Preparing agriculture for climate change

The aim of the FACCE ERA NET PLUS (Food security, agriculture, climate change ERA-NET plus) project is to address the adaptation of European agriculture to climate change. This will be achieved by organising, implementing and funding a joint call for transnational research on climate change adaptation.

Climate change adaptation is the core research theme of the Joint Programming Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI). The initiative will also contribute to the delivery of the FACCE-JPI Strategic Research Agenda and help build the European Research Area (ERA).

This FACCE ERA NET PLUS action will align 23 national research programmes around a common call with common objectives and expected impacts covering all EU climate zones. It will also fund between 8 and 12 transnational projects in the area of climate smart agriculture and climate change adaptation. The initiative will increase efficiency of research funding, cover gaps, avoid duplication and provide Europe with high-level innovative research.

Via transnational research projects FACCE ERA NET PLUS will provide EU farmers and breeders with the tools to improve their current practices. It will particularly help in implementing the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and in enabling more sustainable production, whilst maintaining market share and improving consumer satisfaction.

The initiative has highlighted four areas that are pivotal to developing research on genetics and breeding of animals and plants to increase resilience to climate change. These areas were pests and diseases of animals and plants linked to climate and posing significant risks, adaptive management of water and soil resources, and options for adapting agricultural systems.