International Cooperation
Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA)
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2022 CALLS FOR PROPOSALS - Open
2022 PRIMA calls for proposals were launched on 17th January 2022 and are split between two "sections": "Section 1" and "Section 2".
"Section 1" call observe rules and procedures of the European framework programme Horizon 2020 and are exclusively funded by funds allocated by that programme. Follow-up and funding of consortia recommended for funding are done by the PRIMA Foundation only.
Five topics are expected under "Section 1". They relate to the three pillars of PRIMA's Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (see below) and their nexus, with the following topics:
- Sustainable management of water: Call for innovation actions in the topic "Sustainable and integrated management of natural and artificial water storages and distribution infrastructures";
- Food value chain: Call for innovation actions in topic "Alternative protein sources for the Mediterranean food value chain. From production, extraction, processing and marketing, to societal acceptance";
- Sustainable farming systems: Call for Research and Innovation Action in topic "Developing integrated soil data for the Mediterranean Region: a gateway for sustainable soil management";
- Nexus: Call for innovation actions in topic "Predicting and testing options of socio-economic adaptation to declining Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) resources in the Mediterranean Region".
- Nexus: Call for Coordinated and Supported Action in topic "Development of a Mediterranean Water-Energy-Food Ecosystem (WEFE) Community of Practice".
To learn all documents and submit proposals, click here.
These calls have two stages: pre-proposal and full proposal. The deadline for submitting pre-proposals is 15th March 2022.
The "Section 2" call builds on the allocation of national funds and corresponding rules only, and observe the "virtual common pot" model (i.e. each funding agency funds its researchers only). The PRIMA Foundation receives and evaluates proposals, while funding agencies proceed with their eligibility in light of their rules, take a decision on projects to be supported, contract their researchers and fund them.
Three topics for research and innovation actions are expected under "Section 2", with the following topics from all three pillars in PRIMA's Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (see below):
- Sustainable management of water: call for research and innovation action in topic "Prevent and reduce land and water salinization and pollution due to agri-food activities";
- Sustainable farming systems: call for research and innovation action in topic "Improving the sustainability of agro-pastoralism in the Mediterranean Region under the context of climate change";
- Food value chain: call for research and innovation action in topic "Enabling the transition to healthy and sustainable dietary behavior";
To learn all documents and submit proposals, click here.
FCT’s funding commitment is 1.125.000,00 €. The estimated number of projects to be supported is 5 to 11. Maximum that may be requested per consortium: 250.000 € (if with a coordinator requesting FCT funds) and 100.000 € (if just participating). If more than one partner requesting FCT funds in a consortium, funds are to be shared among them. Overall enforcement of the "Regulation on Projects Funded Solely by National Funds". All entities requesting FCT’s funds under this call for proposals have to submit their individual Statement of Commitment, downloadable here. This declaration has to be e-mailed to FCT’s contact persons, indicated underneath, duly filled, signed and stamped, until 10 work days after the call’s deadline (5th April 2022, 17:00 GMT).
This call has two stages: pre-proposal and full proposal. The deadline for submitting pre-proposals is 22nd March 2022.
- Use the networking tool for partners search on this page.
2019 Calls´ Results for Portugal
“Section 1” – funded by the Framework Programme Horizon 2020, through
PRIMA Foundation
TRACE-RICE - Tracing rice and valorizing side streams along Mediterranean blockchain. Coordinated by PT: Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., 240.000€. Other partners from PT: Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier (ITQB NOVA), 190.000€; Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 150.000€; Building Global Innovators 129.500€; Ernesto Morgado S.A., 129.500€; Mater Dynamics 129.500€; Casa do Arroz 100.000€. Other partner countries: EG and ES. Total project´s funding: 1.599.500€.
eGROUNDWATER - Citizen science and ICT-based enhanced information systems for groundwater assessment, modelling and sustainable participatory management. Coordination: ES. Partners from PT: Universidade do Algarve, 195.000€ and Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão, 174.000€. Other partner countries: DA, FR, MA. Total project´s funding: 1.600.000€.
InTheMED - Innovative and Sustainable Groundwater Management in the MED. Coordenação ES. Partner from PT: Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento (IST-ID), 220.000€. Other partner countries: DE, EL, FR, TN, TR. Total project´s funding: 1.589.000€.
CAMA - Research-based participatory approaches for adopting Conservation Agriculture in the Mediterranean Area. Coordinated by: ES. Partners from PT: Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., funding 70.000€ and Associação Portuguesa de Mobilização e Conservação do Solo, 80.000€. Other partner countries: IT, TN, DZ, FR, EL, MA. Total project´s funding 1.500.000€.
