Open Call for Farmers to participate in the TRAILS4SOIL Project

TRAILS4SOIL (Horizon Europe, Grant 101218949) issues an open cascade funding call for farmers in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine to act as experimentation sites for Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices within five Living Labs. Selected farms receive a lump-sum of €5,000 per cropping season for up to three seasons (up to €15,000 standard; additional support for lighthouse sites) from a total budget of €735,000, subject to monitoring and fulfilment of commitments. Applicants must be legally entitled to manage at least 1 hectare dedicated to ReCAP implementation, submit one application, and agree to data collection, participation in Living Lab activities, and sign a Sub-Grant Agreement if selected. The single-stage online call opens 6 May 2026 and closes 6 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST; application forms and FAQs are available via the TRAILS4SOIL open call page.

What it funds

Summary

Selected farms receive lump-sum support for implementing Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP) and participating in Living Lab monitoring, workshops and knowledge exchange. Participation runs for three cropping seasons (2026/2027 to 2028/2029). More details on requirements and activities are on the call page TRAILS4SOIL Open Call ¹.

Funding per farm:€5,000 per cropping season (paid as lump sums) for up to 3 seasons; selected lighthouse sites receive an additional €5,000 subject to extra duties.

1. 1Who can apply: farmers legally entitled to manage land located in one of the TRAILS4SOIL countries (Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine).
2. 2Minimum requirement: at least 1 hectare dedicated to ReCAP implementation.
3. 3One application per applicant; applications may include one or more fields (experimentation sites).
4. 4Selected farmers must sign a Sub-Grant Agreement and commit to monitoring, data sharing, on-site visits and participation in Living Lab activities.

Selection:eligibility check, expert evaluation and scoring, possible interviews/field visits; final choices based on score, budget and Living Lab balance. Total cascade funding available under the call: €735,000.

Contact and application:applications must be submitted via the country-specific online forms listed on the call page; questions should be sent to trails4soil@uco.es. See the call page for application forms and FAQs TRAILS4SOIL Open Call.

Footnotes

1. 1Official call and application forms are published on the TRAILS4SOIL open call page: trails4soil.eu.

Key facts

Call opens:06 May 2026. Call closes: 06 July 2026 23:59 (Brussels/CET). Expected duration of participation: three cropping seasons 2026/2027, 2027/2028, 2028/2029. Total cascade funding available: €735,000. Grant agreement number: 101218949. Project acronym: TRAILS4SOIL (Transformative Living Labs for Soil Health: Advancing Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Across Europe). Programme: HORIZON-MISS Co-creating solutions for soil health in Living Labs.

Contact and information sources:Primary call page and guidelines: trails4soil.eu; central contact email for queries: trails4soil@uco.es ¹

Eligible Applicant Types

Primary intended applicants are individual farms and farmers. The call requires legal entitlement to manage agricultural land and is addressed to farm holders who can sign a Sub-Grant Agreement. Therefore eligible applicant types (practical interpretation) include: individual farmers, family farms, agricultural holdings (legal persons) and farm managers. The call is not aimed at research institutes, universities or companies as primary applicants for these experimentation sites, although selected farmers may collaborate with companies (for MRV testing) and with Living Lab partner organisations. Applicants must be legal entities or natural persons legally entitled to manage the land.

Funding Type

Cascade funding via lump-sum sub-grants (grant). Financial support is provided as a fixed lump sum per cropping season. Selected lighthouse sites may receive additional lump-sum payments.

Consortium Requirement

Single applicant model. Each farm/ farmer submits one application (each applicant may include one or more fields/experimental sites) and will sign an individual Sub-Grant Agreement with the TRAILS4SOIL coordinator if selected.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

The call is restricted to farms located within the TRAILS4SOIL Living Lab countries:Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine. Applicants must have the farm located in one of these countries to be eligible.

Target Sector

Agriculture and environment:specifically regenerative agriculture, conservation agriculture, soil health, crop-livestock integration, organic farming transitions, and practical farm-level innovations for black soil conservation and climate resilience.

Mentioned Countries

Explicitly mentioned countries in the call text:Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine.

Project Stage and Expected Maturity

Field-level demonstration and implementation phase:expected maturity of participating farms is demonstration and validation of Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP) on real cropping systems. Activities include practical implementation, monitoring and adaptation across three cropping seasons (demonstration, monitoring, validation).

