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GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Marginal lands and climate-resilient and biodiversity-friendly crops for sustainable industrial feedstocks and related value chains

Summary

This cluster aims at reducing environmental degradation, halting and reversing the decline of biodiversity on land, inland waters and sea and better managing natural resources through transformative changes of the economy and society in both urban and rural areas. It will ensure food and nutrition security for all within planetary boundaries through knowledge, innovation and digitalisation in agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture and food systems and steer and accelerate the transition to a low carbon, resource efficient circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy, including forestry.

 

Programme Name

Horizon Europe (2021-2027)

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.

Programme Details

Call

Marginal lands and climate-resilient and biodiversity-friendly crops for sustainable industrial feedstocks and related value chains

Detailed Call Description

The scope includes identifying and developing environmentally and economically viable sources of pollinator-supporting industrial crops (e.g. by exploring the traits supporting the pollinators such as nectar provision, or resistance to pests and diseases, as well as the optimisation of a related agronomic practice). It also includes identifying and optimising crops (e.g. non-edible oil and fibre crops, dryland shrubs and woody crops) that could be adapted through modern biotechnology tools to require low-water/low-input use, and upscaling them in related value chains, e.g. in industrial sectors such as biochemicals, composites or elastomers, with the aim of replacing their fossil-based counterparts.

Proposals should:

  • Identify and evaluate the most suitable feedstock options for different farming systems and pedo-climatic conditions. The agricultural diversity of EU and associated countries should be considered, and the selected options should contribute efficiently to climate change mitigation/adaptation (with a focus on water scarcity and water stress) and biodiversity preservation and enhancement (with special attention to marginal lands under high risk of desertification), while ensuring overall business case viability.
  • Develop sustainable diversification strategies that can help optimise the production of agricultural feedstock in the emerging bio-based economy (e.g. through intercropping systems, logistics and storage). Identify and produce crops suited to marginal lands. Optimise intermediary/catch crops to increase biomass production sustainably, or optimise perennial crops and short-rotation coppice plantations in annual crops-dominated agricultural production systems.
  • Identify and implement the best mix of appropriate technical solutions and practices for specific industrial value chains (a proposal should select and justify the choice). The scale-dependent effects on farms and landscapes should be analysed, as well as the barriers and drivers arising from governance and market issues. Make an effort to inform and engage all actors.
  • Develop and communicate the methods to monitor and measure the qualitative and quantitative impacts of these solutions and practices for different farming systems, the climate neutrality/negativity potential and trade-offs, including for biodiversity, and the associated improvement in farm/business socio-economic resilience.
  • Develop and test mechanisms with all actors, notably the research community and bio-based industry. Exchange knowledge on and demonstrate solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, water stress and biodiversity loss (including biotechnology approaches) to rural stakeholders (farmers, foresters) and the broader public, and help them implement them.
  • International cooperation is encouraged to allow the exchange of best practice while ensuring win-win scenarios and contributing to European competitiveness.

    • Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan

    70%

    EU contribution per project: €7,00 million

    Programme Category
    EU Competitive Programmes
    Total Budget
    €14,00 million
    Thematic Categories
    • Agriculture - Farming - Forestry
    • Environment and Climate Change
    • Research, Technological Development and Innovation
    • Rural development
    Eligibility for Participation
    • Educational Institutions
    • Farmers Unions
    • Farmers, Agriculturalists
    • Large Enterprises
    • NGOs
    • Non Profit Organisations
    • Private Bodies
    • Producer Associations
    • Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
    • State-owned Enterprises
    Call Opening Date
    28/10/2021
    Call Closing Date
    15/02/2022
    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

    Website
    Funding&Tenders HE Main Work Programme 2021–2022–Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment p.274
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