Tackling pesticide resistance: early detection, management strategies, and foresight

The EU funding program Horizon Europe supports projects for the early detection and sustainable control of pesticide resistance in agricultural and forestry systems. The goal is to develop innovative methods for monitoring and risk prediction to establish integrated management strategies against resistant pests. With a funding amount of up to €6 million per project and a funding rate of 100%, multidisciplinary consortia consisting of companies, educational institutions, NGOs, and public bodies from at least three EU member states are invited to submit proposals. The project duration starts from January 14, 2026, and applications are possible until April 14, 2026. Evaluation criteria include the level of innovation, sustainability aspects, the multi-actor approach, as well as relevance for farmers, advisors, and decision-makers.

Eligible for funding are farming enterprises, research institutions, advisory services, and political actors in the agricultural sector who, together with industry partners, design sustainable scenario analyses and robust monitoring systems. Personnel costs, material expenses, and subcontractor services are funded. A prerequisite is a multi-actor approach that involves stakeholders from practice, research, and policy. A consortium must meet the admissibility and participation criteria of Horizon Europe and include partners from at least three EU countries. In addition to a clear project description (Part B), the financial plan, the mandate letter of the consortium coordinator, and submission via the Funding & Tenders Portal must be provided. Projects should demonstrate resistance development considering the decreasing portfolio of active substances, implement AI-supported predictive models, and establish long-term strategies to enhance resilience.