PRIMA – Section 1 – Thematic Area 3 Food value chain in the Nexus – 1.3.1-2026 (IA): Sustainable on-site transformation of perishable Mediterranean agri-products
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
PRIMA – Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area is the most ambitious joint programme to be undertaken in the frame of Euro-Mediterranean cooperation.
The overall objective of the PRIMA programme is to build research and innovation capacities and to develop knowledge and common innovative solutions for agro-food systems, to make them sustainable, and for integrated water provision and management in the Mediterranean area, to make those systems and that provision and management more climate resilient, efficient, cost-effective and environmentally and socially sustainable, and to contribute to solving water scarcity, food security, nutrition, health, well-being and migration problems upstream.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Proposals should support the co-design, development, demonstration, and validation of compact, modular, and cost-efficient processing solutions enabling the on-site or near-site transformation of perishable Mediterranean the on-site or near-site transformation of perishable Mediterranean plant agricultural products (e.g., onions, tomatoes, peppers, grapes, olives, citrus fruits, figs, etc.) into higher-value food products (such as dried fruits, pastes, spreads, fermented products, preserved vegetables, herbal extracts etc.).
Solutions should be adapted to typical Mediterranean agro-climatic conditions and socio-economic contexts, including areas with limited water availability and weak infrastructure. Technologies should be simple to operate, maintain, repair, and replicate locally, ensuring long-term adoption and sustainability.
Detailed Call Description
Processing units may be powered by renewable energy sources (e.g. solar, wind, biomass) or hybrid off-grid systems, and may include capabilities such as drying, cooling, fermentation, preservation, or green extraction. Where relevant, digital and AI-enabled functionalities may be integrated to improve quality control, resource efficiency, and traceability along the value chain.
In line with the award criteria for Innovation Actions, proposals will be assessed on the credibility of their pathways to impact, including the meaningful involvement of SMEs and other innovation actors, as well as on the economic and financial viability of the proposed processing solutions.
Applicants are therefore expected to demonstrate cost-effectiveness, affordability, replicability, and scalability, supported by appropriate business and financing models and, where relevant, engagement with value-chain actors or investors.
Projects are expected to address all the following activities:
- Co-develop, validate, and field-demonstrate decentralised and modular processing technologies adapted to smallholder, cooperative, and community-based production contexts, including mountain communities and other geographically remote or marginal rural areas.
- Solutions should integrate renewable-energy-powered or hybrid off-grid systems to ensure environmental and operational sustainability under diverse Mediterranean conditions.
- Apply participatory and user-centred design approaches throughout development, testing, and demonstration phases. Proposals are strongly encouraged to adopt a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA)25, ensuring meaningful involvement of end users, SMEs, technology providers, researchers, and local authorities/communities across the entire project cycle. Living Labs26 are encouraged as a framework to support co-creation and stakeholder engagement in real operational contexts.
- Demonstrate technical performance, cost-effectiveness, replicability, and scalability of the proposed solutions in real operational settings. This should include comprehensive technological economic and market analyses, comparative cost and affordability assessments, and the validation of feasible business and scale-up models. Proposals should also present credible exploitation, manufacturing, and deployment strategies, including pathways for local production or assembly, distribution models, and long-term operational support structures.
In addition to selecting at least three PRIMA-specific KPIs, applicants are expected to monitor and report on the following compulsory KPIs:
- Reduction of post-harvest losses (%) for the targeted product(s)
- Energy consumption per unit of transformed product, including renewable energy share;
- Increase in added value retained locally (%) at farm, cooperative, or community level.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
- Thematic Area-3-Food Value Chain in The Nexus: The total indicative budget for the topic is €10.814 million.
PRIMA estimates that an EU contribution of around €2.7 million with a project duration of 36 months would allow these outcomes to be addressed appropriately.
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Environment and Climate Change
- Industry
- Public Administration
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Rural development
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
- Water - Management of Water Resources
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Central Government
- Educational Institutions
- Farmers Unions
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- International Organisations
- Local Authorities
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
Eligibility For Participation Notes
Legal entities established in a PRIMA Participating State or created pursuant to Union law.
- The following EU Member States (MS): Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Spain, Slovenia, including the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) linked to these Member States.
- The following Third countries associated with Horizon Europe (AC): Egypt, Israel, Tunisia, and Turkey.
- The following Third Countries not Associated with Horizon Europe (TC): Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Algeria.
Participants from countries not listed above, may still participate as associated partners in PRIMA projects, but they shall not be eligible for funding.
For Innovation Actions (IAs) independent legal entities, each established in a different PRIMA Participating State (by the time of grant agreement signature) out of which:
- at least one must be established in an EU Member State or a third country associated to Horizon Europe and not being a third country bordering the Mediterranean (MPC) and
- at least one must be established in a third country bordering the Mediterranean Sea (MPC)
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
EU Contact Point
Mohamed Wageih- mohamed.wageih@prima-med.org