Call: Thematic Networks compiling knowledge ready for practice

• Health, demographic change and wellbeing;
• Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research, and the Bioeconomy;
• Secure, clean and efficient energy;
• Smart, green and integrated transport;
• Climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials;
• Europe in a changing world - inclusive, innovative and reflective societies;
• Secure societies - protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens.

This Programme aims to promote the transition towards an optimal and renewable use of biological resources and towards sustainable primary production and processing systems. These systems will need to produce more food, fibre and other bio-based products with minimised inputs, environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions, and with enhanced ecosystem services, zero waste and adequate societal value.

Research results are often insufficiently exploited and taken up in agricultural practice, and innovative ideas and methods from practice are not captured and spread.  More cooperation is needed between researchers, advisors, farmers/foresters and other actors in the supply chain to stimulate knowledge exchange so as to optimise resource use and smooth the transition to a knowledge-driven agriculture. 

The activities of thematic networks include summarising, sharing and presenting, in a language easily understandable for agricultural/forestry practitioners, existing best practices and research results that are near to be put into practice, but not sufficiently known by practitioners. To this end, the networks shall involve a wide range of actors covering both science and agricultural/forestry practice on the specific themes, e.g. scientists, farmers/farmers' groups, advisory services. he specific themes of the networks, which may be chosen 'bottom-up', should contribute to a more competitive and sustainable agriculture and forestry. They must focus on the most urgent needs of specific agricultural or forestry production sectors, or on important or promising cross-sectoral issues, including where primary production needs to improve its linkages to the supply chain.

A comprehensive description of the state of the art on the chosen theme should explain the added value of the proposal, the relevance of the theme and how it avoids duplication with existing or completed projects and networks. 

At least one legal entity established in an EU Member State or Horizon 2020 associated country.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to 2 million € per network would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude the submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts. 

In the exceptional event that minor testing of specific solutions would be needed, a maximum of 20% of the project budget may be used for this purpose. Funding rate: 100%