Funding Amount and Financial Details

Lump sum €5,000 per cropping season, for up to three cropping seasons (maximum potential total per selected farmer: €15,000). Selected lighthouse sites receive an additional €5,000 (one-off or per season subject to call conditions) tied to additional responsibilities. Total cascade budget indicated: €735,000 covering multiple selected farms across the five Living Labs. Continuation of payments for subsequent seasons depends on fulfilment of commitments and positive progress assessment. Breach of obligations may trigger suspension, termination and recovery of funds.

Application Type and Submission

Open call, single-stage submission through online application forms specific to each country or Living Lab. Application forms are provided in multiple languages and accessible via country links (e.g., Microsoft Forms and Google Forms variations exist for different Living Labs). The form may be completed in the applicant's preferred language. Incomplete or ineligible applications are automatically rejected.

Nature of Support

Monetary support (lump-sum grants) plus non-monetary support:technical guidance from Living Lab leaders, monitoring activities, participation in workshops, knowledge exchange and access to a European network of farmers. Selected farmers may also gain access to MRV technologies and additional visibility as lighthouse sites.

Application Stages and Selection Process

The selection process comprises three main stages followed by final decision and contracting: Stage 1 Eligibility Check; Stage 2 Evaluation and Scoring by an Expert Committee; Stage 3 Clarification and Verification (interviews and/or field visits if required). Final selection considers ranking, available budget and strategic balance across each Living Lab. All applicants will be informed in writing. TRAILS4SOIL may relaunch the call if necessary.

1. 1Stage 1: Eligibility check against formal criteria (location, minimum land area, legal entitlement, single application rule, conflict of interest declaration).
2. 2Stage 2: Evaluation and scoring against selection criteria by expert committee (relevance, technical feasibility, commitment and capacity, data availability and quality, potential contribution to objectives).
3. 3Stage 3: Clarification and verification through interviews and/or field visits for shortlisted applicants to confirm feasibility; no new evaluation criteria introduced at this stage.

Success Rates

Not explicitly stated. The call advertises 49 places on the TRAILS4SOIL website; total available cascade funding is €735,000. Final success rate depends on number of applications received per Living Lab and strategic balance criteria. Applicants should assume competitive selection and that only a minority of applicants will be selected.

Co-funding Requirement

No explicit co-funding from applicants is requested in the call text. The financial support is provided as a lump sum intended to contribute to implementing ReCAPs and related activities. However, applicants must commit to provide labour, land (minimum 1 hectare) and data collection cooperation; these in-kind contributions are part of the project obligations.

Eligibility Criteria (detailed)

1. 1The farm must be located in one of the TRAILS4SOIL countries: Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania or Ukraine.
2. 2At least 1 hectare of land must be dedicated to implementing Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP).
3. 3The applicant must be legally entitled to manage the land where the activities will be implemented (landowner, leaseholder with management rights, or equivalent legal entitlement).
4. 4Each applicant may submit only one application under this call. The application may include one or more fields (experimentation sites).
5. 5The applicant must declare the absence of any conflict of interest that could affect impartial implementation of the proposed activities.
6. 6Incomplete applications or those failing eligibility criteria will be automatically rejected.

Selection Criteria (detailed)

1. 1Relevance and alignment with the proposed ReCAP practices (fit between applicant proposal and the ReCAP list for the Living Lab).
2. 2Technical feasibility of the proposed implementation on the proposed field(s).
3. 3Commitment and capacity of the applicant to carry out the activities for the three seasons.
4. 4Availability and quality of data for monitoring purposes (soil health and socio-economic monitoring).
5. 5Potential contribution to project objectives including soil health improvement, sustainability and knowledge exchange.

Farmer Commitments (Tasks if selected)

Selected farmers are expected to commit to a set of specific obligations for the duration of the project and as a condition of receiving the lump-sum support.

1. 1Provide a field of at least 1 hectare for the implementation of the ReCAP practices.
2. 2Provide relevant information and data required for evaluation and monitoring of the activities (soil health and socio-economic data).
3. 3Discuss and agree with the Living Lab leaders which ReCAP practices from the Project’s ReCAP list will be applied, and maintain the agreed practices throughout the project duration.
4. 4Collaborate with Living Lab leaders to collect soil health and socio-economic monitoring data and provide updates/feedback to adapt project activities where necessary.
5. 5If applicable, collaborate with selected companies specialised in Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) to test their technology and provide related data.
6. 6Participate in person in workshops or meetings organised by the Living Labs to exchange practices and experiences.
7. 7If selected as a lighthouse site, lead field visits for training, peer learning and communication purposes.
8. 8Sign a dedicated Sub-Grant Agreement (SGA) with the TRAILS4SOIL coordinator to satisfy legal and administrative requirements governing the relationship between the consortium and each beneficiary.

