Promoting Pollinator Friendly Farming Systems

In line with the EU biodiversity strategy for 2030, the farm to fork strategy, the EU climate policy under the European Green Deal, successful proposals will promote a pollinator friendly agriculture, contribute to the transition to more sustainable practices in agriculture, and support biodiversity in agroecosystems.

The project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Farming systems are more pollinator-friendly and support (agro)biodiversity;
• Pollinator-friendly varieties, rotations and combination of crops are promoted;
• Farmers are more aware of the importance of pollinator-specific planning and measures available to enhance pollination services;
• Breeding sector is adapted to develop varieties adapted to pollinator-friendly farming.

The production of many crops depends on pollinators. Different types of measures are needed to tackle the causes of pollinator decline, enhance crop pollination, and promote pollinators in agriculture. Many crops have specific traits, which have been identified to enhance crop–pollinator interactions. The development of crop varieties with specific traits to attract and reward pollinators is an appealing strategy to address needs of agriculture and pollinators. This could also improve crop yields, nutritional resources for pollinators and promote a pollinator-friendly agriculture.

Pollination activities are also impacted by variety (genotype), environment, and management practices (GxExM). Pollinator-specific planning needs to consider temporal and spatial crop management and other strategies of management (e.g., field margin composition and structure) to enhance pollination services.

Proposals should:

• Increase the understanding of the crop-farming system-pollinator relationship in combination with the interaction between crop, environment and management (GxExM);
• Identify crop traits that enhance crop-pollinator interactions, engage in breeding activities and contribute to the development of pollinator-friendly varieties;
• Identify, test and demonstrate farming systems that take into consideration temporal and spatial diversification of crops as well as landscape features to match pollinators needs;
• Promote and facilitate the uptake of farm-pollinator friendly practices;
• Support capacity building, training and education enabling farmers/growers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices;
• Develop strategies to create value of pollinator friendly approaches along the value chain.

Proposals should build on the results of relevant projects funded under Horizon 2020 and ensure collaboration with projects funded under the following call in Horizon Europe work programme 2021-2022: HORIZON-CL6-2022-BIODIV-02-01-two-stage: Maintaining and restoring pollinators and pollination services in European agricultural landscapes.

Proposals must implement the 'multi-actor approach' and ensure adequate involvement of researchers, the breeding sector, farmers, agricultural advisors and other relevant actors. The topic is open to all types of farming systems (e.g., arable farming, horticulture, fruit trees) in various geographical and pedo-climatic conditions. Result of activities should benefit both conventional and organic farming.