Improving analytical capacity and understanding of social drivers in agriculture to better assess social sustainability in the sector

The Horizon Europe funding opportunity, titled "Improving analytical capacity and understanding of social drivers in agriculture to better assess social sustainability in the sector" (Identifier: HORIZON-CL6-2026-03-GOVERNANCE-02), focuses on enhancing the analytical tools and methodologies used to evaluate the social dimensions of agricultural sustainability. This call specifically seeks to address critical knowledge gaps regarding the social impacts of agriculture on farmers and the agricultural sector as a whole.

The call is open to eligible applicants including universities, research organizations, and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from EU Member States and Associated Countries. A consortium of multiple applicants is necessary for submission, emphasizing collaborative research approaches that integrate expertise from social sciences alongside agricultural studies.

The funding mechanism is a lump sum grant with a specified budget ranging from €5,000,000 to €6,000,000 per project. The total available budget for this action is €10,800,000, with an expectation to fund two projects. The application process is single-stage, with a timeline for submissions opening on January 14, 2026, and closing on April 15, 2026. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may also participate in funded consortia, contributing expertise but without financial backing.

Projects should focus on research and development stages, producing research outputs that assist policymakers by offering reliable data and funding tools to improve social performance in agriculture. The expected outcomes include increased data availability, the establishment of new indicators to evaluate social sustainability, and policy recommendations that align with the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and long-term agricultural strategies.

Given its focus on enhancing social sustainability, this call encourages interdisciplinary research that integrates fields such as sociology, psychology, and behavioral sciences to develop comprehensive analytical frameworks for the assessment of social impacts in various agricultural contexts. The call is expected to significantly contribute to policy formulations and the development of methodologies for a just and sustainable agricultural transition in Europe. Success rates, while not explicitly detailed, typically range between 10% and 30% in similar Horizon Europe calls, indicating competitive conditions for proposing teams.

This is a description of the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) Call 03 - single stage (2026) (HORIZON-CL6-2026-03), specifically focusing on the topic "Improving analytical capacity and understanding of social drivers in agriculture to better assess social sustainability in the sector" (HORIZON-CL6-2026-03-GOVERNANCE-02). It is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) with a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA). The call is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 14 January 2026, and the deadline date is 15 April 2026, 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the project are:
1.  The research community benefits from increased data availability, interoperability and use, and improved analytical capacity on social dimensions of agriculture, meaning appropriate data, better indicators, methods and tools to assess social sustainability in the sector.
2.  Policymakers are better equipped with reliable and harmonised analytical research methodologies, and consequently with new and improved knowledge and better understanding of social drivers in agriculture to design evidence-based policies, inter alia to ensure a just transition in the agriculture sector.
3.  Improved social sustainability of the agri-food sector thanks to better knowledge and better policies.

The scope of the project is to address knowledge gaps between agricultural policy priorities and data infrastructure to evaluate social sustainability issues, particularly regarding farmers. It aims to frame the social dimension of agriculture to complement existing environmental and economic aspects of sustainability assessment tools, strategies, and policies for agriculture in the EU. The project should address the lack of consistent data and the exclusion of social aspects from most analytical tools.

Proposals should:
1.  Identify the social impacts of agriculture on farmers (e.g., employment, demography, migration, distributional aspects, procedural justice, inclusiveness, health and well-being, social integration, gender equality, etc.), by considering various types of agricultural activities and farming methods (including organic farming) at various geographical scales, from local, national, EU to global levels.
2.  Map, assess and address gaps in data, indicators, and modelling approaches currently lacking social perspective by considering various types of agricultural activities and farming methods (including organic farming) to improve the assessment of social performance including determinants, synergies, trade-offs and benefits.
3.  Advance access, harmonize and improve interoperability of evidence/data available from observational, qualitative or case-study approaches to complement quantitative research methods. Examine networking structures to reach all relevant actors, interactions and relations, both work- and life-related.
4.  Test, demonstrate and pilot promising new/improved indicators, models, tools and approaches to assess social performance.
5.  Identify and address challenges for the EU, Member States and regions to deploy social sustainability principles in the agricultural sector and provide policy recommendations to overcome them.
6.  Provide recommendations on how to improve the social sustainability of the agricultural sector and ensure a just transition.
7.  Widely disseminate and share knowledge and solutions to policymakers, farmers, businesses and other relevant end-users in order to facilitate their uptake.

The proposals should support EU ambitions related to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP), the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production, and contribute to the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food for 2040. They should also support the development of innovative governance models and the implementation of the future CAP post 2027.

The project should involve the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, demography, behavioural science and education.

