Understanding and managing medium and longer-term challenges and opportunities for agriculture stemming from shifting climatic zones and changing agroecological environments

The Horizon Europe Cluster 6 funding opportunity, specifically targeting agricultural and climate challenges, aims to support research and innovation projects addressing issues associated with changing climatic zones and agroecological environments. Eligible applicants include universities, research institutes, small and medium enterprises, farmers, businesses, and NGOs, indicating a consortium approach is mandatory. The funding mechanism is primarily a lump sum grant within the Horizon Europe framework, reflecting the complexity of funding types available under various research and innovation actions.

Geographic eligibility covers EU member states and associated countries, although provisions for participation from non-EU countries may exist. The focus is on developing adaptive strategies that align with the EU's sustainability goals, addressing sectors such as agriculture and climate action, emphasizing the interplay of ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and socio-economic resilience.

Successful projects are expected to deliver models for understanding climate change impacts on agriculture, decision-making tools for sustainable land use, and strategies enhancing farmers' adaptability. The emphasis is on real-world applicability, forecasting challenges due to environmental shifts, and fostering collaboration among multiple stakeholders, including private-sector participation.

The funding amount for similar initiatives suggests a typical range from €1 million to €5 million per project, although specifics for this grant remain unclear. This opportunity has a single-stage application process, with proposals due by September 16, 2025, and a competitive success rate estimated between 10 to 39%. While co-funding is not explicitly required, applicants are encouraged to explore opportunities for mobilizing additional private funding.

Overall, the initiative underlines the importance of collaborative efforts and the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and earth observation data, to bolster resilience in European agriculture amidst climate challenges. The projects are intended to contribute significantly to the EU’s adaptation strategies, enhancing sustainable agricultural practices aligned with broader environmental and societal goals.

This is a description of a Horizon Europe funding opportunity related to climate change and agriculture. The call, part of the Cluster 6 Call 02, aims to support projects that contribute to a better understanding and management of the challenges and opportunities for agriculture arising from shifting climatic zones and changing agroecological environments.

The expected outcomes of successful projects include:

A better understanding of the complex links between climate conditions, ecosystems, agricultural productivity, and sustainability.
Improved understanding of land suitability for different agricultural uses, leading to regionally specific adaptation strategies.
Farmers and land managers being more knowledgeable and better equipped to address challenges and opportunities from climate change.

The scope of the projects should address the following:

Development, testing, and validation of dynamic models of climate change impacts on agriculture, considering diverse agroecological systems and pedoclimatic conditions. These models should cover changes in growing seasons, water demand, soil health, crop and livestock productivity, and pest/disease dynamics.
Characterization of the geographic distribution of cropping systems in Europe, including permanent crops, grasslands, and other land uses for livestock farming. This includes proposing indicators for sustainability, productivity, and resilience, and assessing production uncertainties related to climate change projections.
Provision of decision-making tools and business strategies for evidence-based agricultural land use and management, enabling tailored and innovative adaptation pathways.

Projects are expected to dedicate resources to cooperate with other projects funded under this topic, as well as related projects under Horizon Europe, the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, and the Agroecology Partnership. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate in consortia to explore how climate extremes reshape land suitability using AI techniques and to assess suitability under different tipping point scenarios, such as the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

The call encourages the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) and the integration of Earth observation data space ecosystems, as well as the use of Destination Earth’s Climate Adaptation Digital Twin data.

The general conditions for this funding opportunity include:

Admissibility conditions related to proposal page limits and layout, as described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes and Part B of the Application Form.
Eligible countries, as described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-Associated Countries as detailed in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Other eligible conditions, including the potential participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the use of Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS for projects using satellite-based earth observation data.
Financial and operational capacity and exclusion criteria, as described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Evaluation and award criteria, scoring, and thresholds, as described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Submission and evaluation processes, as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement, as described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Legal and financial set-up of the grants, with eligible costs taking the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021.

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

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA) information:

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 the Lump Sum MGA.
Call-specific instructions and a detailed budget table (HE LS) are available, along with guidance on lump sums.

Additional documents include:

HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2025 – 14. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
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 includes several topics under the Call Cluster 6, with varying budgets and indicative numbers of grants. The opening date for submissions is May 6, 2025, and the deadline is September 16, 2025.

Partner search announcements are available, and LEARs, Account Administrators, and self-registrants can publish partner requests.

This Horizon Europe call focuses on funding research and innovation actions to address the impact of climate change on agriculture. It seeks proposals that will develop models, tools, and strategies to help European farmers adapt to shifting climatic zones and agroecological conditions, ensuring sustainable and productive agricultural practices in the face of ongoing environmental changes. The call encourages collaboration, the use of advanced technologies like AI and Earth observation data, and the integration of social sciences and humanities to create comprehensive and effective solutions.

Eligible Applicant Types: The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated in the provided text. However, based on the nature of Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA), and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA), eligible applicants typically include universities, research institutes, SMEs, large enterprises, and other relevant organizations that can contribute to the project's objectives. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) can also participate as a member of the consortium.

Funding Type: The funding type is primarily grant-based, utilizing Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Actions (RIA), Innovation Actions (IA) and Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) and HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions. 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).

Consortium Requirement: The opportunity appears to require a consortium, as the Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as a member of the consortium selected for funding. Also, proposals should include a dedicated task and resources for cooperation with the other project(s) funded under this topic and for collaborative actions with other related projects under Horizon Europe, including the Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change, and under the Agroecology Partnership.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): The geographic eligibility is primarily focused on EU and associated countries, but the text 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.

Target Sector: The program targets the agriculture and climate sectors, with a focus on climate change adaptation, agroecological environments, and sustainable agriculture practices. It also involves the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH).

Mentioned Countries: The text mentions Eastern Europe explicitly as a region where agro-climatic zones have shifted rapidly due to climate change. The primary geographic focus is on Europe, including EU member states and associated countries. There is also a mention of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that have made provisions for funding participants in Horizon Europe projects.

Project Stage: The project stage varies depending on the type of action. Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) typically focus on research and development, while Innovation Actions (IA) focus on demonstration and validation. Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) focus on networking, coordination, and dissemination.

Funding Amount: The funding amounts vary widely depending on the specific topic and type of action, ranging from €2,000,000 for Coordination and Support Actions to €50,000,000 for HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions. For Research and Innovation Actions, the funding ranges from €6,000,000 to €19,500,000, and for Innovation Actions, the funding is around €6,000,000 to €12,000,000.

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.

Application Stages: The application process is a single-stage process.

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 one grant will be awarded, while others may award two or three. The HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions have a single grant.

Co-funding Requirement: The HORIZON Programme Cofund Actions require co-funding.

Summary:

This Horizon Europe Cluster 6 call focuses on "Understanding and managing medium and longer-term challenges and opportunities for agriculture stemming from shifting climatic zones and changing agroecological environments." It aims to support projects that contribute to the EU's adaptation strategy, the common agricultural policy, and the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030. The call includes various topics under Climate, Communities, and Farm to Fork, each with specific scopes and expected outcomes. Projects should develop dynamic models of climate change impacts on agriculture, characterize the geo-distribution of cropping systems, and provide decision-making tools for sustainable agricultural land use. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate in selected consortia, and the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) is encouraged. The call is open to a wide range of applicants from EU member states, associated countries, and potentially some non-EU countries. Funding is provided as lump sum grants, with varying budget allocations per topic. The application process involves a single-stage submission, and the call encourages collaboration with other relevant projects and initiatives. The call aims to enhance the resilience and sustainability of European agriculture in the face of climate change.