Horizon Europe Pillar 2 – Cluster 6 Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment

Cluster 6 supports research and innovation that enables the transition towards sustainable food systems, circular bioeconomies, and the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems. It covers areas such as sustainable agriculture, forestry, soil health, biodiversity, circular bio-based solutions, water systems, and environmental resilience. Successful proposals are expected to combine scientific excellence with clear environmental, economic, and societal impact.

A key feature of this Cluster is the strong focus on sustainability transitions across interconnected systems, from primary production to consumption and ecosystem management. Evaluators place particular emphasis on the environmental integrity of proposed solutions, including biodiversity protection, climate resilience, and resource efficiency. Equally important are stakeholder engagement (including farmers, industry, and local communities), policy relevance, and the ability to demonstrate measurable environmental and socio-economic benefits at scale.

EFMC supports applicants in structuring coherent, impact-oriented proposals that translate complex environmental and bioeconomy challenges into clear, evaluator-focused narratives. We help consortia strengthen system thinking, integration across value chains, and exploitation pathways, ensuring strong alignment with Horizon Europe priorities and Europe’s Green Deal objectives.