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Call key data
Increasing knowledge flows to practice within Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) via thematic networks
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Call number
HORIZON-CL6-2025-03-GOVERNANCE-12
deadlines
Opening
06.05.2025
Deadline
24.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
100%
Call budget
€ 3,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
€ 3,000,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
Successful proposal will support the EU policies related to agriculture, forestry and/or rural areas, including related climate, biodiversity, and other environmental policies. The focus will be on the cross-cutting objective of the common agricultural policy (CAP) to enhance knowledge flows among AKIS actors, in particular end-users. The successful thematic network will support the objective by widely sharing existing and new knowledge in a language and format that is easy to understand and targeted to end-users and by building a more informed, interconnected and engaged AKIS community. It will address the need of end-users for impartial and tailored knowledge that is key to foster the transitions to more competitive, sustainable and resilient agriculture and/or forestry and/or rural areas.
Call objectives
The research findings, innovative solutions, practical knowledge and best practices, are not sufficiently known, shared and used in practice, despite the sustained investment in R&I to support farmers and/or foresters and/or rural communities in becoming more competitive, sustainable and resilient. Moreover, national/regional and sectoral AKIS are insufficiently connected and organised to intensify thematic collaboration between researchers, advisors, and end-users.
Expected effects and impacts
Proposals should:
- select the theme of the thematic network in a bottom-up way in order to respond to the most urgent need(s) from practice; explain the relevance of the theme in relation to end-users’ need(s), clarifying the added-value of the proposal and how it avoids duplication in relation to the ongoing or completed thematic networks and projects;
- collect and compile all up-to-date scientific and practical knowledge, best practices and innovative solutions, which are effective and ready for use in practice to address the end-users' needs, but not commonly known and/or used by the end-users; and, if needed, translate/adapt them to diverse local contexts;
- develop and share widely an extensive range of useful, applicable and appealing informative materials and training courses using the most effective approaches, formats, tools (including audio-visual) and channels to reach as many advisors and end-users as possible. The information provided should be easy to access and understand, and translated into at least all 24 EU official languages to allow dissemination across the whole EU. As much as possible, the outputs of the thematic network should serve education and training, knowledge exchange programmes, AKIS knowledge hubs, advisors providing targeted advice, peer-to-peer learning activities, etc.;
- provide a summary of the costs and benefits analysis of the collected practices for the end-users, and include these aspects explicitly in the informative materials and training courses;
- feed all the practice-oriented outputs directly into EU, national and regional AKIS dissemination channels that are most used and trusted by end-users in the diverse contexts, including (but not limited to) the EU and National CAP Networks, the EU-FarmBook online platform and the AKISConnect platform and relevant advisory networks;
- mobilise also relevant AKIS actors and use AKIS actions at EU/national/regional and European levels to share the outputs of the project widely across the EU.
The proposal should include a dedicated work package, providing adequate resources for collecting outputs from the EIP-AGRI Operational Group projects (OGs) on the theme chosen, as well as creating collaboration opportunities and fostering knowledge exchanges with and between them. The proposal should indicate which OGs could be relevant to the theme chosen.
The activities of the thematic network should complement with those organised by the EU CAP Network.
Proposals must implement the 'multi-actor approach', with a consortium based on a balanced mix of relevant actors with complementary knowledge clearly activating advisors, farmers and/or foresters and/or rural actors in the identification of the most urgent needs from practice as well as in the planning and execution of the main tasks of the thematic network.
The resulting project should run for a minimum of 3 years. An initial plan on how the thematic network and its outputs will be updated and maintained in the long-term beyond the projects duration should be included in the proposal.
The consideration of social diversity (including gender and other categories) in the dissemination activities of the thematic networks is encouraged.
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Expected results
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- collected practice-oriented research findings, innovative solutions and best practices, are presented in an attractive and understandable way, updated and maintained in the long-term, and made easily accessible by using the most appropriate channels for end-users;
- practice-ready knowledge and solutions, both generated by research and innovation (R&I) and collected from practice, are widely disseminated to, shared and implemented by end-users;
- AKIS at EU and national/regional levels are more effective and the flow of practice-ready knowledge and solutions between end-users and all other relevant AKIS actors is increased across the EU in a geographically balanced way, improving cost-effectiveness of solutions and taking into account the differences between the territories.
Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Canada, Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Israel (ישראל / إِسْرَائِيل), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), New Zealand (Aotearoa), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States
- countries associated to Horizon Europe - see list of particpating countries
Only legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes, as beneficiaries, three legal entities independent from each other and each established in a different country as follows:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State; and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
Any legal entity, regardless of its place of establishment, including legal entities from non-associated third countries or international organisations (including international European research organisations) is eligible to participate (whether it is eligible for funding or not), provided that the conditions laid down in the Horizon Europe Regulation have been met, along with any other conditions laid down in the specific call topic.
