Thematic Area 1

Proposed activities should cover at least one of the following aspects:

• Map Mediterranean non-perennial watercourses at country level to guide sustainable water planning and accounting under increasingly variable hydroclimatic conditions
• Co-design decision-support tools that integrate ecosystem water needs, users’ demands, and biodiversity protection into water allocation and management processes. Tools should build on existing systems where appropriate and may include digital and AI-enabled features to enhance usability, transparency, and policy relevance.
• Implement and assess nature-based interventions to restore ecological functionality, stabilise soils, improve infiltration, and enhance biodiversity in non-perennial watercourses. These may include but are not limited to: riparian and catchment restoration, vegetated buffer strips, soil–water retention and erosion control measures, agroecological land and grazing management practices, and floodplain reconnection or reactivation where hydrologically feasible.

Thematic Area 2

Projects are expected to address at least two of the following activities (consortia may cover more, depending on scope and resources):

• Implement, adapt, and validate existing low-cost, non-invasive digital tools (e.g., image recognition, proximal pest sensing devices such as smart traps or in-field optical sensors, handheld diagnostic tools, mobile-based plant stress imaging) for the early detection and monitoring of pests and diseases in Mediterranean farming conditions
• Proposals are encouraged to explore AI-powered solutions capable of providing real-time diagnosis, forecasting, and decision support via mobile or web-based platforms
• Integrate Earth Observation, satellite imagery, meteorological data, and in-situ monitoring to enable hyperlocal forecasting of pest and disease outbreaks and support tailored, context-specific treatment strategies
• Develop scalable business models to support the uptake, replication, and integration of digital tools into existing national agricultural advisory systems and ICT platforms
• Implement inclusive capacity-building initiatives targeting farmers, extension agents, and local institutions to ensure adoption, digital literacy, and long-term use. This should include training materials in local languages, interactive workshops, and support for digitally underserved communities
• Projects should produce technical guidelines, operational toolkits, and practical recommendations to support the deployment of ICT-based Integrated Pest Management (IPM) solutions, ensuring alignment with open data principles and national innovation ecosystems.

Thematic Area 3

Projects are expected to address at least two of the following activities (consortia may cover more, depending on scope and resources):

• Mapping value chain structures, data gaps, authenticity risks, and governance arrangements, identifying where non-destructive verification methods add value.
• Co-development and field demonstration of digital traceability modules (e.g., mobile-based logging, QR codes, lightweight distributed ledgers, AI-assisted authenticity verification where appropriate).
• Development of modular decision-support tools for producer groups, cooperatives, and local authorities.
• Capacity-building and long-term adoption strategies, including training, peer learning, and demonstration actions.
• Multi-stakeholder dialogue to ensure alignment with certification bodies, national regulators, and market actors.