modernAKIS aims to improve AKIS actors’ capacities to leverage individual, organizational and systemic resources needed for the transformation towards more coherent, effective and efficient AKIS systems and the transition to a more sustainable management and use of natural resources in farming and forestry. To this end it will build and foster a European network of at least 1.000 key AKIS actors, including AKIS coordination bodies, from all EU MS, who will act as linchpins in the transformation of the AKIS systems towards a more effective governance and the modernization of the European agri-food sector. The project will also build the capacities of these key AKIS actors towards systems understanding and engagement, enabling them to enact long-term system changes that will improve the AKIS. In addition, it will set up at least 1 Community of Practice in each Member State, enabling thus participants to act as vectors of change in their communities. In addition, modernAKIS will provide a comprehensive digital catalogue with new know-how, and at least 80 tools and methods supporting key AKIS actors to improve the knowledge flows and develop a well-functioning AKIS in line with relevant policy objectives, e.g the Green Deal, Farm2Fork, SDGs.

Climate Farm Demo is a unique pan-European network of Pilot Demo Farmers (PDFs) covering 28 countries and all pedo-climatic areas. Its overall aim it to accelerate the adoption of Climate Smart Farming (CSF) practices and solutions by farmers and all actors of the Climate Smart Agriculture Knowledge & Innovation Systems with a view of adapting agricultural production systems to climate change and of achieving a carbon neutral agricultural sector by 2050, thereby meeting the targets of the EU Climate strategy. To reach this objective, the project adopts a Multi-Actor approach by connecting 1500 Pilot Demo Farmers and their Climate Farm Advisors (CFAs) at European and national levels to increase knowledge exchange & cross-fertilisation in their respective AKIS. The CFA’s will support the PDF’s in implementing Adaptation and Mitigation Measures suggested by contextualised guidelines and will assess & monitor their environmental performance thanks to harmonized methodologies & tools. Technical and social innovations covering a broad range of thematic areas will be demonstrated to the wider farming community across six annual demo-campaigns (4500 demo-events) supporting interactive and peer to peer learning. New and innovative CSF solutions will be co-created in 10 Living Labs spread across Europe and lessons learned from multi-actor innovation will be shared and scaled. A set of public and private rewarding mechanisms will be identified, proposed and demonstrated to the AKIS actors, thus incentivising the uptake of CSF solutions while ensuring sustainable business models. Strategic and operational cooperation will be organised with projects, flagship initiatives and policy-makers at European and national levels in order to share knowledge, organize coordinated actions, and produce policy briefs. Finally, to accelerate the wide spreading and uptake of results, an ambitious dissemination, exploitation and communication strategy will be deployed at EU and national levels

The Societal Challenges addressed by European Union (EU) strategies such as the Green Deal and Farm-to-Form require innovative solutions in agriculture, forestry and rural areas. The Multi-Actor-Approach (MAA) is a promising instrument to speed up innovation. However, the H2020 RIA LIAISON (2018-2022) has identified some deficits and inconsistencies in the interpretation of the MAA by both current and potential MA consortia and Member States’ (MS) authorities. PREMIERE will therefore foster the development of sound, coherent and well-prepared MA projects in two ways. Firstly, it will contribute to the building of project consortia that make best use of the complementary knowledge of their members during proposal writing, project activities and beyond, in particular by improving the connection between Horizon Europe (HE) MA projects and Operational Groups (OG). Secondly, through insights and tools, it will support the implementation of innovative governance and sound decision making in policy and administration for the green transition. By using the results from LIAISON and capturing ‘grass roots’ ideas from project participants, policy makers and executive agencies through stakeholder dialogue across all 27 EU MS (including with the SCAR AKIS SWG, National Contact Points and other relevant HE projects), PREMIERE will develop tools as well as training and networking events for capacity development. These will include a Serious Game, an Online Academy and a MOOC. The project will test out the effect of providing seed funding to at least eight MA organisations (mainly OGs) and prepare a handbook of good practices. This user-focused workplan, with its open science outputs, will lead to more effective EU and national AKIS. It will be implemented by a very experienced, competent and genuinely MA consortium of policy makers, executive agencies, advisors for co-innovation partnerships, AKIS actors and/or and current and potential MA project partners.

The general objective of NOVASOIL project is highlight the benefits for the society and the environment from the investment in soil health. The main expected outcome of the project is a toolbox for the analysis of suitability of different business cases that promote soil health. This toolbox will be based on a set of good examples from Europe and other countries and the needs and demands from the society. The toolbox will include a categorisation of the models and business cases taking into account: a) sustainable soil management under different land uses and climatic conditions; b) products based on practices promoting soil health; c) consumption and certification practices conductive: d) the reuse of land and e) sustainable soil management in the context of the EU Taxonomy Regulation. For that, NOVASOIL is composed by a multidisciplinary team with a large experience on European and national projects focus on soil health and business models. As well as, NOVASOIL will built a Community of Practice around project objectives in order to co-develop soil health business models and the tool-box for incentives taking into account their needs and demands. NOVASOIL is organised in 5 WPs plus coordination following the expected objectives and impacts of the call. The first step is to develop a conceptual framework of soil health and business. This framework will nurture other WPs in order to develop in the same way all the expected objectives. The soil health business models will analyse current successful experiences in Europe and outside Europe in order to categorise them taking into account their variability. In addition, NOVASOIL includes 13 Case Studies with business models that promote soil quality and products based on sustainable crop and soil management. On the other hand, an analysis of current policies related will be carried out in order to provide suggestions and improvement that facilitate the implementation of these soil health business.

MultiSoil’s goal is to co-create, test, and demonstrate agricultural practices that improve soil and plant health factors and thus maintain soil functional biodiversity. This in turn helps control pests with less chemicals, in line with Horizon Europe’s Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe” specific objectives to reduce soil pollution, enhance restoration, and improve soil structure to enhance soil biodiversity and crop production. Soil organic amendments, microbial inoculants, and diversified cropping systems are co-developed with local actors into innovations to complement Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. Their site-specific effectiveness is analysed, and sustainability is assessed in experimental field trials and demonstration sites covering 6 European pedoclimatic zones (7 countries). Innovations are tested and demonstrated with a range of commercially important crops (potato, sugar beet, maize, winter rye, olives, wheat). This will be supported by existing data, collected from other projects, existing field trials, and ongoing Living Labs, to monitor the long-term effects of the practices. MultiSoil is created with farmers and implements a multi-actor approach to ensure continuation of the good practices after the project timespan. Activities will include sharing knowledge, capacity building and training focusing on the tools and expertise developed by MultiSoil. The project will reach out to relevant R&I initiatives and projects, maximising knowledge exchange, and seeking synergies and collaboration. By the end of the project, local actors will have a Toolbox of tailored best practices, and guidelines on how to improve soil health and support soil biodiversity. Data on the social, economic and environmental impacts as well as the risks of the developed practices will support decision making.