ACROPICS addresses the need for sustainable agricultural practices that use little to no harmful crop protection inputs. ACROPICS (1) reinforces 12 place-based co-innovation initiatives involving local actors implementing agroecological crop protection (ACP), (2) connects these initiatives to each other and to research & innovation teams worldwide, (3) produces scientific evidence of the sustainability of ACP systems, (4) supports these initiatives via international research and innovation actions, (5) highlights these initiatives at the international level, and (6) contributes to creating and training an intersectoral network of teams and (future) experts promoting ACP. ACROPICS associates 15 organisations (12 academic, 3 non-academic) with biological, ecological and social science expertise. It plans staff exchanges among academia, biocontrol industries and 12 sustainable agriculture systems (SAS) in 10 countries. Collaborative activities will (1) co-design and implement innovation strategies (coupling ecological, technical and organisational/institutional innovations in an innovation push/pull approach), (2) produce knowledge enabling ACP innovations (certification schemes, ecological infrastructures, etc.), and (3) produce sustainability assessments and communicate them to a wide range of stakeholders, from growers to policy-makers and investors. Expected results and impacts are: the creation of a core team of an emerging large-scale international initiative on ACP; drastic increases of sustainability in 12 systems covering main crop types and further impact on >100 similar systems worldwide via dissemination in connected networks; state-of-the art research results promoting ACP; training of future researchers with hybrid expertise adapted to the challenges faced by ACP; engagement of a large number stakeholders across food value chains; demonstration and exploitation of new innovations ranging from certification schemes to biocontrol products and services.

CryoStore aims to create a lasting research and education network for a new generation of animal husbandry experts with a broad, multidisciplinary approach to the complexity of modern animal production and the conservation of farm animal biodiversity, taking into account economic, societal and environmental needs. A vibrant and effective animal breeding and production industry is essential to meet Europe´s increasing need for sustainable and secure food production. Farm animal and fish breeding are global, highly competitive and knowledge intensive sectors, and currently European breeding organisations are global leaders. If Europe is to maintain its competitive advantage in these strategically important industries innovative research is needed in those reproductive technologies that underpin efficient and profitable animal production. As such, CryoStore will develop innovative technologies for improved cryopreservation of germplasm (gametes, embryos, germ cells) for use in assisted reproductive procedures, leading to increased reproductive efficiency in Europe´s livestock and aquaculture industries. Technological advances in germplasm cryopreservation will also be of key importance to future initiatives aimed at conserving Europe’s livestock biodiversity, through genetic resource banking. Conserving Europe´s numerous and diverse native breeds, many of which are seriously threatened, will be of crucial importance to future sustainable animal production as genetic biodiversity allows the expression of advantageous traits influencing adaptability to harsh environments or disease resistance. It is likely that selecting for naturally occurring traits will help overcome future difficulties in livestock production wrought by climate change. The intensive training of CryoStore ESRs in a wide range of scientific and transferable skills will greatly enhance their future employability in Europe´s important animal production industries and conservation initiatives.

Climate change and environmental degradation have been challenging Europe and the whole world. The EU biodiversity strategy for 2030 is a comprehensive, ambitious and long-term plan to preserve nature and reverse the ecosystem degradation. Grapevine (Vitis spp.) is one of the major fruit crops worldwide, and although viticulture is a leading sector of the EU agro-industrial economy, it is the cropping system with the highest use of agrochemicals and with a high risk of biodiversity loss. SHIELD4GRAPE (S4G) will adopt sustainable agroecological approaches addressed to improve the resilience of the viticultural system against pest diseases in a context of climate change. The S4G consortium brings together the best excellences in the sector; it is multi- and interdisciplinary, collaborative and well representative of different EU biogeographical regions. S4G will i) exploit grapevine biodiversity and identify new resilience traits; ii) implement breeding activities, including new breeding techniques and mutagenesis, iii) introduce safer and more sustainable strategies against pathogens. Demonstration fields will be set up in all the most important EU regions interested in viticulture to improve the efficacy of applied integrated pest management protocols in combination with the new resilient genotypes. S4G aims to support farmers and researchers, to provide advisory services and actors in value chains by establishing an interrelated community that will facilitate exchange of knowledge and of the best practices at different levels and socio-economic resilience. S4G impacts will add value to the wine heritage of the EU regions by reducing chemical treatments (at least by 50%), using strategies that are less hazardous to the environment and favouring beneficial organisms. S4G will contribute to safeguard the territory (particularly those areas with a high concentration of vineyards), human health, farmers, the population living in grape-growing areas and consumers

The aim of DxHub is to develop a strong ecosystem that mutually reinforces actors from two widening countries to consolidate individual efforts and allow for rapid and on the spot accurate diagnosis of infectious diseases within One-Health. The ecosystems in Crete, GR and the Oeiras region, PT, have already demonstrated a rich portfolio of activities to tackle the problem of efficient diagnosis outside a centralized lab. The DxHub will bring the two isolated regions together and, through a common R&I plan, accelerate innovations in diagnostics into impactful solutions by embracing the quadruple helix of main innovation players. Cutting-edge R&Is will be promoted based on joint research, innovation and investment plans. Pilot projects will be used to interlink academia with business providing solutions addressing the health, veterinary and agri/food sectors, all in line with both regions’ strategic priorities. In parallel, the efficient communication, dissemination and exploitation of the DxHub outcomes to the broad ecosystem will ensure high societal impact as a result of the co-development and acceptance of the new innovations by all actors of the quadruple helix. We expect that by building strong links between all payers of DxHub will foster knowledge transfer leading to the creation of new jobs and of attractive and sustainable place-based innovation ecosystems.

The EU requires rapid and effective actions based on innovative detection concepts targeting quarantine, priority and other serious pests. Fair, healthy and environment-friendly food systems are threatened by increasing pest invasions due to climate change and a growing demand for high quality, pest-free food. The goal of PurPest is to develop, validate and demonstrate an innovative sensor platform that can rapidly detect five different pests during import and in the field to stop their establishment and reduce pesticide inputs by at least 50%. The sensor concept is based on detection of pest-specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by host plants invaded by one or several pests. PurPest will determine the VOC signature of Phytophthora ramorum, the Fall armyworm, the Cotton bollworm, the Brown marmorated stinkbug and the Pinewood nematode under different abiotic stress conditions. The VOC database will be exploited to optimize existing and develop new sensor concepts to detect pest-specific VOCs, starting from proof of concept (TRL3) to demonstration in field trials (TRL6). Non-invasive, reliable and rapid pest sensing platforms will increase pest screening efficiency from currently 3% to 80% of plant imports. Preventing outbreaks of new pests and site-specific pesticide use by early detection are the cornerstones of sustainable and integrated pest management (IPM). PurPest will evaluate the socio-economic and ecological impact of 5 pests and how the new detection concept affects these impacts. Direct communication with stakeholders via the advisory board, workshops and webinars is part of PurPest’s multi-actor approach to affirm involvement of all interest groups along the value chain The PurPest project is a strong multidisciplinary consortium with expertise from 10 countries, 7 universities, 5 research institutes, 4 SMEs and 2 governmental agencies.