Enhancing plant protein production to bolster the resilience of agricultural systems and EU self-sufficiency in plant protein used as feed

Currently, protein crops[[ In this topic, protein crops refer to crops with a high content of proteins which can be used for animal feed.]] cultivation, such as grain legumes and fodder legumes, only accounts for a small proportion (around 3%) of the EU agricultural area. While there is little shortage in the protein supply for food purposes in the EU, there is a more important shortage in the feed sector[[ EC (2023), EU agricultural outlook for markets, 2023-2035]], resulting in high levels of imports (especially of soya) originating from countries often with different environmental and social standards. It is, therefore, strategical for the EU to expand the domestic production of protein crops, including in mixed crops[[ Cereals and grain legumes or grass and fodder legumes are examples of mixed crops used for feed (maize and beans, clover and ryegrass, barley and peas, etc).]] as a feed source.

Increasing the EU’ plant protein autonomy would allow for reducing imports of protein feed from third countries, and thereby, would contribute to the decrease of environmental and climate footprints. Additionally, promoting locally produced protein crops would contribute to the sustainable development of EU rural areas, in line with the EU long-term vision on rural areas, for example through the development of new regional value chains that are self-sustaining. Developments in this area should at the same time be coherent with the new Regulation on deforestation-free products[[ Regulation - 2023/1115 - http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1115/oj]] by reducing the impact of plant protein feed needs on deforestation and forest degradation globally.

The benefits of increasing the share of protein crops, in particular nitrogen-fixing leguminous crops, in EU farming systems, are also reflected in the climate and the environment, through the improvement of soil quality (restoring and enhancing biodiversity, increasing soil fertility, cycling nutrients, improving soil structure, increasing water retention capacity, etc.) which in turn improves the sustainability and resilience of farms.

Proposals should:

• improve the knowledge about local production and utilization of various available protein crops used for animal feed across different regions;
• identify gaps, needs, barriers and enablers for taking up and scaling up sustainable protein crops intended for feed use in the EU, from production to processing and trade levels. Draw up a strategic roadmap with research and innovation priorities based on the identified challenges, including for the optimization of manufacturing processes of locally produced plant protein into feed;
• identify, test and showcase biodiversity-friendly management practices in farming systems (crop production and livestock raising) containing protein crops intended for feed use. Prioritise the use of climate and pest resilient protein crops adapted to different EU pedoclimatic conditions;
• assess the social, economic and environmental impacts and trade-offs for up- and downstream actors of the feed value chain, of the increased share of different protein crops in different farming systems;
• generate comprehensive capacity building material, trainings and information tools for farmers, advisors and extension services, including a visualization tailored to different geographical regions and pedoclimatic zones in the EU. Address the most cost-effective production systems with protein crops and combinations of crops, based on local agronomic features as well as on local market data such as demand for feed.

All farming approaches, including organic farming, are in the scope of this topic.

Proposals must implement the 'multi-actor approach’ and ensure adequate involvement of the main actors relevant for domestic plant protein feed value chain, such as farmers, other land managers, advisors, feed manufacturers, industry (including small and medium enterprises), policy-makers, etc. Proposals should ensure an effective knowledge, co-creation and exchange between researchers and field actors as well as with the whole feed value chain actors concerning the benefits, challenges and opportunities of producing and integrating local protein crops for feed in the EU. To this end, proposals should develop diverse practice-oriented dissemination materials presenting R&I solutions (e.g. audiovisuals, brochures, fact sheets, etc) and should share all generated data and knowledge through existing digital tools or platforms.

Proposals should include a dedicated task, appropriate resources, and a plan on how they will collaborate with the other project funded under this topic and with relevant activities to be carried out under topic HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-02-5-two-stage[[ HORIZON-CL6-2024-FARM2FORK-02-5-two-stage: ‘Animal nutritional requirements and nutritional value of feed under different production management conditions', under wp-9-food-bioeconomy-natural-resources-agriculture-and-environment_horizon-2023-2024_en.pdf (europa.eu).]] and HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-06[[ HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-07: ‘Improving grassland management in European livestock farming systems’, under this work programme.]]. Proposals should ensure coherence and complementarity with ongoing relevant Horizon Europe projects and with relevant activities of the Horizon Europe Partnership ‘Agroecology’. Likewise, proposals should capitalise on existing relevant research findings and tools, such as those resulting from Horizon 2020 projects.

The possible participation of the JRC in the project could consist of support analysis, applying its tools such as the integrated agro-economic modelling platform (iMAP), for scenario assessment.