Agriculture & Forestry

Registration for the SC2 Infoweek workshop "Interactive innovation in motion: multi-actor projects and thematic networks under Horizon 2020" opened Monday 19/10/2015 at 12:00 (noon) Brussels time. High attendance is expected therefore prompt registration is recommended! Update 20 October 2015 10:00 - The event is now fully booked with a waiting list doubling room capacity. Registration still open for speakers and people wanting to be informed about webstreaming.

Plant breeders could in the future produce new versions of common crops to cope with climate change. An EU-funded project is using genetics to identify which plants in staple cereal species could thrive in drought and high temperatures, helping future-proof our food.

Producing more food to feed a growing global population will require more intensive and extensive farming over the coming decades. Ensuring this can be achieved in a sustainable way is the goal of EU-funded researchers developing methods and tools to monitor and map agricultural areas and crop production.

The European Commission will invest almost €16 billion in research and innovation in the next two years under Horizon 2020, the EU's research and innovation funding scheme, following a new work programme for 2016-17 adopted on 13 October. The work programme is now available on the participant portal.

An EU-funded project has developed innovative technologies and techniques for recycling water, nutrients and by-products along the food supply chain – from horticulture to processing and on to shop shelves. These advances add up to big savings for producers and manufacturers, increase competitiveness, and benefit the environment.

Carlos Moedas, Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation said: "Research and innovation are the engines of Europe's progress and vital to addressing today's new pressing challenges like immigration, climate change, clean energy and healthy societies. Over the next two years, €16 billion from Horizon 2020 will support Europe's top scientific efforts, making the difference to citizens' lives."

When consumers buy food, their choices impact economies, the environment and the well-being of both humans and animals. An EU-funded project is developing a flexible method to assess these impacts to help policymakers achieve a more sustainable food supply.

As the popularity of ready-to-eat salads increases, producers are seeking to keep us hungry for more by offering greater choice. But testing each new recipe for safety, quality and shelf life costs time and money for producers – predominantly small companies. EU-funded researchers have developed software that predicts the impact of each production stage on a salad, aiming to reduce costs, and help small food makers become more competitive in this market.

EU-funded researchers have adapted two biodegradable plastics made from crop waste for use as food packaging, laying the groundwork for Europe to become a global leader in the sector.

Shrimp heads, crab carapaces, lobster shells — many billion tonnes of shellfish waste are generated globally per year. Very little of it is put to good use. This could be about to change, as EU-funded researchers have developed an innovative way to transform this briny refuse into plastic.

Europe contains landscapes that are breathtakingly beautiful – and essential for wildlife, communal activities, human wellbeing and local economies. An EU-funded project brings together data on how these landscapes are changing, to help manage them wisely for the long term.

Information and Networking event for Horizon 2020 funding for Water Innovation.

Join us for this event to:

• Gather information on the range of European funding options available in 2016 & 2017 via Horizon2020 related to water in the urban and agricultural environments.
• Learn how this route could be used to accelerate the development of a product or service or large-scale demonstration of emerging solutions;
• ...

Juicy burgers, spicy kebabs, creamy chocolate shakes — limiting your intake of animal protein doesn’t mean you have to forego such treats. Products as varied as meat-free steaks and non-dairy ice cream can, for example, be made from lupin seeds. An EU-funded project has helped to optimise such foods and studied potential health benefits.

Horizon 2020 is the EU’s biggest ever programme for research and innovation, and it has got off to an excellent start. This brochure presents information on the first 100 calls for proposals that closed by 1 December 2014.

On 25 September, the Commission launched an online survey to gather opinions from stakeholders on the impact of the simplification measures introduced in Horizon 2020, and to ask for new ideas on future simplification.

Horizon 2020 is the biggest EU research and innovation programme ever. Almost €80 billion of funding is available over seven years (2014 to 2020) – in addition to the private and national public investment that this money will attract. This publication presents the full set of Key Performance and Cross-Cutting Issues Indicators for Horizon 2020, including those for the European Institute of Technology and EURATOM.

Can too many cooks spoil the broth? Not if they find the right way to work together. An EU-funded project explored new methods for researchers, policy-makers and civil society groups to collaborate to make food sustainable – for both people and the planet.

The EU-funded OpenNESS project aims to encourage informed, sustainable land, water and urban management by tapping the potential of ecosystem services and natural capital. Researchers are uploading the results from 26 case studies onto a pioneering online resource.

Sub-Saharan Africa is modernising fast, changing the dynamic between town and countryside. What is the best way to manage the impacts on rural and urban communities? An EU-funded project is collecting data that helps policymakers make wise choices for inclusive development.

Over the last 30 years, much of Europe's grassland has been lost to urban development and the intensive production of annual crops like green maize. But environmental and food safety concerns, coupled with doubts about the sustainability of today's intensive farming systems, have seen grassland farming making a comeback. An EU-funded project has presented its findings on the value of grasslands for biodiversity and productivity.