Emerging and future risks to plant health

Expected Outcome:

Successful proposals should contribute to the objectives of the common agricultural policy, as well as to the European Green Deal’s goals for resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, and support Regulation 2016/2031^[1] on protective measures against pests of plants.

Successful proposals will deliver on the expected impacts of the destination by enabling agri-food systems to enhance the EU’s strategic autonomy through promoting food security and long-term sustainability with multidisciplinary approaches, including One Health. They will also empower farmers and key actors in the agricultural sector to manage sustainable, efficient, profitable, and circular farming systems with low greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate-neutrality and resilience.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• the understanding of drivers of plant pest emergence, including the influence of climate change, ecosystem degradation and globalisation, is increased;
• cost-effective preventive and/or curative measures to new and/or emerging plant pests are developed;
• economic, social, and environmentally sound solutions for effective pest management in farming and/or forestry in line with the principles of integrated pest management are developed;
• scientific support, recommendations, and policy advice are provided to strengthen plant health policies.

Scope:

Plant health is crucial for agriculture, forestry, ecosystems, ecosystem services and biodiversity on a global scale. The current EU plant health legislative framework plays a vital role in protecting the EU from the introduction of new plant pests and as well as tackling existing plant pests more effectively. Maintaining healthy crops is increasingly challenging due to factors like climate change, biodiversity loss, globalisation, and international trade which accelerate the spread of pests and diseases. These threats can severely damage crops, native plants, and the environment, jeopardising agricultural sustainability, biodiversity, and food security.

To address these issues, proposals should target one or more new or emerging plant pests^[2] (regulated, non-regulated, introduced or native) that are causing or likely to cause, significant socio-economic and/or environmental impact to agriculture and/or forestry in the EU and/or Associated Countries, well as the impact on trade and the wider environment, including soil and water, considering potential exacerbation under climate change^[3]. Within the scope of this topic are pests exhibiting an altered and higher probability of entry, establishment and spread in a new area that might be the result of changes in their biology or changes in agriculture or forestry pest management practice or rapid spread in new areas.

Proposals should:

• enhance understanding of pest(s) biology, introduction pathways, interaction with crop-soil ecosystems (if relevant), and mechanisms of spread, especially considering the challenges posed by climate change, biodiversity crisis, land use, and globalisation, thereby reducing uncertainties and lack of data in pest risk assessments;
• develop rapid and cost-effective tools and methods for preventing pest(s) entry, spread, and establishment; this includes early detection, surveillance, treatment^[4], and (bio)control measures (including innovative agro-ecological practices), in line with sustainable and integrated pest management;
• assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts of plant pest(s) establishment and spread on farmers and/or forest owners and develop strategies to mitigate these impacts effectively;
• contribute to the identification of resistant and/or tolerant traits and explore agro-ecological processes as tools for pests regulation, enhancing the resilience and long-term sustainability of the sector;
• foster a holistic understanding and management of plant pests following a One Health approach, recognising the interconnection between people, animals, plants and their shared environment.

International cooperation with countries affected or threatened by the same pest(s) is strongly encouraged.

Proposals must implement the ‘multi-actor approach’ including a range of actors to ensure that knowledge and needs from various sectors such as research, plant health services, farming/forestry sectors, advisory services, and industry are brought together.

Results should benefit diverse farming systems/approaches, including conventional and organic farming.

Proposals may provide financial support to third parties (FSTP) to, for instance, develop, test and demonstrate tools and methods for early detection, surveillance, treatment, and (bio)control measures. A maximum of 10% of the EU funding should be allocated to this purpose. Consortia need to define the selection process of organisations, for which financial support may be granted.

Proposals are encouraged to consider, where relevant, the services offered by European research infrastructures and accredited laboratories ^[5].

Proposals should ensure coherence and complementarities with ongoing relevant Horizon Europe projects and capitalise on existing relevant research findings and tools, included those developed under previous research projects.

The proposals should include a dedicated task in the workplan and appropriate resources to collaborate with the projects funded under this topic.

[1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/2031/oj

[2] A pest is defined here as any species, strain or biotype of plant, animal or pathogenic agent injurious to plants or plant products (EU legislation, Regulation 2016/2031).

[3] Applicants are expected to explain and justify the choice of pest(s) in alignment with the proposal’s objectives and the topic’s expected outcomes.

[4] See IPPC Secretariat. 2024. Glossary of phytosanitary terms. International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 5. Rome. FAO on behalf of the Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention.

[5] The catalogue of European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) research infrastructures portfolio can be browsed from ESFRI website https://ri-portfolio.esfri.eu/.