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Call key data
Overcoming the barriers for scaling up circular water management in agriculture
Funding Program
Horizon Europe: Cluster 6 - Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
Call number
HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-03
deadlines
Opening
06.05.2025
Deadline
16.09.2025 17:00
Funding rate
70%
Call budget
€ 12,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
€ 6,000,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
short description
In line with the European Green Deal objectives for agriculture, the climate adaptation strategy and the EU water related policies, notably the Water Framework Directive and the Water Reuse Regulation, successful proposals will contribute to increasing the resilience of agriculture to water scarcity with improved circular water management systems and enable farmers and relevant actors to manage farming systems in a long-term sustainable and resource-efficient way, enhancing their ability to adapt to climate change, while lowering the pressure on water bodies, as described for this destination.
Call objectives
According to the European Environmental Agency (EEA), water stress affects 30% of the EU population with an economic damage of up to EUR 9 billion annually. Droughts are increasing in frequency, magnitude and impact, and the affected area is expanding. Agriculture is the main water user in some Member States and Associated Countries.
Alternative water sources and storage systems (e.g., rainwater harvesting, storm water collection, water reuse and reclamation, brackish and sea water desalination, aquifer recharge, etc.) limit abstractions from surface waters and groundwater reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture and food systems, and provide a reliable water source for irrigation and other uses, strengthening its resilience. Some barriers still hinder a broader use of alternative water sources. For example, a lack of knowledge from farmers on the benefits and characteristics of other water supplies, financial models considering production and transport costs, seasonal variations of water quality with nutrient imbalances and salinity, heavy metals or emerging contaminants issues, or long-term impacts.
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Expected effects and impacts
Proposals should:
- test different strategies and technologies for irrigation or for other agricultural purposes (including drinking water for livestock), using alternative water sources (considering the most feasible sources according to the specific conditions of availability, climate, soil, socio-economics, environment) in the long-term in real-life contexts across the EU and Associated Countries (where relevant) at a larger scale beyond small experimental sites, covering the whole water cycle in agriculture;
- identify and test different business models regarding financial viability and long-term economic sustainability (including cost-benefit analysis or agro-economic modelling) for the adoption of alternative water sources, considering different scenarios, pedo-climatic conditions and socio-economic contexts;
- evaluate the long-term impact of the use of alternative water sources on soil health, including the soil microbiome, crop productivity and quality, food and feed safety (especially for fresh-consumed products) and on freshwater resources and ecosystems (surface and groundwater), considering seasonal variations of water source quality (including persistent chemicals and microplastics’ releases) and quantity, such as situations of extreme water scarcity;
- test and document cost-efficient methodologies and techniques to monitor most relevant quality and quantity parameters in real-time and/or to remove contaminants (e.g. using bio-filters) for a safe and efficient management of water from different sources, with particular attention to emerging contaminants especially in reclaimed water;
- identify societal, behavioural and regulatory challenges still hampering upscaling of alternative water sources’ uptake for irrigation and development of suitable solutions to increase the uptake in practice;
- develop, test and make recommendations for improved and targeted incentives and policies at regional, national and European level to reduce financial, social and economic barriers for adoption and acceptance of circular water management in agriculture by farmers and consumers;
- enhance the dissemination of existing knowledge, by connecting actors, policies, projects and instruments to speed up adoption of solutions by practitioners, and by providing training and advice for farmers and demonstration activities. Complementarities with European and national AKIS knowledge channels or similar should be explored.
Proposals should benefit various farming systems/approaches, one of which should be organic farming.
Applicants should apply the most efficient, state of the art agricultural practices and technologies (including irrigation, soil and crop management, etc.) to ensure maximum impact.
This topic should involve the effective contribution of social sciences and humanities (SSH) disciplines, especially in the field of societal and behavioural sciences, and of adoption and acceptance processes.
Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach (MAA), involving at least scientists, companies working in the field of water management and agriculture, farmers and consumers, in order to co-create the knowledge and adapted solutions, and enhance the adoption process.
Proposals should include dissemination activities to increase awareness about the potential value for farmers, advisors and society at large and people of the results. In that sense, proposals should develop diverse practice-oriented dissemination materials, e.g., audiovisual materials, brochures, etc. presenting the R&I solutions, while exploring the use of relevant support services offered by the Commission, such as the Horizon Results Booster.
Proposals should ensure complementarities with other relevant activities carried out under Horizon Europe, including with the European Partnership on Agriculture of Data.
Regarding activities involving aquifer recharging, proposals should take into consideration guidelines provided by the Working Group Groundwater (one of the several groups under the umbrella of the Common Implementation Strategy for the Water Framework Directive), such as provided in the Guidance Document on Managed Aquifer Recharge under the Water Framework Directive.
Applicants are encouraged to tap into international expertise (particularly from Africa and the Mediterranean Area) where relevant. Complementarities with the PRIMA and Water4All partnerships should be explored.
The JRC could participate in this topic, applying its tools to support analysis, such as its integrated agro-economic modelling platform (iMAP) for scenario assessments, or specific water-related models.
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Expected results
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- sustainable pathways to scale up the use of alternative water sources by farmers in agriculture in different contexts in the EU and Associated Countries (where relevant) are developed;
- enhanced knowledge is available to farmers on the long-term impact of alternative water sources for irrigation and other uses with special attention to emerging contaminants;
- resilience of farming systems to water scarcity is increased, especially in areas where droughts are becoming more frequent, longer and more intense, due to climate change;
- awareness and confidence of farmers and consumers in alternative water use in agriculture is increased.
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 45 pages.
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6-7 by the end of the project.
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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