Specific Challenge: The sustainability of food systems is challenged by various interrelated factors, such as the changing socio-economic and political context, the scarcity of natural resources, environmental degradation and climate change. These challenges cannot be met by individual action, but require multi-stakeholder action and coordinated initiatives along the value chain. A new holistic, systemic approach to the design of processes within agro-food chains is needed to unlock their full potential and deliver economic, social and environmental benefits.
Scope:
The research will provide in-depth insight into linkages and interactions between agri-food chain stakeholders, including understanding of their perception and behaviour with respect to sustainability objectives and cooperation, potentially resulting in the design of new processes leading to new business models and better performing value chains. A holistic approach to improving mutual understanding and cooperation between value chain stakeholders (identifying incentives and barriers, and strategies and tools, e.g. technologies to overcome them) is to be explored, helping to create favourable conditions for cooperation, co-creation and innovation within value chains. The concept of social innovation and ways of measuring it throughout the value chain should be explored, taking into account the engagement of society. A plethora of policies and regulatory requirements influencing food production and consumption should be explored, and their implications as regards creating favourable overall conditions for cooperation and innovation along the food chain. Proposals should fall under the concept of the multi-actor approach[1].
The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 6 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude the submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Expected Impact:
The project results are expected to:
- enhance the capacity of actors within agri-food chains to design new processes leading to new business models and more efficient, equitable, sustainable and better performing value chains;
- enhance the innovation potential of the European agri-food chains in terms of adapting to change and increase their competitiveness, sustainability and resilience;
- strengthen farmers’ position in value chains through innovative approaches that enhance transparency, information flow and management capacity; and
- limit the negative impacts of agri-food chains on the environment, climate and health.
[1]See definition of the 'multi-actor approach' in the introduction to this Work Programme part.
Topic conditions and documents
Please read carefully all provisions below before the preparation of your application.
List of countries and applicable rules for funding: described in part A of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme.
Note also that 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 2020 projects (follow the links to China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Taiwan).
Eligibility and admissibility conditions: described in part B and C of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme
Proposal page limits and layout: Please refer to Part B of the standard proposal template.
Evaluation
3.1 Evaluation criteria and procedure, scoring and threshold: described in part H of the General Annexes of the General Work Programme [, with the following exceptions]:
3.2 Submission and evaluation process: Guide to the submission and evaluation process
Indicative timetable for evaluation and grant agreement:
Information on the outcome of single-stage evaluation: maximum 5 months from the deadline for submission.
Signature of grant agreements: maximum 8 months from the deadline for submission.
Information on the outcome of two-stage evaluation:
For stage 1: maximum 3 months from the deadline for submission.
For stage 2: maximum 5 months from the deadline for submission.
Signature of grant agreements: maximum 8 months from the deadline for submission.
Provisions, proposal templates and evaluation forms for the type(s) of action(s) under this topic:
Research and Innovation Action:
Specific provisions and funding rates
Standard proposal template
Standard evaluation form
H2020 General MGA -Multi-Beneficiary
Annotated Grant Agreement
Additional provisions:
- Horizon 2020 budget flexibility
- Technology readiness levels (TRL) – where a topic description refers to TRL, these definitions apply.
- Financial support to Third Parties – where a topic description foresees financial support to Third Parties, these provisions apply.
Open access must be granted to all scientific publications resulting from Horizon 2020 actions, and proposals must refer to measures envisaged. Where relevant, proposals should also provide information on how the participants will manage the research data generated and/or collected during the project, such as details on what types of data the project will generate, whether and how this data will be exploited or made accessible for verification and re-use, and how it will be curated and preserved. This topic participates per default in the open access to research data pilot which aims to improve and maximise access to and re-use of research data generated by projects:
- The pilot applies to the data needed to validate the results presented in scientific publications. Additionally, projects can choose to make other data available for open access and need to describe their approach in a Data Management Plan (to be provided within six months after the project start).
- Note that the evaluation phase proposals will not be evaluated more favourably because they are part of the Pilot, and will not be penalised for opting out of the Pilot.
- Projects can at any stage opt-out of the pilot.
- The legal requirements for projects participating in this pilot are in the article 29.3 of the Model Grant Agreement.Further information on the Open Research Data Pilot is made available inH2020 Online Manual.
8. Additional documents
- H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Introduction
- H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine and maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy
- H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: Dissemination, Exploitation and Evaluation
- H2020 Work Programme 2016-17: General Annexes
- Legal basis: Horizon 2020 - Regulation of Establishment
- Legal basis: Horizon 2020 Rules for Participation
- Legal basis: Horizon 2020 Specific Programme
The deadline for the second stage is 13 September 2017.
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