Strengthening the EU crop breeding research and innovation ecosystem for competitive, resilient, and sustainable agriculture
Fair, healthy and environment-friendly food systems from primary production to consumption
Funding Amount
€3.0M - €3.0M
Deadline
16/09/2025
Eligible Organization Types
Non-profit, Private Business, Research Institution, Public Institution
Trusted by
What is the Strengthening the EU crop breeding research and innovation ecosystem for competitive, resilient, and sustainable agriculture Call?
Grant Description
This coordination and support action will map and analyse EU plant breeding needs, funding models and infrastructure; establish a co-creative environment and an EU-wide network for public and private stakeholders; and develop a strategic research and innovation roadmap to enhance crop resilience, sustainability and market access within sustainable agri-food systems, supporting Common Agricultural Policy and Green Deal objectives.
Required Results for Successful Funding
Expected Outcomes
Projects are expected to deliver all of the following outcomes:
1. Enhanced critical understanding and applicability of funding landscapes and financing models at national, regional and EU levels for plant breeding, leading to more efficient coordination and streamlined R&I actions among public and private actors
2. Establishment of a co-creative environment enabling stakeholders to collaboratively identify and prioritise shared research gaps and infrastructure needs for crop breeding, ensuring coordinated research efforts across Member States
3. Support for trans-national R&I cooperation between public and private breeding sectors and the research community, focusing on shared research priorities and emerging technologies to address key crop breeding challenges
4. Facilitation of market access processes for new and improved varieties, addressing identified gaps in variety testing, registration and development needs
1. Enhanced critical understanding and applicability of funding landscapes and financing models at national, regional and EU levels for plant breeding, leading to more efficient coordination and streamlined R&I actions among public and private actors
2. Establishment of a co-creative environment enabling stakeholders to collaboratively identify and prioritise shared research gaps and infrastructure needs for crop breeding, ensuring coordinated research efforts across Member States
3. Support for trans-national R&I cooperation between public and private breeding sectors and the research community, focusing on shared research priorities and emerging technologies to address key crop breeding challenges
4. Facilitation of market access processes for new and improved varieties, addressing identified gaps in variety testing, registration and development needs
Funded areas
Scope Requirements
• Conduct a comprehensive mapping of relevant plant breeding needs and related R&I activities across all 27 Member States
• Evaluate available cutting-edge infrastructure and demonstration facilities, identify gaps and opportunities for different agricultural sectors, including market access processes
• Analyse mobilisation of funding sources and financial models at EU, regional and national levels supporting public and private plant breeding R&I
• Assess adoption and implementation of participatory breeding approaches and define pathways for involving farmers, end-users and other stakeholders
• Establish a structured framework for an EU-wide network, coordinating existing networks and initiatives to facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange and joint actions among research institutions, funders, infrastructure providers and breeders
• Develop a strategic R&I roadmap for plant breeding at EU level, prioritising research gaps and infrastructure needs, with particular focus on minor, underutilised and permanent crops
• Include all farming systems and approaches (conventional, organic, heterogeneous materials), ensuring specific considerations for organic varieties
• Ensure high-level representation of the 27 EU Member States and alignment with global initiatives (e.g. Kunming-Montreal GBF target on genetic resources benefit-sharing)
• Guarantee coherence and complementarity with ongoing Horizon Europe projects (e.g. Agroecology partnership), H2020/Horizon Europe results and encourage collaboration with European research infrastructures (Ana EE-ERIC, EMPHASIS, ESFRI portfolio)
• Evaluate available cutting-edge infrastructure and demonstration facilities, identify gaps and opportunities for different agricultural sectors, including market access processes
• Analyse mobilisation of funding sources and financial models at EU, regional and national levels supporting public and private plant breeding R&I
• Assess adoption and implementation of participatory breeding approaches and define pathways for involving farmers, end-users and other stakeholders
• Establish a structured framework for an EU-wide network, coordinating existing networks and initiatives to facilitate collaboration, knowledge exchange and joint actions among research institutions, funders, infrastructure providers and breeders
• Develop a strategic R&I roadmap for plant breeding at EU level, prioritising research gaps and infrastructure needs, with particular focus on minor, underutilised and permanent crops
• Include all farming systems and approaches (conventional, organic, heterogeneous materials), ensuring specific considerations for organic varieties
• Ensure high-level representation of the 27 EU Member States and alignment with global initiatives (e.g. Kunming-Montreal GBF target on genetic resources benefit-sharing)
• Guarantee coherence and complementarity with ongoing Horizon Europe projects (e.g. Agroecology partnership), H2020/Horizon Europe results and encourage collaboration with European research infrastructures (Ana EE-ERIC, EMPHASIS, ESFRI portfolio)
Additional Conditions for Applicants
Special Conditions
• Lump-sum funding model under Horizon Europe (HORIZON-AG-LS) with single-stage submission by 16 September 2025, 17:00 Brussels time
• Proposals must comply with admissibility, eligibility, exclusion, financial and operational capacity conditions set out in Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (Annex A–G)
• Page limits and layout according to Application Form Part B; evaluation criteria, scoring and timelines per Annex D and F
• Eligible participants from EU Member States and associated countries as per Annex B; non-associated third countries only where specific provisions exist
• Use of standard CSA application and evaluation forms, Model Grant Agreement for lump sums
• Proposals must reference and support Commission communication COM(2024)137 final (“Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU”)
• Ensure coherence with the relevant destination description in WP 2025 and seek synergies with EU Missions (‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’), European Partnerships and JRC Knowledge Centres
• Collaboration with EIT communities (e.g. EIT Food) and international cooperation initiatives (e.g. EU-Africa FNSSA) encouraged
• Proposals must comply with admissibility, eligibility, exclusion, financial and operational capacity conditions set out in Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes (Annex A–G)
• Page limits and layout according to Application Form Part B; evaluation criteria, scoring and timelines per Annex D and F
• Eligible participants from EU Member States and associated countries as per Annex B; non-associated third countries only where specific provisions exist
• Use of standard CSA application and evaluation forms, Model Grant Agreement for lump sums
• Proposals must reference and support Commission communication COM(2024)137 final (“Building the future with nature: Boosting Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing in the EU”)
• Ensure coherence with the relevant destination description in WP 2025 and seek synergies with EU Missions (‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, ‘Restore our Ocean and Waters by 2030’), European Partnerships and JRC Knowledge Centres
• Collaboration with EIT communities (e.g. EIT Food) and international cooperation initiatives (e.g. EU-Africa FNSSA) encouraged
Important dates
Open from: 06/05/2025
Deadline:16/09/2025
Application period has ended
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