Improving understanding of the contribution of the organic farming sector to sustainability

Expected outcomes

• Projects should contribute to all of the expected outcomes.
• For each outcome (EO1 to EO3), name who will use or adopt your results (a specific group, not “industry” or “society”), how they get them, and the indicator that shows the change, with baseline, target and date.
• Use the topic's own words for each outcome, so the evaluator can tick it off.

What the scope asks for

Evaluators check the proposal against these sentences of the scope. Answer each one visibly, in the call's own words.

• “There is a dual need to, on one hand, better understand the contribution of organic farming and of the organic sector as a whole to the three dimensions of sustainability, and on the other, to improve methods for data collection in the organic sector, in a way that reduces administrative burden on farmers and on other operators.”
• “There is potential for both needs to be addressed in combination, and a role for research and innovation to support in achieving this objective.”
• “Proposals should address all the following activities:. undertake an exhaustive mapping of existing tools, platforms and methods at EU, national and local levels, that allow for the collection of relevant data on organic production to comply with the various reporting requirements of the sector, including under the Common Agricultural Policy and under the EU organic certification.”
• “This exercise should include a mapping of the actors involved in the collection of data, as well as an analysis of cost-effectiveness, best practices and challenges faced.”
• “It should also include an assessment of the potential of existing tools to reduce administrative burden on organic farmers and on other operators of the organic value chain, as well as to streamline data exchange with relevant actors, including certification bodies and supply chain actors;. facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices on data collection and reporting on organic production across the EU.”
• “This should include an analysis of existing standards for the interoperability of agricultural digital systems, and identification of opportunities and challenges;. develop recommendations, including in relation to governance, for the effective use of current tools for data collection, considering differences across the EU Member States;. organise and implement training activities targeted to organic farmers and other operators of the organic…”
• “This should include networking activities to foster cooperation among actors in the organic agri-food supply chains with a view to increasing overall efficiency of the organic sector for data collection.”
• “Proposals should address all EU Member States.”
• “Proposals under this topic should support the implementation of the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production and of the EU regulatory framework for organic farming, and contribute to the objectives of the Vision for Agriculture and Food, the Common Agricultural Policy, and the EU’s biodiversity, zero pollution and climate policies.”
• “Proposals must implement the multi-actor approach and ensure adequate involvement of the main stakeholders involved in the organic sector, and including a range of actors to ensure that different sources of knowledge and perspectives are brought together.”
• “The needs and expertise of all relevant actors, including certification bodies, should be duly considered in the activities.”
• “Proposals should capitalise on existing knowledge and tools, such as the Farm Sustainability Data Network (FSDN).”

Conditions that shape the proposal

• Part B, sections 1–3: 28 pages (standard application form). Text beyond the limit is not read; tables and figures count.
• Lump sum: the budget is fixed per work package and paid when each work package is completed. Every work package needs activities and deliverables an evaluator can verify, and the effort must match the money.
• Coordination and support action: no research is funded. Evaluators look for coordination, networking, dissemination or policy support with a clear audience.
• Other Eligible Conditions: “The following additional eligibility criteria apply: the proposals must apply the multi-actor approach. See definition of the multi-actor approach in this work programme part.”

Impact pathway and traps

• Policy or regulation is in scope. Name the policy owners you will reach and what you will give them.
• Keep outputs, outcomes and impacts apart: what you deliver, what changes when others use it, and the long-term effect.
• For each destination impact you claim, show which of your outcomes feeds it. Destination impacts are long-term effects, not project deliverables.
• Name the barriers outside the project (regulation, markets, user behaviour) that could block uptake, and what you will do if they do.
• Section 2.3 (the summary canvas) is optional on this call; the old split into scientific, economic and societal impact is no longer required.