Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Genetic erosion poses a significant threat to agricultural resilience, as genetic diversity is crucial for crops to withstand environmental stresses such as climate variations, pests, and diseases. As the global population grows, the demand for increased food production often drives large-scale agriculture, which compromises biodiversity and long-term productivity. While promoting and expanding agrobiodiversity enhances agricultural resilience, socio-economic obstacles hinder broader adoption.
Beyond highlighting the importance of conserving agricultural biodiversity for food security, it is essential to demonstrate its role in enhancing food production, increasing farmers’ incomes, and safeguarding livelihoods against environmental challenges. A significant obstacle to a wider adoption of more diversified production systems, is perceived risk in that process, in terms of yield, (marginal) income, lack of demand, stable and sufficient pricing, and potential increase of pests.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals should:
- quantify the contribution of agrobiodiversity (including soil microorganisms), mainly at parcel/farm level, considering both species abundance and composition, and its economic impact, in particular in regard to food security, such as yield stability, nutritional quality, nutrient cycling and resilience to pests and diseases;
- develop solutions and strategies to scale successful agrobiodiversity practices tailored to local, regional and national levels to strengthen farmers’ financial position in adopting more diversified production systems;
- test how instruments for mobilising private finance, such as nature credits, could enhance the competitiveness of farmers, foresters and other land managers, including by opening up new opportunities of income;
- build on and develop a decision support tool analysing the risk of diversifying production systems, in terms of yield, marketability, pricing, pests and diseases, hazard assessment of adverse organisms, genes and chemicals, and more, to assist farmers, breeders and agribusinesses in farm diversification;
- provide recommendation for farmers, breeders, agricultural organizations, and agribusinesses for risk mitigation in adoption of wider varieties and marketability of non-conventional crops and local breeds produced in lower volumes;
- define and evaluate the costs of farm diversification, in terms of labour and management complexity, and explore how these may be offset via lower costs of external inputs. Identify behavioural determinants in different socio-economic and cultural contexts to adoption of biodiversity friendly practices;
- explore pathways for the valorisation of products, including tailored food processing and storage, relevant risk assessments for new methods/varieties, and strengthened collaboration with food industries.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Expected EU contribution per project: €6.00 million
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Agriculture - Food
- Environment and Climate Change
- Health
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Rural development
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Farmers Unions
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- Legal Entities
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Services Providers
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding as a beneficiary with zero funding, or as an associated partner. The JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal – see General Annex B.
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: The proposals must apply the multi-actor approach. See definition of the multi-actor approach in this work programme part.
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. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia,
P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Contact Person:
Marcia Trillidou
Scientific Officer A’
Email: trillidou@research.org.cy