What this call funds
Expected Outcome
Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- agricultural actors implement sustainable practices for resource-efficient and climate-smart and biodiversity-friendly farming in diverse African agro-ecosystems;
- integrated water, nutrient and energy management systems are available to smallholder farms in Africa.
Scope
A nexus approach that identifies and develops mutually beneficial knowledge, practices and tools in agriculture can enable sustainable, biodiversity-friendly and climate-smart agriculture in African agro-ecosystems. The needs for water, energy, and nutrients in agriculture are crucial for smallholder farms to sustain predictable and stable productions and support livelihoods. Making available innovative solutions based on circular and sustainable approaches, can enable new business opportunities in African agriculture.
Proposals should:
- assess needs and opportunities (economic, environmental and social) for sustainable water, nutrient and energy management in agriculture for food and/or non-food uses;
- improve existing and develop new knowledge, practices and tools for on farm sustainable management of agricultural resources at the nexus of water, nutrient and energy inputs and outputs;
- evaluate the impact of the proposed practices and tools in terms of water, energy and nutrient balances but also their economic feasibility, environmental/climate footprint and social effects;
- enable sustainable, circular, climate-smart and biodiversity friendly practices at farm level while considering the characteristic of both local and regional levels in at least two different African agro-ecosystems.
The projects under this topic are relevant to the EU Vision for agriculture and food, the Global Gateway Strategy, contribute to the African Union-EU High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation[1] and to the respective R&I partnerships on Food and Nutrition Security and Sustainable Agriculture (FNSSA) and on Climate Change and Sustainable Energy. Projects under this topic are relevant for the climate objectives of the African Union and the EU, and for the commitments of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Proposals should contribute to the implementation of the short-term and medium-term actions outlined in the AU-EU Innovation Agenda in the priority area of Green Transition, (notably action (4) and (5) among short-term actions and (1) and (3) for medium-term actions), and aim to translate R&I efforts into tangible business, products, services, development and employment opportunities in Africa and Europe.
Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach to ensure the adequate involvement of the public authorities, advisory services and farmer organisations.
Proposals should adopt an inclusive approach that respects and integrates local knowledge and practices alongside technological and scientific expertise, where indigenous insights are enriched by innovative approaches and new technologies through mutual learning.
Proposals should propose collaboration opportunities with ongoing projects funded under Horizon Europe, in particular those establishing living-labs in Africa. Furthermore, proposals are encouraged to seek connections with Regional Multi-actors Research Networks on Agroecology supported by the EC in Africa[2].
Proposals are encouraged to work together with the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre on Global Food and Nutrition Security to leverage its knowledge base on relevant topics and to expand the reach and dissemination of the project's results.
Proposals are encouraged to seek complementarities with the activities of the Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean areas (PRIMA).
Proposals may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) to, for instance, develop, test and demonstrate new practices and tools. A maximum of 30% of the proposed budget should be allocated to this purpose.
[1] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-research-and-innovation-news/new-eu-africa-innovation-agenda-enhance-cooperation-science-technology-and-innovation-2023-07-20_en
[2] Regional Multi-Actor Research Network on Agroecology to Support Regional Centres of Excellence related to the Green Transition; RMRN Western Africa: CORAF & Cheikh-Anta-Diop de Dakar for Western Africa; RMRN Eastern Africa : Icipe and partners
Eligibility & conditions+
General conditions
1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout
Applicants submitting a proposal for a blind evaluation (see General Annex F) must not disclose their organisation names, acronyms, logos nor names of personnel in the proposal abstract and Part B of their first-stage application (see General Annex E).
described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
2. Eligible Countries
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
3. Other Eligible Conditions
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: the proposals must apply the multi-actor approach. See definition of the multi-actor approach in this work programme part.
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: due to the specific challenge of this topic, in addition to the minimum number of participants set out in the General Annexes, consortia must include at least three independent legal entities established in an African Union member state*.
International organisations with headquarters in a Member State or Associated Country are exceptionally eligible for funding.
The following additional eligibility criteria apply: Due to the scope of this topic, legal entities established in all African Union member states* are exceptionally eligible for Union funding. * "African Union member states" includes countries whose membership has been temporarily suspended.
described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion
described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5a. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds
The first-stage proposals of this topic will be evaluated blindly.
are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
5b. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes
are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement
described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60 000.
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) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Specific conditions
described in the [specific topic of the Work Programme]
Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA) 
Guidance
HE Programme Guide 
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Lump Sum MGA 
Call-specific instructions 
Detailed budget table (HE LS) 
Information on financial support to third parties (HE) 
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
Additional documents:
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Programme Guide
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual 
Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions 
Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement
Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal · synced 2026-10-13