Deadline: 20-Sep-23
The European Commission (EC) is pleased to announce the proposals for Soil-friendly practices in horticulture, including alternative growing media.
Scope
Practices in horticulture can affect soil health and related ecosystem services at different points in the value chain, for example at production sites as well as further upstream. Within horticultural production systems, soils are often subjected to particularly intensive use, which can cause among others soil compaction, soil pollution (e.g. excess nutrients, pesticides or microplastics), and salinization as a consequence of intensive irrigation. Peat is commonly used in nurseries, greenhouses and amateur horticulture as a growing medium and for soil improvement, as it has an excellent water retention capacity, is highly fertile due to the reduced leaching of nutrients and can improve the soil buffering capacity. The extraction of natural peat, however, is highly contentious as the disturbance of peatlands leads to habitat loss, soil degradation, CO2 emissions and increased flood risks. Therefore, sustainable alternatives to natural peat are required. While various peat-free or peat-reduced growing media have become more widely available in recent years, their performance with regard to environmental and other relevant criteria remains difficult to assess.
Funding Information
The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500 000, except for:
- public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organisations; and
- cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60 000 (lowvalue grant).
Expected Outcomes
- Activities under this topic will help to progress towards the objectives of the Mission ‘A Soil Deal for Europe’, in particular its specific objectives 2 “Conserve and increase soil organic carbon stocks”, 4 “Reduce soil pollution and enhance restoration” and 6 “Improve soil structure to enhance habitat quality for soil biota and crops”. Activities should also contribute to EU climate action and to other policies in the framework of the European Green Deal, such as the Organic Action Plan, the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the proposed Nature Restoration Law.
- Project results should contribute to all of the following outcomes:
- Reduced carbon and overall environmental footprint of the horticultural sector and more sustainable production systems, reducing negative impacts on soil health throughout the value chain.
- Novel products (e.g. alternative potting and soil-improving materials), production processes and management options for soil management are developed and tested and show improved environmental, social, health and safety performance, as demonstrated through improved testing and validation methods throughout the entire life cycle.
- Sustainable alternatives to peat are more widely available and used in conventional and organic horticulture.
- Policy measures and other incentives have been explored and elaborated to further the uptake of sustainable alternatives to peat.
Eligibility Criteria
- To become a beneficiary, legal entities must be eligible for funding.
- To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the following countries:
- the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions,
- the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States,
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- the following low- and middle-income countries.
For more information, visit European Commission.