Expected Outcomes: 

• Improved knowledge of regional capacities for producing and utilizing diverse protein crops for animal feed across the EU. 

• Identification and analysis of gaps, needs, enablers, and barriers across the entire feed value chain—from cultivation to processing and trade. Should include a strategic roadmap with R&I priorities, focusing also on optimizing manufacturing processes of local plant protein into feed. 

• Demonstration of biodiversity-friendly farming practices, combining protein crops with livestock systems, especially with climate- and pest-resilient species adapted to diverse EU pedoclimatic zones. 

• Assessment of multi-dimensional impacts and trade-offs—social, economic, and environmental—for stakeholders upstream and downstream in the feed chain when increasing protein crop share in farming systems. 

• Development and deployment of capacity‑building resources—trainings, visuals, tools tailored to geographical and pedoclimatic variability—targeting farmers, advisors, extension services. These should highlight cost-effective production systems and combinations of protein crops, informed by local agronomic and market data.

   

Scope: 

• Improve the knowledge about local production and utilization of various available protein crops used for animal feed across different regions;

• Identify gaps, needs, barriers, and enablers for the adoption and scaling of sustainable protein crops intended for feed use in the EU, from production to processing and trade levels;

• Identify, test, and showcase biodiversity-friendly management practices in farming systems (crop production and livestock raising) containing protein crops intended for feed use. Prioritise the use of climate and pest-resilient protein crops adapted to different EU pedoclimatic conditions;

• assess the social, economic, and environmental impacts and trade-offs for up- and downstream actors of the feed value chain, of the increased share of different protein crops in different farming systems;

• generate comprehensive capacity building material, training, and information tools for farmers, advisors, and extension services, including a visualization tailored to different geographical regions and pedoclimatic zones in the EU. Address the most cost-effective production systems with protein crops and combinations of crops, based on local agronomic features as well as on local market data such as demand for feed.

   

In total, two projects will be funded, with the European Union providing the funding.

Budget per project: Around € 5.500.000,00

Call deadline:  16 September 2025, 17.00 CET

Funding rate 

• RIA: (100% profit and non-profit) - TRL 3-5