A ‘legal entity’ means any natural or legal person created and recognised as such under national law, EU law or international law, which has legal personality and which may, acting in its own name, exercise rights and be subject to obligations, or an entity without legal personality.
other eligibility criteria
Specific cases:
- Affiliated entities (i.e. entities with a legal or capital link to a beneficiary which participate in the action with similar rights and obligations to the beneficiaries, but which do not sign the grant agreement and therefore do not become beneficiaries themselves) are allowed, if they are eligible for participation and funding.
- Associated partners (i.e. entities which participate in the action without signing the grant agreement, and without the right to charge costs or claim contributions) are allowed, subject to any conditions regarding associated partners set out in the specific call conditions.
- Entities which do not have legal personality under their national law may exceptionally participate, provided that their representatives have the capacity to undertake legal obligations on their behalf, and offer guarantees to protect the EU’s financial interests equivalent to those offered by legal persons.
- Legal entities created under EU law (EU bodies) including decentralised agencies may be part of the consortium, unless provided for otherwise in their basic act.
- International European research organisations are eligible to receive funding. International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are eligible to receive funding for ‘Training and mobility’ actions or when provided for in the specific call/topic conditions. Other international organisations are not eligible to receive funding, unless provided for in the specific call/topic conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
- Joint Research Centre (JRC)— Where provided for in the specific call conditions, applicants may include in their proposals the possible contribution of the JRC but the JRC will not participate in the preparation and submission of the proposal. Applicants will indicate the contribution that the JRC could bring to the project based on the scope of the topic text. After the evaluation process, the JRC and the consortium selected for funding may come to an agreement on the specific terms of the participation of the JRC. If an agreement is found, the JRC may accede to the grant agreement as beneficiary requesting zero funding or participate as an associated partner, and would accede to the consortium as a member.
- Associations and interest groupings — Entities composed of members (e.g. European research infrastructure consortia (ERICs)) may participate as ‘sole beneficiaries’ or ‘beneficiaries without legal personality’. However, if the action is in practice implemented by the individual members, those members should also participate (either as beneficiaries or as affiliated entities, otherwise their costs will NOT be eligible.
- EU restrictive measures — Entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) as well as Article 75 TFEU, are not eligible to participate in any capacity, including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any).
- Legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine — Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, such legal entities are not eligible to participate in any capacity. This includes participation as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties (if any). Exceptions may be granted on a case-by-case basis for justified reasons.
With specific regard to measures addressed to Russia, following the adoption of the Council Regulation (EU) 2024/1745 of 24 June 2024 (amending Council Regulation (EU) No 833/2014 of 31 July 2014) concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, legal entities established outside Russia but whose proprietary rights are directly or indirectly owned for more than 50% by a legal person, entity or body established in Russia are also not eligible to participate in any capacity. - Measures for the protection of the Union budget against breaches of the principles of the rule of law in Hungary — Following the Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2022/2506, as of 16 December 2022, no legal commitments can be entered into with Hungarian public interest trusts established under the Hungarian Act IX of 2021 or any entity they maintain. Affected entities may continue to apply to calls for proposals and can participate without receiving EU funding, as associated partners, if allowed by the call conditions. However, as long as the Council measures are not lifted, such entities are not eligible to participate in any funded role (beneficiaries, affiliated entities, subcontractors, recipients of financial support to third parties, etc.).In case of multi-beneficiary grant calls, applicants will be invited to remove or replace that entity in any funded role and/or to change its status into associated partner. Tasks and budget may be redistributed accordingly.
Additional information
Topics
Relevance for EU Macro-Region
EUSAIR - EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region, EUSALP - EU Strategy for the Alpine Space, EUSBSR - EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, EUSDR - EU Strategy for the Danube Region
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Applications must be submitted electronically via the Funders & Tenders Portal electronic submission system (accessible via the topic page in the Search Funding & Tenders section). Paper submissions are NOT possible.
Applications must be submitted using the forms provided inside the electronic submission system (not the templates available on the topic page, which are only for information). The structure and presentation must correspond to the instructions given in the forms.
Applications must be complete and contain all parts and mandatory annexes and supporting documents.
The application form will have two parts:
- Part A (to be filled in directly online) contains administrative information about the applicant organisations (future coordinator and beneficiaries and affiliated entities), the summarised budget for the proposal and call-specific questions;
- Part B (to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system) contains the technical description of the project.
Annexes and supporting documents will be directly available in the submission system and must be uploaded as PDF files (or other formats allowed by the system).
The limit for a full application (Part B) is 33 pages.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025). It is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission system.
Call documents
Horizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and EnvironmentHorizon Europe Work Programme 2025 Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment(kB)
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