Open topic: Improving the competitiveness of the agricultural sector by enhancing the efficient and sustainable use of agricultural production factors

The EU grant opportunity HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-01-two-stage aims to enhance agricultural competitiveness through innovative practices and technologies. It requires a multi-actor consortium approach comprising farmers, advisors, researchers, social scientists, SMEs, and start-ups, and encourages collaborative innovation spanning development to commercialization.

The funding type is a lump sum grant under the Horizon Europe Innovation Actions framework, with a total budget of €13.5 million for this topic, allowing approximately three grants of €4.5 million each. The project duration is set between 24 to 36 months. Proposals must follow a two-stage submission process with the first stage due by April 14, 2026, and successful applicants invited to submit complete proposals by September 15, 2026.

The call emphasizes sustainable agricultural practices, innovation in production efficiency, business model development, and adherence to EU sustainability goals, notably the Green Deal. By focusing on practical outcomes and economic viability, it seeks to address the competitive challenges EU farmers face against global counterparts.

Eligible applicants encompass a broad range, including research organizations, SMEs, universities, and large entities, as long as proposals adhere to the multi-actor model. Financial support to third parties may also be included, promoting wider testing and demonstration of innovations.

Applications are evaluated based on Excellence and Impact criteria, with the process designed to encourage high-quality project proposals that promise significant advancements in agriculture while fostering sustainability and biodiversity. The overall goal is to effectively respond to the European agricultural sector's challenges and promote long-term viability in farming systems.

This is a Horizon Europe call for proposals under the HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK topic, focusing on improving the competitiveness of the agricultural sector by enhancing the efficient and sustainable use of agricultural production factors. The call is part of the Horizon Europe Programme and falls under Call 02, which is a two-stage call for 2026 (HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-two-stage). The type of action is HORIZON-IA, which stands for Horizon Innovation Actions, and the Model Grant Agreement (MGA) type is HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]. The deadline model is two-stage, with a planned opening date of 12 February 2026 and deadline dates of 14 April 2026 (17:00:00 Brussels time) and 15 September 2026 (17:00:00 Brussels time).

The expected outcome of the projects should contribute to safeguarding the EU's strategic autonomy and the long-term sustainability of EU farming systems. Furthermore, farmers should benefit from new knowledge, innovations, and practices that facilitate the green transition towards sustainable and biodiversity-friendly agriculture.

The scope of the proposals should address the competitiveness challenges faced by EU farmers, given that the growth of total factor productivity (TFP) in EU agriculture is slowing down compared to competitors like Brazil, Canada, and China. Improving the efficiency of production factors while considering their sustainable use is crucial.

The proposals should address the following activities:

1.  Develop prototypes of innovations and farming practices that can improve the efficient and sustainable use of agricultural production factors or provide sustainable alternatives, and test them in a large-scale operational environment. Production factors include fertilising products (according to Regulation (EU) 2019/1009), plant protection products, water, energy, machinery and equipment, and buildings.

2.  Provide cost-effective and sustainable business models of these innovations or farming practices, and assess their environmental (including biodiversity restoration as defined in the Nature Restoration Regulation), social, and economic impacts to facilitate deployment and commercialisation on the European market.

3.  Identify possible barriers and enablers for the adoption, upscaling, or large-scale deployment of these innovations and propose solutions.

4.  Propose a clear strategy to communicate, disseminate, and exploit results, new farming practices, innovations, and best practices, and to foresee training for the relevant actors.

Proposals may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) to test, develop, or demonstrate innovations or prototypes. Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach, including farmers, advisors, researchers, social scientists, SMEs, and start-ups, to leverage opportunities for innovations to scale up and access relevant markets. Proposals are encouraged to build on the results of relevant projects funded under Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe and ensure collaboration with relevant ongoing projects. The topic should involve the effective contribution of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) disciplines and experts, especially in behavioural sciences and the adoption/uptake of technologies and practices. The projects are relevant to EU policies related to the Common Agricultural Policy and align with the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food.

Regarding admissibility conditions, applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos, or names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application. The proposal page limits and layout are described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System and Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Eligible countries are described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. 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, as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other eligibility conditions include the requirement that proposals must apply the multi-actor approach, as defined in the work programme part and Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion are described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

The first-stage proposals will be evaluated blindly, based on award criteria, scoring, and thresholds described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes. Submission and evaluation processes are detailed 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.

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. 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. These provisions are described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Application form templates are available in the Submission System, including the Standard application form (HE RIA IA Stage 1 BLIND). Evaluation form templates, including the Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA and CSA Stage 1 BLIND), will be used with the necessary adaptations.

Guidance documents include the HE Programme Guide, Lump Sum MGA, Detailed budget table (HE LS), Information on financial support to third parties (HE), and Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?". Additional documents include the HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 (General Introduction, Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment, and General Annexes), 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, and Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement.

