SusAN – ICT Agri 2 – ERAGAS 2018 joint call on novel technologies, solutions and systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in animal production systems

The three ERA-NETs FACCE ERA-GAS (Monitoring and Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases from Agriculture and Silviculture), ERA-NET SusAn (Sustainable Animal Production Systems) and ICT-AGRI 2 (Information and Communication Technologies and Robotics for Sustainable Agriculture) have coordinated and aligned efforts in areas of mutual interest and established a joint transnational funding programme in the field of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) research, focusing on emissions from livestock production.

The overall objective of this Joint Call is to contribute to the development of novel technologies, solutions and systems to reduce the GHG intensity of animal production systems in Europe and beyond. This funding initiative calls for applied research. The projects’ potential impact should be relevant for the mitigation of GHG emissions within 5 - 10 years.

Projects should address two of the following topics:

• Theme 1:  the “holistic theme”: Agroecological approach to whole animal production systems.
• Theme 2:  the “technical theme”: Technical options for the monitoring and mitigation of GHG emissions from animal production systems.
• Theme 3: the “societal theme”: Social and/or economic approach to livestock production and consumption of animal products

Proposals with an ICT dimension, including the use of sensors, communication technologies, data analytics, modelling, robotics, precision farming or decision support systems, will be strongly preferred. Please note that research that will provide the underpinning basis for future ICT products or services will also be regarded as projects with an ICT dimension.

The main aim of the call is to contribute to GHG mitigation in European animal production systems, but the call is also open for research concerning consumer attitudes, household consumption of animal products and policy issues (see Theme 3). The system boundary of the animal production system is “at the farm gate”, however, it can be regarded at different scales, for instance locally, regionally or beyond. Investigations can also include cooperation among farms. The scope includes manure management, animal nutrition, the feed chain (e.g. origin, harvest, processing), housing and management.

Relevant effects along the value chain should be considered, but food manufacturing and processing, food packaging, distribution of animal products or marketing and retail should not be the main focus. However, consumer behaviour and attitude, and household consumption are within the scope, including questions regarding food waste and loss, as long as they are specifically aiming at animal products and their impact on agricultural GHG emissions.

The use of insects for animal feed is within the scope of this call. Aquaculture and fur animals are outside the scope, as well as projects with a main focus on animal health or crop production.