Tackling outbreaks of plant pests

Expected Outcome:

In line with the farm to fork strategy, for a transition to fair, healthy and resilient EU agriculture and forestry, including an ambitious target for the reduced use of plant protection products^[1], proposals will support research and innovation (R&I) to help the agricultural / forestry sectors to remain productive and contribute to sustainable agriculture and/or forest health.

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

• Find adequate responses to EU quarantine plant pests;
• Enhance capacities to prevent, monitor and (bio)control important plant pests;
• Support to relevant EU and Associated Countries’ plant health policies.

Scope:

Proposals should target one or more plant pest(s)^[2] that are either Union quarantine plant pests^[3] present in the EU or Union quarantine pests which are priority pests ^[4] in the EU, and that are of concern for agriculture and/or forestry. They should improve methods and strategies for surveillance and control, and extend the range of tools for integrated and effective pest management.

Proposals should:

• Contribute to the understanding of the drivers of plant pest spread and establishment including the influence of climate change, ecosystem degradation, and globalisation.
• Develop efficient surveillance methods and strategies for early-detection and (bio)control of the pest(s).
• Extend the range of tools and technologies available for the development of economically and environmentally sound solutions for effective pest management in farming and forestry in line with the principles of integrated pest management.
• Analyse the social and economic implications for farmers affected by the plant pest(s) and developing approaches whereby those affected can best cope with the situation.
• Analyse the ecological impact of plant pest(s) spread and establishment.

International cooperation with countries affected or threatened by the same pest(s) is strongly encouraged. Proposals should consider both the conventional and the organic sectors. 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 and farmers/foresters are brought together.

The possible participation of the JRC in the project will consist of supporting the analysis of social and economic implications for farmers affected by the plant pest(s) and developing approaches on how to best cope with the situation when affected.

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.

[1] The farm to fork strategy sets the target to reduce by 50% the overall use and risk of chemical pesticides and reduce use by 50% of more hazardous pesticides

[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] See part B of Annex II to Commission Implementing Regulation 2019/2072 for pests known to occur in the Union territory

[4] See Annex to Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/1702 for priority pests.