and scalability, contributing to the goals of the EU Green Deal and other relevant policies. By providing evidence-based information and policy advice, these projects are expected to support the transition towards more sustainable and circular agricultural practices across Europe.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but the call targets a multi-actor approach, implying eligibility for a range of stakeholders involved in animal husbandry in Europe. This includes farmers, shepherds, relevant organizations in the livestock sectors, territorial planners, advisors, private sector/industry (e.g., processors, retailers, distributors), policymakers, and consumers. Research organizations, universities, SMEs, large enterprises, and NGOs could also be eligible, provided they are part of a consortium that fulfills the multi-actor requirement. The call specifies LEARs, Account Administrators or self-registrants can publish partner requests.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) or HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) or HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. The eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a multi-actor approach, implying that a consortium of multiple applicants is generally required. The text mentions the need for adequate involvement of various stakeholders, suggesting that a single applicant would likely not be sufficient to meet the call's requirements.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries to the Horizon Europe program. The text also mentions that 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.

Target Sector: The program targets the agriculture/food sector, specifically focusing on livestock production systems, circular economy, bioeconomy, agri-food systems, biodiversity, climate, and rural development. It also targets the wool value chain.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity focuses on animal husbandry in Europe, implying that the primary geographic focus is on European countries. The text also mentions 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.

Project Stage: The project stage can vary. The call includes both Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and Innovation Actions (IA), suggesting that projects can range from development and validation to demonstration and potentially commercialization or scale-up.

Funding Amount: The funding amount varies depending on the specific topic within the call. The budget overview lists several topics with budgets ranging from €2,000,000 to €14,000,000. For the topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-05, which is a HORIZON-RIA, the budget is €12,000,000, and the indicative number of grants is 2, suggesting around €6,000,000 per grant.

Application Type: The application type is an open call, with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant to cover eligible costs.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic provides some insight. For example, the topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-05 indicates 2 grants will be awarded for a €12,000,000 budget.

Co-funding Requirement: The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement. However, Horizon Europe projects often encourage or require some level of co-funding, which would be detailed in the specific call documents.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, part of the FARM2FORK strategy, aims to boost circularity and diversification in terrestrial livestock production systems. It seeks to fund projects that develop and validate innovative strategies and tools for optimizing resource use, enhancing sustainability, and improving the resilience of farming systems. The call encourages a multi-actor approach, requiring the involvement of various stakeholders, including farmers, industry, policymakers, and consumers. Proposals should address either general terrestrial livestock systems or specifically focus on the wool value chain. Funding is provided as a lump sum grant, with budgets varying from €2,000,000 to €14,000,000 depending on the specific topic. The call is structured as a single-stage application process, with a planned opening date of January 14, 2026, and a deadline of April 14, 2026. The projects are expected to contribute to the EU Green Deal objectives, the EU biodiversity strategy, and the Circular Economy Action Plan, ultimately leading to more sustainable and resilient agri-food systems.