Improving grassland management in European livestock farming systems

This Research & Innovation Action funds projects that advance scientific understanding of grassland systems across Europe—covering both permanent grasslands (as per Regulation 2021/2115) and temporary grasslands in rotation of under five years. The goal is to generate and demonstrate innovative, climate-resilient grassland and grazing livestock management models that deliver environmental and socio-economic benefits, such as enhanced biodiversity, carbon sequestration, adaptation/mitigation potential, animal welfare, and farmer livelihoods. Proposals must leverage previous EU research outputs and capitalize on spatial datasets (e.g. JRC grazing‑intensity, Eurostat agricultural census) to compare mono‑species vs mixed‑species grasslands across diverse pedo‑climatic zones, including marginal or intensifying areas. The multi-actor approach is required, ensuring involvement of farmers, advisors, policymakers, NGOs, SMEs, social economy actors, consumers, shepherds and others.

Projects should:

• Assess and compare grassland systems in varied EU biogeographical regions and under different management intensities.
• Demonstrate scalable practices and management systems that sustain ecosystem services and farmer viability.
• Involve co-creation, participatory design and knowledge mobilisation among a wide range of stakeholders, including marginal-area and conservation‑oriented grassland users.

• Personnel costs
• Subcontracting
• Travel and subsistence
• Equipment (depreciation or rental)
• Consumables and materials
• Dissemination and communication
• Access to research infrastructure
• IPR and certification
• Audit costs
• Indirect costs (25% flat rate)
• Internally invoiced services

• Budget for this Call: 16.000.000€
• Number of Grants attributed: 2
• Budget per project: 8.000.000€

• Must apply as a consortium of minimum 3 legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries (at least one EU Member State).
• Each partner must demonstrate financial and operational capacity (as per Annex B & C, General Model Grant Agreement of Horizon Europe).
• Proposals must deploy the multi-actor approach, with adequate engagement of stakeholders directly involved in grassland ecosystems (e.g. farmers managing protected areas, shepherds, advisors, policymakers, NGOs, SMEs, consumers) .
• Projects must build on previous research and align with EU policy frameworks (CAP, EU Green Deal, Biodiversity Strategy, Nature Restoration Regulation, EU climate plan, and EU Organic Action Plan)