Strengthening the resilience of European farmers through improved capacity in coping with risks and crises

Expected Outcome: Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: the capacity of farmers and other agri-food supply chain operators to prevent, prepare for, cope with and manage diverse risks and crises, considering potential compound and amplifier effects under climate change, and their impacts, is improved in an integrated way; policymakers benefit from evidence and better understanding on how to enable more effective strategies for prevention and management of diverse risks and crises affecting farmers, considering compound and amplifier effects of climate change and biodiversity loss; knowledge and solutions to improve the resilience of farming systems are available and accessible to farmers and other agri-food supply chain operators through active and effective dissemination and engagement activities. Scope: Farmers are exposed to numerous and increasing risks and crises of diverse nature and scale, putting pressure on their wellbeing, business viability and income. So far, available risk and crisis management tools have been insufficient in addressing the growing needs for strengthening resilience capacities. There is a need for more knowledge and solutions adapted to the diversity of farming systems and contexts. This would enable more integrated management of risks and crises, leading to more effective emergency response and adequate prevention and management on the long term. Proposals should target one or more risks and crises (e.g., sanitary, environmental, economic, geopolitical, ecological, demographic, technological) that are causing, or likely to cause, significant socio-economic impacts directly or indirectly affecting EU farmers, considering among others potential compound and amplifier effects under climate change and biodiversity loss. The actions funded under this topic should support the EU policies related to the EU Vision for Agriculture and Food and the Common Agricultural Policy. Proposals should: improve understanding of farmers’ individual and collective options, strategies, incentives, behaviour and decision-making regarding uncertainties, risk and crisis management. This work should capture the context in which farmers operate, including interactions with other agri-food supply chain operators, critical dependencies, as well as market conditions and policies; assess the anticipation, robustness and adaptation capacities of farms, costs and benefits of action vs. non-action, and the interactions between risk management, crisis management and the adoption of preventive practices on farms, …