Since 2016, Hungarian wine grower Márton Ruppert has been cultivating Blue Frankish grapes with a firm dedication to sustainable and organic farming. Driven to find alternatives to conventional plant protection treatments, he joined the Horizon Europe RELACS project.

Within the RELACS project, which was finalised in April 2022, Márton tested tagatose as a natural alternative to copper in his vineyard. “Tagatose is not only effective, but also easy to use. It integrates seamlessly into my existing practices and has significantly reduced my reliance on copper-based treatments”, Márton states. By participating in the project, Márton has enhanced his vineyard management and contributed valuable insights to broader organic farming practices.

The RELACS project united 11 farmers’ organisations across Europe, with the goal of reducing reliance on contentious inputs in organic farming. It has created practical guidelines for farmers and made them accessible on the Farm Knowledge platform. This platform supports farmers, Operational Groups and advisors by delivering knowledge and resources to improve production.

With limited grassland access, French dairy farmer Nicolas Floc is exploring innovative techniques to boost forage production. He is utilising Horizon Europe funding to optimise grazing for his Pie Rouge herd through the Grazing4AgroEcology (G4AE) project. G4AE is a European Thematic Network connecting 120 grazing farmers across 15 countries to foster sustainable, integrated grazing-based livestock systems. The project equips farmers with tools to evaluate and enhance their grazing management through peer-to-peer learning, co-creation, and knowledge exchange.

This project illustrates how Horizon Europe supports farmers in testing innovative solutions tailored to their specific requirements. Through G4AE, Nicolas implemented a method of sowing new grasslands beneath a blend of cereals and protein crops. "This approach has not only increased my forage yield in the first year, but it also strengthens soil health and reduces erosion risk," Nicolas explains. By integrating grassland and covering crops into a single sowing step, he saves time and effort while also mitigating the effects of summer droughts.

Both Márton and Nicolas exemplify how Horizon Europe projects like G4AE and RELACS support farmers by offering funding, technical support, and opportunities to test practical solutions customised to their needs. By participating, farmers gain access to innovative practices and contribute to developing sustainable and biodiversity-friendly farming practices in the face of climate change. With Horizon Europe’s latest funding calls now open for proposals, more farmers have the opportunity to discover new possibilities and implement real-world solutions that benefit their businesses and the environment.