Eligible Costs and Payment Conditions

Eligible costs are covered by a lump-sum payment of €5,000 per cropping season to support implementation of ReCAPs and related activities including data collection, participation in Living Lab activities and knowledge exchange. Continuation for subsequent seasons depends on fulfilment of commitments and positive assessment. Lighthouse sites receive additional €5,000 subject to additional responsibilities. The consortium may suspend payments, terminate participation and recover funds in case of breach, misrepresentation or misuse.

Application Forms and Templates

Application forms are specific to each Living Lab/country and are provided online. The call references Microsoft Forms and Google Forms instances (country-language variants) and indicates applicants can edit submitted forms up to two weeks after submission (depending on form settings) provided edits occur before the deadline. Applicants should use the country-specific link on the TRAILS4SOIL open-call website. Required information typically includes contact details, farm legal status, location and size of proposed field(s), legal entitlement to manage land, description of current farming system, proposed ReCAP practices to be implemented, available monitoring data and data collection capabilities, demonstration/knowledge-exchange willingness, and declaration of conflict of interest.

Application structure (expected fields based on published forms):Contact details and identification; farm legal status and paperwork; field location(s) and area (minimum 1 ha indicated); tenure/management rights confirmation; living lab selection (country/region and specific Living Lab); selected ReCAP practices to test (alignment justification); description of technical feasibility and available resources; monitoring and data availability (soil and socio-economic indicators); commitment to participate in Living Lab activities, workshops and data collection; optional interest in lighthouse role; conflict of interest declaration; consent to sign Sub-Grant Agreement if selected.

Timeline (published)

Practical guidance and recommended applicant actions

1. 1Read the Living Lab description relevant to your country to ensure your farm goals align with the Lab objective (e.g., permanent cropping, black soil conservation, organic farming, crop-livestock integration, climate adaptation).
2. 2Prepare documentation proving legal entitlement to manage the proposed field(s) and maps/area measurements showing the minimum 1 hectare area.
3. 3Gather any existing soil and socio-economic monitoring data and describe how you will enable data collection (who will collect, frequency, access).
4. 4Decide which ReCAP practices from the Project’s ReCAP list you are willing to implement and explain why they suit your farm and demonstrate feasibility.
5. 5Plan for participation in workshops and potential field visits; consider labour and time commitments across three cropping seasons.
6. 6Identify if you are willing and able to act as a lighthouse site (hosting visits and training), and factor in additional responsibilities if selected.
7. 7Use the country-specific online application form linked from the TRAILS4SOIL open-call page and submit by the deadline. Direct all queries to trails4soil@uco.es and consult the FAQ published on the project website.

Summary: What is this opportunity about and how to explain it

This is an open, competitive cascade funding call by the Horizon Europe project TRAILS4SOIL to recruit farmers and farms as experimentation sites within five regional Living Labs across Europe. Selected farmers will implement agreed Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP) on at least 1 hectare of their land for three cropping seasons to demonstrate and validate practices that improve soil health, resilience and sustainability. Farmers will receive a lump-sum grant of €5,000 per cropping season (up to three seasons) to support implementation and monitoring; lighthouse sites receive additional support but take on extra responsibilities. The call is single-stage, requires online submission by 06 July 2026, and selection follows eligibility screening, expert evaluation and possible interviews or field visits. Applicants must be legally entitled to manage the land in one of the eligible countries, commit to provide data and participate in Living Lab activities, and sign a Sub-Grant Agreement if selected. The opportunity combines monetary support with technical backup, knowledge exchange and networking to scale regenerative and conservation agriculture practices across diverse European farming systems.

Footnotes

1. 1Call details and guidance are published on the TRAILS4SOIL open call page: trails4soil.eu and the EU Funding & Tenders Portal entry (primary metadata) TRAILS4SOIL Open Call.

Funding Opportunity Overview

The TRAILS4SOIL project is an EU-funded initiative under the Horizon Europe programme (Grant agreement ID: 101218949) that invites farmers across nine European countries to participate as experimentation sites in a transformative research initiative focused on soil health and regenerative agriculture. This open call represents a cascade funding opportunity where individual farmers can receive direct financial support to implement Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP) on their land while contributing to a broader European network of living labs dedicated to sustainable farming.

