Green Transition Food Processing Africa

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-14 focuses on "Green Transition Food Processing Africa." This initiative aims to enhance food processing in Africa through strategic collaboration between EU and African partners. It is designed to tackle critical challenges in food safety, quality, and sustainability, particularly for underutilized crops.

Eligible applicants include research institutions, SMEs, start-ups, food processors, farmers, NGOs, and others engaged in food systems, with a mandatory multi-actor approach. A consortium of at least three independent legal entities established in African Union member states is required, with a minimum of two located within the same region. This reflects the call's emphasis on regional integration and genuine African-led innovation.

The funding provided is a lump sum grant through a Research and Innovation Action, with amounts ranging from €5 to €6 million per grant and a total call budget of approximately €11 million for 2026. The submission process is a single-stage application due by April 14, 2026. Projects are expected to address the development, validation, and demonstration of innovative food processing techniques that utilize biotechnologies and circular economy principles.

Co-funding is not explicitly mandated, although optional co-funding from partners may enhance project implementation. The call is intended to promote improved food processing practices, increase biodiversity, reduce post-harvest losses, and support start-up and SME growth through mentoring and acceleration initiatives focusing on inclusivity, particularly for women, youth, and diaspora entrepreneurs.

Overall, the call supports the EU’s strategic goals related to sustainability, nutrition security, and collaboration with Africa, aligning with both the EU’s Green Deal initiatives and the AU-EU strategic cooperation framework. The program facilitates partnership opportunities and emphasizes practical outcomes that can be scaled for commercialization.

This is a Horizon Europe call, specifically HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-14, focusing on Green Transition Food Processing in Africa. It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (RIA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement. The call is a single-stage process with a planned opening date of January 14, 2026, and a deadline of April 14, 2026, at 17:00 Brussels time. The budget for this specific topic is 11,000,000 EUR for the year 2026, and it is expected that around 2 grants will be awarded, with contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR.

The expected outcomes of the projects should contribute to improved food processing facilities in Africa, targeting underutilized crops to deliver safe and healthy nutrition while avoiding over-processing. This includes pulses, soy, millets, yams, cassava (for some regions), fish, fisheries products, and high-value food chains like cocoa and fruits (both organic and conventional). Improvements should focus on safe storage practices, quality assurance and control, innovative processing techniques, and sustainable packaging, utilizing life sciences, biotechnologies (e.g., fermentation), and renewable energy sources. Projects should also aim to reduce post-harvest food losses and waste by using by-products in circular economy approaches, supporting the EU bioeconomy strategy with new techniques, best practices, and food safety measures ready for scale-up through instruments like the AU-EU Innovation Agenda and EU International Partnerships such as DeSIRA+.

The scope of proposals should include promoting start-ups and innovative SMEs through mentoring and acceleration of innovative business concepts, including social innovation and upscaling, with consideration of diversity involving women, young entrepreneurs, and the diaspora, using cascading funding opportunities. Projects should lead to healthy, safe, and nutritious food, increase biodiversity with market opportunities for underutilized crops, and link to other projects of the AU-EU Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture Priority (FNSSA), particularly the CEA-First coordination and support action and the International Research Consortium. Building on results of previous projects, including linkages to projects funded under the AU-EU priority on “Climate Change and Sustainable Energy (CCSE)” is also encouraged.

Proposals must follow the multi-actor approach, combining researchers, food processors (including the informal sector), farmers, NGOs, and other food systems actors. Collaboration with the Joint Research Centre (JRC) via the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre on Global Food and Nutrition Security is encouraged. Financial support to third parties (e.g., academic researchers, start-ups, SMEs) is allowed, with a maximum of EUR 60,000 per third party. When relevant, proposals should consider the activities of NDICI funded Regional Centres of Excellence related to green transition.

Regarding admissibility conditions, proposal page limits and layout are described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form. Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries outlined in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other eligible conditions include applying the multi-actor approach. 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. International organizations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are exceptionally eligible for funding. Consortia must include at least three independent legal entities established in an African Union member state, with at least two of these entities located in the same region as defined by the African Union. Legal entities established in all African Union member states are exceptionally eligible for Union funding.

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. Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F and the Online Manual. The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F.

Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021, and financial support to third parties (FSTP) can be provided in the form of grants, with a maximum of EUR 60,000 per third party. Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes provides further details. Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including a standard application form (HE RIA, IA). Evaluation form templates will be used with necessary adaptations, including a standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA). Guidance is provided in the HE Programme Guide. Model Grant Agreements (MGA) include a Lump Sum MGA. Call-specific instructions, a detailed budget table (HE LS), information on financial support to third parties (HE), and guidance on lump sums are also available.

Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 (General Introduction, Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, and General Annexes), the HE Programme Guide, the HE Framework Programme 2021/695, the HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764, EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509, the Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme, Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment, the EU Grants AGA Annotated Model Grant Agreement, the Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual, Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions, and the Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

Partner search announcements can be viewed and edited by LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants after logging into the Portal. The submission system is planned to open on the date stated on the topic header.

Applicants are advised to read all provisions carefully before preparing their application. The Online Manual serves as a guide on procedures from proposal submission to grant management. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide contains detailed guidance on the structure, budget, and political priorities of Horizon Europe. The Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ provides answers to frequently asked questions. The Research Enquiry Service can answer questions about European research in general and the EU Research Framework Programmes in particular. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance, practical information, and assistance on participation in Horizon Europe, including NCPs in non-EU and non-associated countries. The Enterprise Europe Network provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs, including guidance on EU research funding. The IT Helpdesk addresses questions about forgotten passwords, access rights, technical aspects of proposal submission, etc. The European IPR Helpdesk assists with intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC Research Helpdesk and ETSI Research Helpdesk advise on standardisation in project proposals. The European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for their recruitment outline the roles, responsibilities, and entitlements of researchers, employers, and funders. Partner Search tools help find partner organizations for proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to foster green transition in African food processing facilities by supporting innovative SMEs, promoting sustainable practices, and enhancing food security and nutrition through research and innovation actions. It emphasizes collaboration between European and African entities, the use of underutilized crops, and the reduction of post-harvest losses, aligning with the EU's bioeconomy strategy and global partnerships. The call provides a lump sum grant with opportunities for financial support to third parties and encourages a multi-actor approach involving various stakeholders in the food system.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types include researchers, food processors (including the informal sector), farmers, NGOs, food systems actors, academic researchers, start-ups, SMEs and other multidisciplinary actors. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are exceptionally eligible for funding. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA) with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) in the form of grants, with a maximum amount of EUR 60 000 to each third party.

Consortium Requirement: A consortium is required. In addition to the minimum number of participants set out in the General Annexes, consortia must include at least three independent legal entities established in an African Union member state. The places of establishment of at least two of these legal entities must be in the same region, as defined by the African Union.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Legal entities established in all African Union member states are exceptionally eligible for Union funding. 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. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are exceptionally eligible for funding.

Target Sector: The target sectors are food, bioeconomy, agriculture, climate, and environment, specifically focusing on green transition and food processing in Africa. The program targets food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture.

Mentioned Countries: African Union member states, EU member states, and associated countries are mentioned.

Project Stage: The project stage includes development, testing, validation, and scale-up, with an emphasis on projects ready for scale-up by complementary instruments of the EU Global Gateway Strategy.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the type of action:
HORIZON-RIA: typically between EUR 6 000 000 and EUR 14 000 000, with some exceptions.
HORIZON-IA: typically around EUR 11 800 000 to EUR 12 000 000, with some exceptions.
HORIZON-CSA: typically between EUR 2 000 000 and EUR 3 000 000.

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 a lump sum grant. They may also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants up to EUR 60 000 per third party.

Application Stages: There is a single stage for application.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants for each topic is provided, allowing for an estimation based on the number of applications.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state a co-funding requirement.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call, HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-14, focuses on "Green Transition Food Processing in Africa." It aims to improve food processing facilities in Africa by targeting underutilized crops, ensuring safe and healthy nutrition, reducing post-harvest losses, and promoting circular economy approaches. The call encourages proposals that promote start-ups and innovative SMEs, link to other relevant projects, and involve a multi-actor approach. Eligible applicants include researchers, food processors, farmers, NGOs, and other food systems actors, with consortia required to include at least three independent legal entities from African Union member states. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, with opportunities for beneficiaries to provide financial support to third parties. The call is a single-stage application process with a planned opening date of January 14, 2026, and a deadline of April 14, 2026. This initiative is part of the broader EU Global Gateway Strategy and aims to enhance food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture in Africa, aligning with the EU's bioeconomy strategy and climate change priorities.