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Developing an interdisciplinary and inclusive pan-European academic network for food system science

European Comission

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Summary
22 December 2022
23 March 2023
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For profit
Individuals
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Public sector
R&D and Higher Education
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Research, Development and Innovation Natural Sciences
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Overview

ExpectedOutcome :

In line with the objectives of the European Green Deal, the farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environment‑friendly food system, the Food 2030 priorities and the EU’s climate ambition for 2030 and 2050, the successful proposal will contribute to the transformation and sustainability of EU food systems by supporting the establishment of innovative governance models notably to achieve better-informed decision-making processes and facilitate inter- and transdisciplinary research methods.

Successful proposals will develop an interdisciplinary and inclusive pan-European academic network for food system science that integrates the social sciences and humanities (SSH), design, engineering and natural and applied sciences. Central to the work of the academic network is the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). In particular, successful proposals will set out how the network and its members can work to improve and/or develop: new methods and tools, data access and knowledge sharing, inter- and transdisciplinary research and the assessment of impacts in complex and interconnected food systems. The network will act as a European building block in fostering improved food system governance at all scales and will connect with related key international fora. By deepening engagement amongst researchers, scientific disciplines and science performers, this initiative will build capacity to strengthen the role of science and knowledge for sustainable food systems transition in Europe and beyond.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

  • Establish a broad pan-European interdisciplinary academic network.
  • Foster inter-, transdisciplinary, participatory, policy and regulatory research to develop new insights, findings, models, methods and tools to assess and manage the full systemic complexity of food systems.
  • A strengthened European Research Area for sustainable food systems transformation for co-benefits, which federates a wide diversity of scientific actors across Europe, promotes gender equality in research, attracts young talents and fosters inclusiveness and cooperation across scientific disciplines, and promotes education and outreach.
  • Contribution to the farm to fork objectives and Food 2030 priorities: nutrition for sustainable healthy diets, climate, biodiversity and environment, circularity and resource efficiency, innovation and empowering communities (e.g., meeting the needs, values and expectations of society in a responsible and ethical way). Scope :

Food systems face the triple challenge of providing food security and nutrition for a growing global population, and livelihoods to farmers (OECD, 2021).[1] To meet these challenges, a food system transformation is needed to make the EU food system future-proof, in line with the farm to fork strategy and the European Commission’s food 2030 initiative.

The project will build an interdisciplinary and inclusive pan-European academic network for food system science, that will integrate the social sciences and humanities, design, engineering and natural and applied sciences. The aim of the network is to federate research performers including universities, national science academies and research centres, academics and researchers across Europe to work together on sustainable food systems transition by carrying out inter- and transdisciplinary research, developing and applying new methods, models and tools, improving data and knowledge sharing, fostering debate and providing advice to policy makers for improved decision-making at all levels – from global to local, as needed.

Proposed activities should cover all of the following aspects:

  • Establish a broad pan-European interdisciplinary network of researchers, scientists, and research performers including national science academies, universities and research centres representing diverse and interconnected food systems-related disciplines.
  • The network will conduct different types of research: inter-, transdisciplinary and participatory research, as well as policy/regulatory research.
  • Interdisciplinary research activities will develop new systems science insights, models, methods and tools to assess and manage the full systemic complexity of food systems, their multiple drivers and dynamics, with the aim of providing research outcomes that deliver co-benefits and minimise adverse effects. The research will also increase understanding of how food systems interact with other bioeconomy demands on biological resources (e.g., energy system, bio-based industry, climate mitigation and adaptation, supply of ecosystem services, etc.).
  • Transdisciplinary and participatory research activities will foster collaboration with different food systems stakeholders (e.g., public authorities, local and regional communities, civil society organisations, the private sector, consumers, etc.) to identify knowledge gaps, high priority research needs, and collaborative responses to them. This may include the organization of iterative stakeholder workshops, interviews, questionnaires and the collaboration with existing or future food policy/living labs.
  • Policy and regulatory research activities will be designed to provide evidence to support systemic policy and decision making, as needed. In this respect, research is welcome on how to transition to a true cost of food that adequately embeds social and environmental externalities at all levels (global to local).
  • Building on the RTD/2020/SC/022 study “Promote education, training and skills across the bioeconomy”, the network will develop open access educational material/curricula to be used by Higher Education Institutes to help strengthen their existing food systems-related teaching and research with an inter- and transdisciplinary systems dimension.
  • Support the training, mobility, mutual learning and knowledge sharing amongst researchers (including masters to post-doc levels) and foster open science approaches that also accelerate gender equality, attract young talents, foster inclusiveness and reuse of research knowledge (including the sharing of FAIR and open digital research or educational output). This will also include the organization of a high-level annual summer camp/school providing inter- and transdisciplinary food systems and bioeconomy science training open to youth from all over Europe.
  • Organise an international bi-annual conference dedicated to advancing integrated food systems science. In this context special attention will be placed on awarding excellence amongst young researchers, including young women researchers.
  • Establish a high-level liaison with EU and relevant international initiatives acting at the science-policy interface for improved food systems governance.
  • Proposals are encouraged to cooperate with actors such as the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). The JRC may provide expertise on how to strengthen the relationship between scientists and European policy makers and to promote research and collaboration on food systems science.

Proposals should include a dedicated task, appropriate resources and a plan on how they will collaborate with the projects funded under the work programme from WP2021-2022, namely HORIZON-CL6-2021-GOVERNANCE-01-02 (FOSTER, Fostering food system transformation by integrating heterogeneous perspectives in knowledge and innovation within the ERA) and with the living labs and lighthouses foreseen under the Horizon Europe Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’. Projects should also build on the findings of the European Commission’s High Level Expert Group (HLEG) that addressed needs and options to strengthen the international science policy interface for improved global food system governance.

Collaboration and complementary with the European Partnership on “Sustainable Food Systems for People, Plant and Climate” is encouraged. In order to achieve the expected outcomes, international cooperation is encouraged.

Efforts shall be made to ensure that the data and the educational output produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).

[1] OECD (2021), Making Better Policies for Food Systems, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/ddfba4de-en.

Eligibility

General conditions

  1. Admissibility conditions: 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

  1. 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 .

  1. Other eligibility conditions: described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding.

The following additional eligibility criteria apply: the proposals must establish a pan-European network and carry out inter- and transdisciplinary research, as well as policy research, support education and outreach.

  1. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion: described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes

  2. Evaluation and award:

  • Award criteria, scoring and thresholds are described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes

  • Submission and evaluation processes are described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual

  • Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes

  1. Legal and financial set-up of the grants: described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes

Specific conditions

  1. Specific conditions: described in the specific topic of the Work Programme

Documents

Call documents:

Standard application form — call-specific application form is available in the Submission System

Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)

Standard evaluation form — will be used with the necessary adaptations

Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)

MGA

HE General MGA v1.0

Additional documents:

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 9. Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

HE Main Work Programme 2023–2024 – 13. General Annexes

HE Programme Guide

HE Framework Programme and Rules for Participation Regulation 2021/695

HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764

EU Financial Regulation

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

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20 April 2023