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stRengthening human capital and increasing the excellencE of Widening-country organisations iN R&I For bio-based, lOw-risk and smaRt Crop protection

Project description

Boosting smart crop protection in southern Europe

Sustainable crop protection is vital for greener farming, yet progress varies across EU countries. Greece and Portugal, in particular, continue to face challenges in research quality and collaboration between sectors. In this context, the EU-funded REENFORCE project will focus on bio-based pesticides, ecotoxicology, and smart spraying. It will bring together partners from Belgium, Greece, and Portugal. The project will offer specialised training, secondments, and policy recommendations to build research capacity and support Europe’s green and digital transition. By strengthening R&I talent and promoting eco-friendly practices, REENFORCE helps bring sustainable farming closer to reality in underrepresented regions.

Objective

The REENFORCE project, led by the Agricultural University of Athens, aims to create a long-lasting cross-sectoral collaboration, to empower the R&I human capital base, increase the cross-sectoral collaboration and enhance the excellence of research performing organisations in the Widening countries of Greece and Portugal. The project’s thematic area lies in sustainable crop protection, more specifically in the topics of: (i) bio-based solutions and low-risk pesticides, (ii) ecotoxicology assessment of applied substances and (iii) smart spraying applications. REENFORCE addresses Action 4 of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, while it supports Europe's twin green and digital transition, in the context of agriculture and sustainable crop protection. REENFORCE consortium consists of 4 academic organisations, 4 private companies and 1 competence centre from two Widening countries (Greece and Portugal) and one non-Widening country (Belgium), specialising in the fields of bio-based, low-risk and smart application of pesticides. REENFORCE will map relevant needs and knowledge gaps in R&I and cross-sectoral collaborative research in Widening countries, defining the requirements for upskilling human capital and enhancing research organisations' excellence, following business sector demands. It will develop specialised training material, and will conduct multiple training activities (face-to-face & online), cross-border and cross-sectoral secondments of R&I talents (in the context of joint research studies and shared use of infrastructure), providing opportunities for personal career development. REENFORCE will propose best practices, institutional reforms and policy recommendations, to increase the excellence of R&I, and research support, in Widening countries, and will widely promote the economic, environmental and societal benefits of bio-based, low-risk and smart application of pesticides.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-CSA - HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-WIDERA-2024-TALENTS-03

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Coordinator

GEOPONIKO PANEPISTIMION ATHINON
Net EU contribution
€ 385 062,50
Address
IERA ODOS 75
118 55 ATHINA
Greece
Region
Αττική Aττική Κεντρικός Τομέας Αθηνών
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 385 062,50

Participants (8)