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KIC AI for agriculture, horticulture, water and food 2026

Description

The call supports mission-driven research on the development, application, and expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the agriculture, horticulture, water, and food sectors.

It aims to address urgent societal challenges—such as sustainability, climate change, food safety, and water management—by leveraging AI to analyse complex datasets and optimise systems in these sectors.

The call is part of the KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Covenant) programme, promoting public-private collaboration for societal impact.

Funding Amount

  • Total funding available: €7 million
  • Funding per project:
    • Minimum: €600,000
    • Maximum: €1,840,000 (NWO contribution)
  • Funding rate:
    • Up to 80% of total project budget (mandatory co-funding required)
  • Project duration:
    • Up to 6 years

Submission Deadlines

  • Statement of Intent (pre-proposal):
    • 30 June 2026 (14:00 CEST)
  • Full proposal deadline:
    • 13 October 2026 (14:00 CEST)

Submission Conditions

  • Two-stage application process:
    1. Statement of Intent
    2. Full proposal
  • Applications must be submitted by a consortium
  • Mandatory:
    • At least two co-funders
    • Minimum 20% co-funding (cash and/or in-kind)
  • Requirements include:
    • Active participation of all partners
    • Integration of scientific and societal perspectives
  • Submission via the NWO application system

Eligible Types of Applicants

Consortium-based participation including:

  • Universities and research institutes (main applicants)
  • Companies (including SMEs and startups) as co-funders
  • Public and private organisations
  • Societal stakeholders / end users

The main applicant must be affiliated with a recognised Dutch research organisation.

Eligible Countries

  • Primarily Netherlands-based applicants (main applicant must be Dutch-affiliated)
  • International partners allowed as consortium members

Expected Outcome

  • Development of AI-driven solutions for agri-food and water systems
  • Improved:
    • Sustainability and efficiency of production processes
    • Water management and safety
    • Food system resilience and quality
  • Enhanced integration of AI into real-world applications
  • Strengthened innovation ecosystem and public-private collaboration

Scope

Projects should:

  • Develop, apply, or extend AI methods and algorithms
  • Address societal challenges in:
    • Agriculture
    • Horticulture
    • Water management
    • Food systems

Typical activities include:

  • Applying AI to large and complex datasets
  • Developing proof-of-principle AI solutions
  • Improving:
    • Sustainable agricultural production
    • Water allocation, management, and safety
    • Food quality and safety

Additional requirements:

  • Interdisciplinary research (integration of multiple scientific domains)
  • Strong involvement of stakeholders and end users
  • Focus on real-world applicability and societal relevance

Partner Requests

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