Weed-related challenges can be better addressed as a part of broad-based, holistic strategies such as agroecology that, by relying on and maximising the use of ecological processes to support agricultural production, have the potential to advance ecosystem sustainability while ensuring profitability of the farming activity.

Agroecology is a holistic approach that relies on and maximises the use of ecological processes to support agricultural production. By working more with nature and ecosystem services, agroecology has the potential to increase the circularity, diversification and autonomy of farms, and drive a full transformation of farming systems, from input substitution and beyond. In parallel, progressing towards digitalisation or the implementation of new digital technologies is one of the main ambitions facing EU agriculture. The development and promotion of alternative weed management techniques and strategies that do not only rely on chemical herbicides. Factors such as soil and climatic conditions, as well as the type of crop and the farming system can largely determine the spatial and temporal development of major weeds and, therefore, the effectiveness and efficiency of these strategies.

Activities should advance knowledge, build capacities and deliver innovative systemic and holistic solutions to reduce and eventually eliminate the use of chemical pesticides used as herbicides, and will address the needs of a wide range of crops (arable and permanent) and farming systems, both conventional and organic.
Proposals should capitalise on the opportunities offered by cropping system design, mechanical weed management techniques, soil management practices, breeding, bio-based herbicides, precision and site-specific weeding and digitalised weed monitoring, including by using technology and knowledge of weed biology. etc. (see page 233-234 of the work programme).

Proposals must implement the ‘multi-actor approach’ and should build on and expand the achievements of relevant past and ongoing EU-funded research projects.