Maximising economic, environmental and social synergies in the provision of feedstock for bio-based sectors through diversification and increased sustainability of agricultural production systems
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
Securing long-term supply of affordable and sustainable biomass is a key challenge for the European bioeconomy. It is crucial to limit negative (indirect) changes in land use, which can lead to losses of biodiversity, carbon or other ecosystem services and to move towards a sustainable bioeconomy that operates within sustainable parameters. The diversity and diversification of farming systems can contribute to a sustainable European bioeconomy by securing stable revenues for farmers, lowering negative environmental impacts and increasing resilience to climatic, economic and biological risks.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals will:
- Explore alternative systems and designs to improve the overall sustainability of local and regional agricultural production systems in a variety of landscapes, soil and climatic conditions, across the EU and associated countries;
- Consider the environmental, economic and social impacts of primary production systems and contribute to the characterisation of diversity and its relation to expected functions and benefits;
- Develop sustainable diversification strategies that can optimise the production of agricultural feedstock in the emerging bio-based economy. These could include the co-production of food and non-food products (e.g. through intercropping systems), diversification and optimisation of crops cultivated in greenhouses for high value products, optimisation of intermediary/catch crops to increase the biomass production in a sustainable way and circular low-emission livestock or mixed farming systems.
- Optimise diversification strategies for different European agricultural production models/sectors with a view to minimise potential land conflicts and in line with agro-ecological practices.
- Consider contributing data and results to the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre for Bioeconomy hosted by the JRC.
Social innovation is recommended when the solution is at the socio-technical interface and requires social change, new social practices, development of training material for upskilling of reskilling of the workforce, social ownership or market uptake.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
EU contribution per project: €8,00 million
Thematic Categories
- Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
- Environment and Climate Change
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Rural development
Eligibility for Participation
- Farmers Unions
- Farmers, Agriculturalists
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
- Training Centres
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
29a Andrea Michalakopoulou Street, 1075 Nicosia
T.Th. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
+357 22205000
Email: support@research.org.cy
George Christou
Contact Phone: 22 205 030
E-mail: gchristou@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/
Charalambos Papatryfonos
Contact Phone: 22 205 016
E-mail: cpapatryfonos@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/
(Publish Date: 15/11/2021-for internal use only)
EU Contact Point
European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
https://ec.europa.eu/info/departments/research-and-innovation_en#contact