There are two specific funding opportunities listed under this call:

1.  HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-01-two-stage: This is a HORIZON Innovation Action with a budget of EUR 13,500,000. It follows a two-stage submission process, with opening date 12 February 2026, deadlines on 14 April 2026 and 15 September 2026, and an indicative number of 3 grants.

2.  HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage: This is also a HORIZON Innovation Action with a budget of EUR 12,000,000. It follows a two-stage submission process, with opening date 12 February 2026, deadlines on 14 April 2026 and 15 September 2026, and an indicative number of 2 grants.

There are partner search announcements available for collaboration on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests on the Funding & Tenders 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 provides guidance 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 and the EU Research Framework Programmes. National Contact Points (NCPs) offer guidance and practical information. The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) provides advice to businesses, especially SMEs. The IT Helpdesk assists with technical aspects of proposal submission. The European IPR Helpdesk assists on intellectual property issues. CEN-CENELEC and ETSI Research Helpdesks 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. Partner Search tools help find partner organisations for proposals.

In summary, this Horizon Europe call aims to enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of EU agriculture by funding innovation actions that improve the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production factors. It encourages a multi-actor approach, the involvement of SSH disciplines, and collaboration with existing projects. The call is structured in two stages, with specific deadlines and eligibility criteria, and offers financial support to third parties. The overall goal is to drive the green transition in agriculture, safeguard the EU's strategic autonomy, and ensure the long-term sustainability of EU farming systems.

Eligible Applicant Types: The opportunity requires a multi-actor approach, explicitly including farmers, advisors, researchers, social scientists, SMEs, and start-ups. Other eligible applicant types are not explicitly excluded, so large enterprises, universities, research institutes, nonprofits, and NGOs could potentially be eligible as long as the multi-actor approach is implemented.

Funding Type: The funding type is a grant, specifically a HORIZON Innovation Action (HORIZON-IA) under the Horizon Europe Programme. The eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum. Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) in the form of grants.

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium of multiple applicants, as it explicitly states that proposals must implement the multi-actor approach. This approach necessitates the inclusion of various actors such as farmers, advisors, researchers, social scientists, SMEs, and start-ups.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The primary geographic eligibility focuses on EU member states and associated countries within the Horizon Europe program. However, the documentation 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. The Horizon Europe Programme Guide should be consulted for specific details.

Target Sector: The primary target sector is agriculture, with a focus on improving the competitiveness and sustainability of EU farming systems. This includes innovations and practices related to the efficient and sustainable use of agricultural production factors, biodiversity restoration, and the green transition. It also involves social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines.

Mentioned Countries: Brazil, Canada, China, and EU member states and associated countries.

Project Stage: The expected project stage is innovation and demonstration. The call specifically mentions developing prototypes of innovations and farming practices, testing them in a large-scale operational environment, and assessing their environmental, social, and economic impacts to facilitate deployment and commercialization.

Funding Amount: For topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-01-two-stage, the budget is EUR 13,500,000 with an indicative grant amount of around EUR 4,500,000. For topic HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage, the budget is EUR 12,000,000 with an indicative grant amount of around EUR 6,000,000. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60,000.

Application Type: The application type is a two-stage open call. The first stage proposals will be evaluated blindly.

Nature of Support: The beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant. They can also provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants, up to EUR 60,000 per third party.

Application Stages: The application process consists of two stages. The first stage proposals are evaluated blindly.

Success Rates: The success rates are not explicitly mentioned, but the indicative number of grants is provided. For HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-01-two-stage, approximately 3 grants will be awarded. For HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage, approximately 2 grants will be awarded.

Co-funding Requirement: The information does not explicitly state whether co-funding is required.

Summary: This Horizon Europe call aims to bolster the competitiveness and sustainability of EU agriculture by funding innovation actions. The focus is on developing and testing prototypes of new farming practices and technologies that improve the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production factors. Projects should also develop sustainable business models, assess environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and propose strategies for the adoption and scaling up of these innovations. The call requires a multi-actor approach, involving farmers, advisors, researchers, SMEs, and other relevant stakeholders. The funding is provided as a lump sum grant, and projects can provide financial support to third parties for testing and demonstration purposes. The application process is a two-stage process, with the first stage being evaluated blindly. The call is relevant to EU policies related to the Common Agricultural Policy and the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food. There are two topics: HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-01-two-stage with a budget of EUR 13.5 million and an indicative grant of EUR 4.5 million, and HORIZON-CL6-2026-02-FARM2FORK-02-two-stage with a budget of EUR 12 million and an indicative grant of EUR 6 million. The call opens on February 12, 2026, with deadlines on April 14, 2026, and September 15, 2026.