Project Context and Objectives

TRAILS4SOIL is a five-year project running from 2025 to 2030 that addresses the critical challenge of soil degradation in Europe, where over 60 percent of European soils have been degraded by unsustainable land management practices. The project establishes five Living Labs across nine countries, encompassing approximately 100 experimentation sites including 11 lighthouse farms. The initiative brings together 22 partner organisations including universities, research centres, and farmer associations to co-create, test, and scale regenerative and conservation agriculture practices under real farming conditions. The project aligns with the EU Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe', which aims to establish 100 living labs and lighthouses to lead the transition towards healthy soils by 2030.

Eligible Geographic Regions and Living Lab Focus Areas

Farmers must be located in one of the nine TRAILS4SOIL participating countries. Each country or region is associated with a specific Living Lab addressing distinct agricultural and environmental challenges.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements to be considered for evaluation and funding.

1. 1The farm must be located in one of the nine TRAILS4SOIL countries: Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania, or Ukraine.
2. 2A minimum of 1 hectare of land must be dedicated to the implementation of Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP).
3. 3The applicant must be legally entitled to manage the land where the activities will be implemented.
4. 4Each applicant may submit only one application under this call, though the application may include one or more fields or experimentation sites proposed for participation.
5. 5The applicant must declare the absence of any conflict of interest that could affect the impartial implementation of the proposed activities.

Applications that do not comply with these eligibility criteria will be automatically rejected during the initial screening stage.

Selection and Evaluation Criteria

Eligible applications will be evaluated by an Expert Committee composed of project partners and external experts against the following predefined selection criteria. Each criterion will be scored, and applications will be ranked accordingly using a consistent scoring methodology applied to all applicants.

• Relevance and alignment with the proposed ReCAP practices
• Technical feasibility of the proposed implementation
• Commitment and capacity of the applicant to carry out the activities
• Availability and quality of data for monitoring purposes
• Potential contribution to project objectives, including soil health improvement, sustainability, and knowledge exchange

In case of equal scores, priority will be given based on the strategic balance within the relevant Living Lab and the overall diversity of selected experimentation sites. The final selection will also consider the available budget and the need to maintain geographic and thematic diversity across the project.

Funding Amount and Financial Support

Standard Funding:Selected farmers receive a lump sum of €5,000 per cropping season for a maximum of three cropping seasons (2026/2027, 2027/2028, and 2028/2029), totalling up to €15,000 per farm over the project duration ¹.

Lighthouse Site Additional Support:Farmers selected as lighthouse sites, which are designated to demonstrate good practices and lead field visits for training and peer learning, receive an additional €5,000 in financial support, subject to additional responsibilities and commitments.

The total funding available for this open call is €735,000. Financial support is provided as a lump sum contribution to the implementation of agreed Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices, including related activities such as data collection, participation in Living Lab activities, and knowledge exchange. For subsequent seasons beyond the first, continuation of support is subject to the fulfilment of agreed commitments and a positive assessment of progress. In case of breach of obligations, misrepresentation, or misuse of funds, the project consortium reserves the right to suspend payments, terminate participation, and recover the financial support granted.

Application Timeline and Deadlines

The call operates on a single-stage submission model with a deadline of approximately two months from the opening date. Applicants are advised to submit their applications well before the deadline to avoid technical issues. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.

Application Process and Submission

Interested farmers must submit their applications through online application forms specific to their country or Living Lab. The application forms are available in multiple languages and may be completed in the applicant's preferred language. Application forms are hosted on various platforms including Google Forms and Microsoft Forms, with separate forms provided for different regions to facilitate local language support and regional coordination.

Applicants should note that submitted forms can be edited for up to two weeks after initial submission, provided this occurs before the final deadline of 6 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST. Incomplete applications or applications that do not comply with the eligibility criteria will be automatically rejected.

Evaluation and Selection Process

The selection process consists of four distinct stages designed to ensure fair, transparent, and rigorous evaluation of all applications.

1. 1Stage 1 - Eligibility Check: All applications are reviewed to ensure compliance with formal eligibility requirements. Only applications meeting these requirements proceed to the evaluation stage.
2. 2Stage 2 - Evaluation and Scoring: Eligible applications are evaluated by an Expert Committee composed of project partners and external experts. Applications are assessed against predefined selection criteria, scored, and ranked accordingly.
3. 3Stage 3 - Clarification and Verification: Shortlisted applicants are invited to interviews and/or field visits to verify the feasibility and suitability of proposed activities. These steps confirm information provided and do not introduce new evaluation criteria.
4. 4Final Selection: The final selection is based on the ranking list, available budget, and strategic balance within each Living Lab. All applicants are informed in writing of the outcome.

