Supporting the implementation of nature restoration measures for sustainable farming systems

The Horizon Europe grant opportunity titled "Supporting the implementation of nature restoration measures for sustainable farming systems" emphasizes the need for collaborative projects aimed at promoting biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices in alignment with the EU Nature Restoration Regulation. Eligible applicants are encouraged to form consortia which may include universities, research institutions, NGOs, and agricultural stakeholders, thus highlighting a multi-actor approach. The funding type is a lump sum grant aimed at Research and Innovation Actions, indicating that projects should be at the development or validation stage rather than in initial research phases.

The program primarily targets EU member states and associated countries and seeks to fund activities that enhance agricultural productivity, nature conservation, and climate resilience. The expected funding amount per project ranges from €1 million to €5 million, though broader project budgets vary depending on particular topics, with some reaching up to €30 million. The application procedure is single-stage, with a submission deadline of September 17, 2025.

Successful projects will focus on implementing proven nature-based solutions, such as agroecological practices, and will be required to demonstrate how these practices can support biodiversity, ecosystem services, and food security. The competitive success rate for similar grants typically falls between 10% and 39%, and there is likely no co-funding requirement for these lump-sum grants.

In conclusion, this grant reflects a commitment to advancing sustainable agricultural systems and ecosystem restoration, with a strong emphasis on collaborative efforts among various stakeholders to ensure practical implementation and alignment with EU environmental goals.

This is a summary of multiple Horizon Europe Cluster 6 calls for proposals related to food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment. The calls are single-stage, meaning there is only one submission deadline. The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline is September 17, 2025, at 17:00:00 Brussels time. 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 – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025).

The calls are:

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-01: HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions. The budget is 20,000,000 EUR for each of the years 2025, 2026 and 2027. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 60,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions. The budget is 4,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 24,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 12,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-04: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 22,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 11,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 18,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 3, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-06: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 16,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 3, with a contribution of 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-07: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 12,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-08: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 14,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 7,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-09: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 6,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 3,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-10: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 11,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of 5,000,000 to 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-01: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 10,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 5,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-02: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 8,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 8,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-04: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 10,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 5,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-05: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 12,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-06: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 8,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-07: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 18,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 9,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-08: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 11,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 5,500,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-09: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 10,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 5,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-10: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions. The budget is 2,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-11: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 11,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 5,500,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-12: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions. The budget is 2,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-13: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 8,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-14: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 12,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-CIRCBIO-15: HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions. The budget is 30,000,000 EUR for each of the years 2025, 2026 and 2027. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 70,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-01: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 10,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 10,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-02: HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions. The budget is 2,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 2,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-03: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 8,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 4,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-04: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 6,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-05: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions. The budget is 12,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-06: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 8,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 1, with a contribution of around 8,000,000 EUR.

HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-ZEROPOLLUTION-07: HORIZON Innovation Actions. The budget is 12,000,000 EUR for 2025. The indicative number of grants is 2, with a contribution of around 6,000,000 EUR.

These calls aim to support the European Green Deal, the common agricultural policy, and the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030. Successful proposals should test and implement biodiversity-friendly practices, support long-term sustainability of farming, and safeguard food security. They should also facilitate the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and promote agricultural practices that support agrobiodiversity and a wide range of ecosystem services.

Projects should demonstrate synergies between nature restoration/conservation and food security, identify suitable measures and strategies for farmers, and strengthen collaborations between farmers, researchers, and policymakers.

The multi-actor approach is mandatory, ensuring the involvement of researchers, policymakers, farmers, land managers, and agricultural advisors. Proposals should increase practical knowledge and tools and promote open dissemination and capacity building channels.

Specific research areas include:

Quantifying the costs and benefits of restoration measures on farm productivity and ecosystem services.
Developing science-based targets for biodiversity restoration in agricultural ecosystems.
Generating evidence to support and improve incentive schemes for nature restoration/conservation on farmland.
Assessing and comparing the potential of various farming approaches to contribute to ecosystem restoration.

In essence, these Horizon Europe Cluster 6 calls seek to fund projects that promote sustainable and biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices, contributing to both food security and the restoration of natural ecosystems. They emphasize collaboration, practical knowledge, and the involvement of various stakeholders to achieve the goals of the European Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly defined in the provided text. However, based on the context, eligible applicants could include research organizations, universities, policymakers, farmers, land managers, agricultural advisors, and other relevant stakeholders from EU member states and associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium. The proposals must apply the multi-actor approach, suggesting a need for diverse stakeholder involvement.

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

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity requires a consortium, as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding. Also, the multi-actor approach is mandatory, which implies the need for a consortium with diverse stakeholders.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries. 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 program targets the agriculture and environment sectors, with a focus on biodiversity, ecosystems, sustainable farming practices, food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration. It also touches on social sciences and humanities (SSH) aspects related to farming and policymaking.

Mentioned Countries: The text refers to EU member states and associated countries, as well as non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made specific provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage appears to be focused on research, development, validation, and implementation of biodiversity-friendly practices. The scope mentions listing demonstrated farming practices, assessing socio-economic impacts, developing strategies, and generating evidence, suggesting a focus on projects that are beyond the initial idea stage and moving towards validation and implementation.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic within the call, ranging from €2,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €30,000,000 for Programme Cofund Actions. For Research and Innovation Actions and Innovation Actions, the funding ranges from €6,000,000 to €24,000,000, with individual grants typically ranging from around €3,000,000 to €12,000,000, but some may be between €5,000,000 and €6,000,000.

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 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. For example, some topics indicate that only 1-3 projects will be funded, while others may fund up to 2-32 projects.

Co-funding Requirement: Co-funding may be required for HORIZON-COFUND actions, as these are designed to co-fund existing programs. The specific requirements would be detailed in the call documentation.

Summary: This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call focuses on "Supporting the implementation of nature restoration measures for sustainable farming systems." It aims to fund projects that contribute to the European Green Deal, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. The call seeks proposals that test and implement biodiversity-friendly practices, support the long-term sustainability of farming, and safeguard food security. Projects should facilitate the implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation by assessing and promoting suitable agricultural practices that support agrobiodiversity and a wide range of ecosystem services. The call includes various topics related to biodiversity, circular bioeconomy, and zero pollution, each with its specific budget and expected outcomes. Eligible applicants include research organizations, universities, policymakers, farmers, and other relevant stakeholders from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially non-EU/non-associated countries. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, and projects are expected to adopt a multi-actor approach, ensuring diverse stakeholder involvement. The application process is a single-stage open call with a deadline of September 17, 2025. The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic, ranging from €2,000,000 to €30,000,000.