SusMedHouse - Efficient, Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Mediterranean Greenhouse Integrated with Artificial Intelligence, Hi-Tech Automation and Control System. Coordinated by: TR. Partner from PT: Associação de Viticultores do Concelho de Palmela, 151.398€. Other partner countries: EG, DE, ES, TR. Total project´s funding: 1.549.990€.
Med Food TTHubs Trace & Trust Hubs for MED food. Coordinated by: EL. Partner from PT: Inov INESC Inovação 190.000€. Other partner countries: IT, EG, JO, ES, TN. Total project´s funding: 1.510.000€.
“Section 2” – FCT funding
Nano4Fresh - Nanomaterials for an environmentally friendly and sustainable handling of perishable Products. Coordinated by PT: Maria Filipa Gomes Ribeiro, Instituto Superior Técnico, FCT funding: 174.981,60€. Partner from PT: Armando Torres Paulo, FRUTUS – Estação Fruteira do Montejunto, CRL, FCT funding: 25.000€. Other partner countries: ES, IT, MA. Total project´s funding: 666.332€.
PulpIng - Development of Pumpkin Pulp Formulation using a Sustainable Integrated Strategy. Coordinated by PT: Lillian Barros, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. FCT funding: 99.887,50€, other partners from PT: António Miguel Fernandes Azevedo, Decorgel – Produtos Alimentares S.A., FCT funding: 30.063,04€ and Alexandre Fradeira Gonçalves, More – Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de Investigação – Associação MORE, FCT funding: 69.987,50€. Other partner countries: EL (2), DZ, EG, DE, TN. Total project´s funding: 912.689€.
GreenPalm - Development of sustainable date palmbased agro systems by preserving their biodiversity. Coordinated by: Instituto de la Grasa-CSIC, ES. Partner from PT: Teresa Lino Neto, Universidade do Minho, FCT funding:100.000€. Other partner countries: IT, TN e DZ. Total project´s funding: 703.600€.
HaloFarMs - Development and Optimization of Halophyte-based Farming systems in salt-affected Mediterranean Soils. Coordinated by: Karim Ben Hamed, Centre de Biotechnologie de Borj Cédria (CBBC), TN. Partner from PT: Luísa Custódio, CCMAR, Universidade do Algarve, FCT funding: 99.938,05€. Other partner countries: TN, EG, IT, ES, FR (2), IT. Total project´s funding: 847.872€.
SmaCuMed - Smart irrigation cube for sustainable agriculture in the Mediterranean region. Coordinated by DE. Partner from PT: Lopo José Infante da Câmara Carvalho, Aquagri IIM – International Irrigation Management, Lda., FCT funding: 93.923€. Other partner countries: MA(2), TN. Total project´s funding: 991.800€.
WildFood - Eating the wild: Improving the value chain of Mediterranean Wild Food Products (WFP). Coordinated by: Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTFC), ES. Partners from PT: José Guilherme Borges, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, FCT funding: 67.000€; Ricardo Silva, Cooperativa de Usuários do Freixo do Meio, CRL, FCT funding: 33.000€. Other partners countries: ES, DZ (2), TN (2), IT, SL. Total project´s funding: 814.220,43€.
DiVicia - Use and management of Vicia species for sustainability and resilience in biodiversity-based farming systems. Coordinated by: Ecole Supérieure d’Agricultures(ESA), FR. Partner from PT: Maria Carlota Morais e Cunha Vaz Patto, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, FCT funding: 100.000€. Other partner countries: FR (3), DZ (2), IT, LB, MA (2), ES, TN. Total project´s funding: 1.000.000€.
HubIS - Open innovation Hub for Irrigation Systems in Mediterranean agriculture. Coordinated by: Montpellier Supagro, FR. Partners from PT: Maria do Rosário Conceição Cameira, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, FCT funding: 48.369,15€ and Luís Miguel Leal Boteta, Centro Operativo e de Tecnologia de Regadio (COTR), FCT funding: 50.000€. Other partner countries: FR, DZ, EL(2), MA(2), ES(2), TN. Total project´s funding: 1.170.706€.
VALUEFARM - VALorization of Mediterranean smallscale FARMs by cropping wild UnExploited species. Coordinated by: University of Thessaly (UTH), EL. Partner from PT: Lillian Barros, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, FCT funding: 100.000€. Other partner countries: CY(2), TR(2), ES, DE, EL, EG, DZ. Total project´s funding: 1.242.435€.