Proposals are expected to consider the results of other related Horizon 2020/ Europe projects as well as of other relevant EU-funded projects and initiatives.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding, contributing to scenario assessment with the iMAP modelling platform, sharing information, and disseminating results.

The general conditions for this call include:
1.  Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
2.  Eligible Countries described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3.  Other Eligible Conditions: The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner.
4.  Financial and operational capacity and exclusion described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5.  Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6.  Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
7.  The indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement is described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
8.  Legal and financial set-up of the grants: Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

Specific conditions are described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information is available in the Submission System.

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
*  EIC Work Programme 2026
*  ERC Work Programme 2026
*  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 HORIZON-CL6-2026-03-GOVERNANCE call includes multiple topics with varying budgets and indicative numbers of grants. The HORIZON-CL6-2026-03-GOVERNANCE-02 topic has a budget of 10,800,000 EUR and aims to award 2 grants with contributions ranging from 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR.

Partner search announcements are available for collaboration on this topic. The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

This Horizon Europe call focuses on improving the social sustainability of agriculture by addressing knowledge gaps and data inconsistencies related to the social impacts on farmers. It seeks to fund research and innovation actions that can provide policymakers and the research community with better data, indicators, and analytical tools to design evidence-based policies and promote a just transition in the agricultural sector. The call encourages interdisciplinary approaches involving social sciences and humanities to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the social drivers in agriculture and to support the EU's broader goals for a sustainable and competitive agri-food system.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated, but based on the nature of Horizon Europe funding, eligible applicants can include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other legal entities carrying out research and innovation activities. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) can participate as a member of the consortium. Non-EU/non-Associated Countries may also be eligible if they have specific provisions for funding.

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

Consortium Requirement: A consortium of multiple applicants is generally required, although the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility is for EU member states and associated countries. 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.

Target Sector: The target sector is agriculture, with a focus on improving analytical capacity and understanding social drivers to better assess social sustainability in the sector. This includes the agri-food sector, bioeconomy, natural resources, and environment, with an emphasis on the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production. It also involves Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines, such as sociology, psychology, demography, behavioural science and education.

Mentioned Countries: The opportunity is focused on the European Union (EU) and associated countries. There is also mention of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that may have specific funding provisions.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on research, development, and demonstration, with an aim to improve analytical capacity, test new indicators, and provide policy recommendations. This suggests a focus on validation and demonstration stages, leading to potential implementation.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific action type:
HORIZON-COFUND: EUR 16,000,000 (Year 2027) and EUR 22,000,000 (Year 2026), around EUR 38,000,000 in total, with 1 grant.
HORIZON-RIA: EUR 10,800,000, with individual grants ranging from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000, with 2 grants.
HORIZON-CSA: EUR 9,000,000, around EUR 3,000,000 each, with 3 grants.
HORIZON-CSA: EUR 4,500,000, around EUR 4,500,000 each, with 1 grant.
HORIZON-RIA: EUR 7,000,000, around EUR 7,000,000 each, with 1 grant.
HORIZON-CSA: EUR 6,000,000, around EUR 6,000,000 each, with 1 grant.
HORIZON-CSA: EUR 5,400,000, around EUR 5,400,000 each, with 1 grant.
HORIZON-IA: EUR 15,000,000, around EUR 7,500,000 each, with 2 grants.
HORIZON-CSA: EUR 7,000,000, around EUR 3,500,000 each, with 2 grants.
HORIZON-RIA: EUR 9,800,000, with individual grants ranging from EUR 4,000,000 to EUR 5,000,000, with 2 grants.

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.

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.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding may be required, particularly for HORIZON-COFUND actions, but this is not explicitly stated for all action types.

Summary:
This Horizon Europe call (HORIZON-CL6-2026-03-GOVERNANCE-02) focuses on improving the social sustainability of agriculture by addressing knowledge gaps and enhancing analytical capacity related to social drivers affecting farmers and the agri-food sector. The call aims to support the EU's Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food for 2040. It seeks proposals that can identify social impacts, map data gaps, improve data interoperability, test new assessment indicators, and provide policy recommendations. The call encourages interdisciplinary approaches, involving social sciences and humanities. Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, SMEs, and other relevant entities from EU member states and associated countries, with potential participation from non-EU countries. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant under the HORIZON-RIA framework, with individual grants expected to range from EUR 5,000,000 to EUR 6,000,000. The application process is a single-stage open call, with a submission deadline of April 15, 2026. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as part of a consortium. The overall goal is to equip policymakers and the research community with better tools and knowledge to design evidence-based policies and improve the social sustainability and competitiveness of the agri-food sector.