Innovating for on-farm post-harvest operations, storage and transformation of crops into food and non-food products
Funds multi-actor research projects to develop and validate innovative, sustainable solutions for improved on-farm post-harvest crop handling, storage, and processing to boost climate and environmental performance.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
European Commission has archived this opportunity.
Funder: European Commission
Due Dates: September 4, 2025 (Stage 1 proposal) | February 18, 2026 (Stage 2 proposal)
Funding Amounts: €12 million total for this topic; expected individual project funding is around €6 million; project duration typically 3–5 years.
Summary: Funds innovative, multi-actor projects to improve on-farm post-harvest operations, storage, and crop transformation for enhanced sustainability, climate performance, and value chain competitiveness.
Key Information: Two-stage submission; multi-actor consortia (incl. farmers and SMEs) required; financial support to third parties (SMEs/farmers) possible.
Description
This Horizon Europe Innovation Action supports the development, piloting, and validation of innovative solutions that empower farmers to enhance post-harvest handling, processing, and storage of crops. The goal is to improve the environmental and climate performance of agricultural activities, strengthen farmers' positions in value chains, and foster sustainable, SME-led business models. Projects should address practical, scalable innovations tailored to farmers’ needs and demonstrate clear environmental, social, and economic sustainability benefits, including climate change mitigation and adaptation.
The call emphasizes a multi-actor approach, requiring active participation from farmers, SMEs, and other stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. Proposals must include dissemination of practice-oriented materials, assess cost-benefit and sustainability impacts, and outline pathways for market exploitation. Financial support to third parties (especially SMEs and farmers) is encouraged to further develop, test, or validate innovative solutions.
