AI supporting informed advice for farmers and foresters to improve competitiveness and sustainability

A European-funded innovation initiative supports companies and research institutions in developing AI-based systems for informed decision support in agriculture and forestry. The goal is to provide farmers and forest managers with sustainable, competitive advisory services based on multimodal datasets that consider both environmental and climate protection aspects. Projects in the areas of digitization, innovation, as well as environmental and climate protection, with a duration of 24 months and financial support ranging from €5 to 6 million, are funded. The funding is provided as a grant covering 100% of costs for personnel, material and travel expenses, subcontractor services, and data management. A consortium of at least three independent institutions from EU member states or associated countries implements the "multi-actor approach," actively involving advisors, farmers, and forest managers in the development, testing, and validation of the solutions. Projects must demonstrate clear innovation content, rely on dataset interoperability, and ensure end-user participation.

The selection is conducted through a transparent single-stage procedure by the deadline of May 11, 2027, evaluated according to the criteria of excellence, impact, and quality of implementation. Applicants submit a project description with a financing plan, CVs of key personnel, and an ethics self-assessment. Subsequently, the submission phase in the EU Funding & Tenders Portal begins on February 4, 2027. Projects are intended to provide impetus for the modernization of agricultural and forestry enterprises, increase competitiveness, and strengthen resilience against climatic and ecological challenges. Through open data practices and dissemination of project results via communication measures, broad market penetration is sought, ultimately contributing to a future-proof, climate-neutral agriculture and sustainable forest management.