TRAILS4SOIL reserves the right to relaunch the call if necessary. The project aims to select approximately 49 farms across all five Living Labs.

Farmer Commitments and Responsibilities

Selected farmers are expected to commit to a comprehensive set of conditions and responsibilities throughout their participation in the project. These commitments ensure the success of the research initiative and the achievement of project objectives.

1. 1Provide a field of at least 1 hectare for the implementation of ReCAP practices.
2. 2Provide relevant information and data required for the evaluation and monitoring of activities.
3. 3Discuss and agree with TRAILS4SOIL Living Lab leaders on which practices will be applied in accordance with the Project's ReCAP list, and maintain the agreed practices throughout the duration of the project.
4. 4Collaborate with TRAILS4SOIL Living Lab leaders to collect soil health and socio-economic monitoring data and provide updates and feedback on the implementation of ReCAP practices to enable project adaptation where necessary.
5. 5If applicable, collaborate with selected companies specialised in Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) to test their technology and provide related data.
6. 6Participate in person in workshops or meetings organised by the Living Labs to exchange practices and experiences with other farmers and stakeholders.
7. 7If selected as a lighthouse site, lead field visits for training, peer learning, and communication purposes to demonstrate good practices to other farmers and stakeholders.
8. 8Sign a dedicated Sub-Grant Agreement (SGA) with the TRAILS4SOIL coordinator to fulfil legal and administrative requirements governing the relationship between the consortium and each beneficiary.

The expected duration of participation is three cropping seasons (2026/2027, 2027/2028, and 2028/2029), during which farmers must maintain their commitment to the agreed practices and project activities.

Support and Guidance for Applicants

To ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process, all communication with applicants during the application phase is managed centrally. Individual contact with Living Lab leaders regarding the content of the call or the application process is discouraged during the application phase to ensure equal access to information for all applicants ².

Central Contact Point:All questions related to this Open Call must be addressed to: trails4soil@uco.es

Frequently asked questions (FAQ) are published on the project website and updated regularly. Applicants are strongly encouraged to consult this page before submitting queries. Additional information on the Open Call, project objectives, and related activities is available on the official TRAILS4SOIL project website at [[trails4soil.eu.

Project Funding and Governance

TRAILS4SOIL is funded by the EU's Horizon Europe programme under the EU Mission 'A Soil Deal for Europe' (Topic: HORIZON-MISS - Co-creating solutions for soil health in Living Labs). The project is also co-funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI), reflecting Switzerland's commitment to sustainable agriculture and soil health despite not being an EU member state.

The project is coordinated by Universidad de Cordoba in Spain and involves 22 partner organisations across Europe, including universities, research centres, and farmer associations. This multi-stakeholder approach ensures that the research is grounded in practical farming experience while maintaining scientific rigor and policy relevance.

Key Information for Applicants

Expected Duration of Participation:Three cropping seasons (2026/2027, 2027/2028, 2028/2029)

Total Funding Available:€735,000 distributed across approximately 49 selected farms

Funding per Farm:€5,000 per cropping season for standard sites (up to €15,000 total); €10,000 per season for lighthouse sites (up to €30,000 total)

Application Deadline:6 July 2026 at 23:59 CEST

Eligible Countries:Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine

Minimum Land Requirement:1 hectare dedicated to ReCAP implementation

Official Portal:Applications are submitted through the EU Funding and Tenders Portal and country-specific online forms

Strategic Importance and Impact

This open call represents a significant opportunity for European farmers to participate in cutting-edge research on sustainable agriculture while receiving financial support and access to scientific expertise. Participating farmers will benefit from practical knowledge on regenerative and conservation agriculture practices tailored to their local conditions, join a European network of like-minded farmers and researchers, and contribute to shaping future farming policy at local, national, and European levels. The project addresses urgent environmental challenges including soil degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change while supporting the economic viability and long-term productivity of farms.

The Living Labs approach ensures that research is conducted under real farming conditions with active farmer participation, making the results immediately applicable and relevant to practical farming operations. Selected lighthouse farms will have the additional opportunity to demonstrate their practices to other farmers and stakeholders, positioning them as leaders in the transition towards sustainable agriculture in their regions.

Footnotes

1. 1The lump sum payment structure provides farmers with flexibility in how they allocate funds to support their participation in project activities, including labour for data collection, equipment for monitoring, and travel to workshops and meetings.
2. 2This centralised communication approach ensures that all applicants receive consistent information and have equal access to guidance, preventing any potential advantages or disadvantages based on informal contacts with project partners.