Briefly
Program description
The TRAILS4SOIL grant programme is designed to recruit farmers to test Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture practices on their land in order to improve soil health.
Participating farmers will have the opportunity to:
- gain practical knowledge about local soil challenges;
- learn how to make their land more resilient;
- receive useful results and guidance for transitioning towards Regenerative or Conservation Agriculture.
The programme also provides access to a local and European collaboration network, allowing participants to exchange experiences and practices with other farmers.
In addition, the initiative encourages participants to contribute to shaping future farming policy at local, national and European levels.
Main Information
Eligibility
Within the TRAILS4SOIL grant programme, applicants must comply with specific eligibility criteria and participation requirements.
Eligible applicants are farms located in the TRAILS4SOIL participating countries, including Spain, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Austria, Switzerland, Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.
Applicants are required to:
- allocate at least 1 hectare of land for the implementation of ReCAP practices;
- have legal rights to manage the land involved in the project;
- submit only one application under the call;
- confirm the absence of conflicts of interest.
Selected farmers are expected to:
- provide relevant data and information for evaluation and monitoring purposes;
- cooperate with Living Labs teams in data collection and implementation of ReCAP practices;
- participate in workshops, meetings and knowledge-sharing activities;
- cooperate, where necessary, with companies specialised in monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) systems;
- sign a dedicated Sub-Grant Agreement (SGA) with the project coordinator.
Participants must also:
- comply with applicable EU, national and local legislation;
- retain supporting records and documentation for at least five years after the final payment;
- cooperate during audits, inspections or investigations carried out by EU bodies;
- promptly inform the consortium about any circumstances that may affect project implementation.
Applications that do not meet the established eligibility requirements will be rejected.
Financing
Within the TRAILS4SOIL grant programme, financial support is provided in the form of a lump-sum payment of EUR 5,000 per season for up to three growing seasons.
The funding is intended to support the implementation of agreed Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture Practices (ReCAP), including related activities such as:
- data collection;
- participation in Living Lab activities;
- knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Continuation of support for subsequent seasons depends on:
- fulfilment of the agreed commitments;
- positive assessment of the achieved progress.
Farmers selected as lighthouse sites may receive additional financial support of EUR 5,000, subject to the fulfilment of additional responsibilities.
The programme also states that in cases of non-compliance, provision of false information, or misuse of funds, the consortium reserves the right to:
- suspend payments;
- terminate participation;
- request reimbursement of the granted financial support.
Supported Activities
Within the TRAILS4SOIL grant programme, participating farmers will test Regenerative and Conservation Agriculture practices through Living Labs. Each Living Lab focuses on a specific theme related to soil health improvement.
Supported activities include:
- soil management practices such as cover crops, minimal soil disturbance and permanent soil cover;
- agronomy management measures, including diversified crop rotations and adapted nutrient strategies;
- weed control and adapted plant protection measures;
- development of green infrastructure, including buffer zones, biodiversity structures and forest curtains;
- use of IT solutions such as precision farming, digital modelling and remote sensing.
The programme includes five Living Labs across Europe:
- Spain and Portugal — permanent cropping systems;
- Austria and Switzerland — organic farming;
- Germany — climate change adaptation;
- Ukraine, Moldova and Romania — black soil conservation;
- Slovenia — crop-livestock integration.
Living Lab 4, covering Ukraine, Moldova and Romania, focuses on black soil conservation, erosion prevention, increasing soil organic carbon stocks and improving soil structure.
The project also supports activities aimed at:
- reducing desertification and salinisation;
- improving biodiversity;
- strengthening cooperation between academia, industry, public authorities and civil society.
Roadmap
Key milestones of the programme include:
- Call opening — 6 May 2026.
- Application deadline — 6 July 2026 at 23:59 CET.
- Announcement of applicants selected for interviews — 13 July 2026.
- Interview period — from 14 to 22 July 2026.
- Confirmation of participation — 27 July 2026.
The roadmap outlines a step-by-step process for application submission, candidate evaluation and final participant confirmation within the programme.
How to Apply
Applications under the TRAILS4SOIL programme are submitted through an online application form during the official call period. Farms interested in participating as experimental sites within one of the five Living Labs are invited to apply.
Applicants may complete the form in the language most convenient for them. Incomplete applications or applications that do not meet the eligibility criteria will be automatically rejected.
The selection procedure includes several stages:
- verification of compliance with formal eligibility requirements;
- evaluation and scoring by an expert committee;
- if necessary, clarification and verification activities such as interviews or field visits.
The evaluation is carried out by project partners and/or external experts while ensuring independence and the absence of conflicts of interest. Each application receives a score and is included in a ranking list based on the total points awarded.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited for additional feasibility checks related to the proposed activities. These actions are intended only to verify the information already submitted.
The final selection is based on the ranking list, available budget and strategic balance within each Living Lab. All applicants will be informed of the results in writing.
Evaluation Criteria
Within the grant programme, applications meeting the eligibility requirements will be evaluated according to a defined set of assessment criteria.
The main evaluation criteria include:
- relevance and alignment of the proposed ReCAP practices;
- technical feasibility of the proposed implementation;
- the applicant’s level of commitment and capacity to carry out the planned activities;
- availability and quality of monitoring data;
- the potential contribution to the project objectives, particularly regarding soil health improvement, sustainability and knowledge exchange.
Each criterion will be assessed individually, after which applications will be ranked according to the scores obtained.
The evaluation methodology will be applied consistently across all applications. In the event of equal results, priority will be given based on strategic balance within the relevant Living Lab and the overall diversity of the selected experimental sites.
Required Documents
- Application form.
- Declaration regarding absence of conflict of interest.
Reporting and Compliance
Within the TRAILS4SOIL grant programme, reporting and compliance requirements are implemented in accordance with the Horizon Europe framework.
The call will be published on the Funding & Tenders Portal as well as on the official project websites.
The results of the call are expected to be published without unjustified delays. The published information will include:
- the list of selected farmers;
- a description of the supported activities;
- the amount of funding awarded;
- the duration of support;
- the countries of registration of the selected farmers.
The programme also предусматриes compliance with transparency and openness principles throughout the implementation of the financial support process.
Legal Terms
Applicants must be legally entitled to manage the land and declare the absence of conflicts of interest.