Production agricole végétale durable

Scope of the joint Call

The aim of the Call is to support scientifically excellent transnational research, development and innovation projects that contribute to the improvement of sustainability and resilience of crop production. The  submitted  proposals  must  be  multidisciplinary  and  should  address  at  least  one of  the  following topics:

1. Enhancement   of   predictive   breeding   technologies   and   development   of   new   genotypes leading to new phenotypes and crop varieties for improvement of plant health, protection, production and resilience;
2. Development  and  exploitation  of  novel  integrated  pest  and  crop  management  methods and practices;
3. Improvement of resource-use efficiency of crops and cropping systems;
4. Systemic   research   on   agricultural   crops   as   part   of   an   ecosystem   including   interactions between plants and other organisms (“the plant as a meta-organism”)

The Call is open for both fundamental and applied research.

Regarding all topics  applying research consortia should clearly state how their project aims will be    relevant    and/or    contribute to the    UN    Sustainable    Development    Goals    (http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/)       including  the  sustainability  and  resilience  of  crops  or  cropping  systems,  considering  environmental challenges due to climate change,  the scarcity/limitation of natural resources etc.

It   is   encouraged that   proposals include   bioinformatics   along   with information   and   communication technology (ICT) sciences and that they demonstrate how these will be used to promote innovation. Please   carefully   check   the   national/regional   funding   regulations   (under   Call   Documents   on https://www.submission.suscrop.eu)     because   some   of   the   topics   described and   types   of   research   may not be suitable/eligible for all funding organisations.

Funding will be provided for scientifically and technologically excellent projects managed by universities,  other  research  organisations  and  companies  from  SusCrop  partner  countries.  Funding  will  follow  the  nationality  principle meaning  each  participating  national  or  regional funding  agency  will  fund  its  respective  national/regional  research  partners  in  a  particular  project consortium.

Research    project    coordinators    and    their    partners    must    follow    the    corresponding national/regional funding regulations and limitations, which can be downloaded, from the Call Documents in the submission portal (https://www.submission.suscrop.eu).

In  addition,  applying  research  consortia  are  encouraged  to  interact with and/or  include partners of the private sector (e.g. SMEs), stakeholders and/or end-users (e.g. farmers) while preparing  the  proposal  and/or carrying  out  the  project.  Where  possible  SMEs  and  other  stakeholders  should  be  encouraged  to  participate  in  the  consortia,  to  enhance  impact,  facilitate  knowledge  exchange  and  uptake  of  results  to  deliver  measurable  benefits  to  Sustainable  Crop  Production  in  Europe.  However,  the  inclusion  and  support  of  any  type  of  stakeholder as an active partner in the research consortia depends on the national/regional funding   regulations   defined   by   the   funding   organisation (see   Call   Documents   in   the   submission system at https://www.submission.suscrop.eu).      

Further, projects are required to consider the following principles:

• All  project  partners  should  contribute  to,  and  benefit  from,  equitable  and  balanced  cooperation.
• Results  of  collaborative  projects  must  be  shared  within  the  research consortium through   a controlled   process   that   adequately   protects   and   equitably   allocates   intellectual property used in, and generated during, joint research and development.
• Each full  proposal  must  include  a  one  page  Data  Management  (DM)  Plan  to  ensure  the   availability   of   data   generated   by   the   research   proposed.   Applicants   are   encouraged (but not obliged) to utilise available DM services. Further information on the  development  and  preparation  of  a  data  management  plan  is  provided  in  the  document “Guidelines  for Applicants” (download from https://www.submission.suscrop.eu).
• Each   pre-proposal   must   allocate   an   appropriate   budget   for   communication, dissemination  and  exploitation  of  the  results,  whereas  each full  proposal  must  also  include a one A4-page plan for communication, dissemination and exploitation of the results  and  an  appropriate  budget for  those activities. Further  information  on  the development  and  preparation  of  a  communication,  dissemination  and  exploitationplan   is   provided   in   the   document   “Guidelines   for   Applicants”   (download   from   https://www.submission.suscrop.eu/).  Furthermore, applicants  are  advised  to  take  into  consideration  the  guidelines  on  “Communicating  EU  Research  &  Innovation”  by  the European Commission (download    from http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/gm/h2020-guide-comm_en.pdf)          Exploitation  of  the  project  results  can  aim at  different  target  groups,  support  policymakers, and   be   used   in   industry   and/or   education etc.,   as   appropriate, particularly