The challenge

Farmers need to protect crops from pests and diseases, but conventional chemical pesticides can harm ecosystems, pollinators and human health. Europe has set ambitious goals for greener, more digital farming. Yet research and innovation capacity is uneven across the continent. In “Widening countries” such as Greece and Portugal, talented researchers often have fewer opportunities to train, move between institutions, or work with industry. REENFORCE asks: how can we build the skills and partnerships these regions need to make sustainable crop protection a reality?

Our approach

REENFORCE (Research Excellence and Empowerment through New Frameworks for Open Research and Career Enhancement) is a Horizon Europe Coordination and Support Action. It does not run lab experiments. It builds the people, connections and knowledge base that make good research possible. Led by the Agricultural University of Athens, it brings together partners from Greece, Portugal and Belgium across universities, research institutes and agri-tech organisations.

The project focuses on three connected themes:

• Bio-based and low-risk pesticides: crop protection solutions derived from natural sources, designed to reduce environmental impact.
• Ecotoxicology: the science of assessing how substances applied in the field affect non-target organisms and ecosystems.
• Smart spraying: the use of sensors, drones and precision technologies to apply treatments only where and when they are needed.
  REENFORCE first maps skills needs and knowledge gaps, guided by what the agri-food sector actually demands. It then responds through specialised training, researcher exchanges (secondments) between institutions and sectors, and cross-sector networking events.

Our objectives

Strengthen the skills of early-career and experienced researchers in the three thematic areas.
Build lasting collaboration between academia, research organisations and industry.
Raise the excellence and visibility of research institutions in Widening countries.
Translate lessons learned into a handbook of best practices and policy recommendations.
Open science at the heart of the project
REENFORCE treats knowledge as something to be shared. Its training modules and educational materials are designed to be accessible to learners beyond the consortium, including students, farmers, advisors and professionals. The project communicates openly through its website, social media and public events, and builds bridges with sister projects through joint clustering activities, such as a planned event with the TALLHEDA project on sustainable crop protection. By connecting academia with industry, it also encourages the two-way exchange of ideas that open, collaborative research depends on.

Expected impact

Over the project’s lifetime, REENFORCE aims to deliver more than 200 specialised training modules, structured researcher exchanges, and a handbook of best practices with policy recommendations. These outcomes are expected, not yet complete.
For researchers, the project offers better skills, wider networks and improved career prospects. For institutions, it means stronger capacity and closer ties with industry. For farmers and society, it supports a gradual shift toward crop protection that is safer, more precise and less damaging to the environment. For policymakers, it provides evidence-based recommendations to support Europe’s green and digital transition.

Results so far

The project has already produced the first set of educational materials, announced its researcher secondments programme, and begun organising joint events and communication activities to reach wider audiences.