FRUALGAE – Sustainable technologies and methodologies to improve quality and extend product shelf life in the Mediterranean agrofood supply chain. Coordinated by: Agricultural University of Athens, EL. Partner from PT: Deborah Power, CCMAR, Universidade do Algarve, FCT funding: 100.000€. Other partner countries: EL(2), LB, EG, DE, IT. Total project´s funding: 1.220.000€.
MEDISMART - Mediterranean Citrus: innovative soft processing solutions for SMART (Sustainable, Mediterranean, Agronomically evolved, nutRitionally enriched, Traditional) products. Coordinated by: TR. Partner from PT: Maria Manuela Pintado, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, FCT funding: 100.000€. Other partner countries: EG, IT, ES. Total project´s funding: 1.112.512€.
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PRIMA Booklet with projects funded in 2019 calls,
available here.
2018 Calls' Results for Portugal
“Section 1” – funded by Horizon 2020, through PRIMA Foundation
DSWAP - Decision support-based approach for sustainable water reuse application in agricultural production, coordinated by Eddie Cytryn, Agricultural Research Organization - ARO, Israel, with participation of Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Total project's funding: 2.000.000€.
SUSTAINOLIVE - Novel approaches to promote the SUSTAInability of OLIVE groves in the Mediterranean, coordinated by Roberto García Ruiz, Universidad de Jáen, ES, with participation of Universidade de Évora, Esporão, SA and Centro de Estudos e Promoção do Azeite do Alentejo. Total project's funding: 1.913.450€.
MEDWATERICE - Towards a sustainable water use in Mediterranean rice-based agro-ecosystems, coordinated by Ariana Facchi, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy, with participation of Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra and Universidade de Coimbra. Total project's funding: 1.426.208€.
INTOMED - Innovative tools to combat crop pests in the Mediterranean, coordinated by Kalliope Papadopoulou, University of Thessaly, Greece, with participation of Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Total project's funding: 812.338€.
LAGMED - Improvement of preventive actions to emerging LAGoviruses in the MEDiterranean basin: development and optimisation of methodologies for pathogen detection and control, coordinated by Joana Abrantes, Rede de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Biologia Evolutiva - CIBIO/InBIO. Total project's funding: 832.988€.
ArtiSaneFood - Innovative Bio-interventions and Risk Modelling Approaches for Ensuring Microbial Safety and Quality of Mediterranean Artisanal Fermented Foods, coordinated by Ursula Gonzales-Barron, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Total project's funding: 1.353.817€.
MED4YOUTH - Mediterranean Enriched Diet for tackling Youth Obesity, coordinated by Antoni Caimari, Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, ES, with participation of Universidade de Coimbra. Total project's funding: 1.028.480€.
MILKQUA - Milk quality all along the dairy chain for a sustainable MILK, coordinated by Latifa Abdennebi-Najar, EInstitut de l'Elevage IDELE, FrR with participation of Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto. Total project's funding: 872.973€.
SAFFROMFOOD - Valorisation of saffron and its floral by-products as sustainable innovative sources for the development of high added-value food products, coordinated by Maria Jose Frutos Fernandez, Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche – UMH, ES, with participation of Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica. Total project's funding: 1.292.780€.
To learn all projects please click here.
Historical background
The PRIMA partnership is one of the latest developments of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (also known as the Barcelona Process). Established in 1995, with the aim of fostering peace, stability, prosperity and intercultural dialogue in the region, this process has witnessed the foundation of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) in 2008, comprising all European and Mediterranean states. In turn, the renewal of EU Neighbourhood Policy in 2011 has contributed to PRIMA too.
The first step towards the consolidation of an ambitious initiative proposal in the science, technology and innovation sector has occurred at the 1st Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference in Research and Innovation, which took place in April 2012 in Barcelona, Spain. The principles of co-ownership, mutual interest and shared benefits were particularly stressed in the framing of such proposal.
The Informal European Council of Science, Technology and Innovation Ministers in June 2012 in Nicosia, Cyprus, has led to the creation of a group of European countries that began an informal discussion aiming at the launch of a longstanding initiative together with the Mediterranean partner countries. Such initiative would build on funds from participating states and the EU science and innovation framework programme. The benchmark of such initiative would be the instrument under Article 185 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), a common programme of states and the European Commission, funded by both sides at an equal level.
At last the PRIMA initiative was launched at the 2nd Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Conference, on 4 May 2017 in La Valleta, Malta, through the Declaration of the Strengthening of Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation through Research and Innovation.
PRIMA partnership proposal
On 22 December 2014 a partnership proposal was submitted to the European Commission, with national commitments up to 211,5 million Euro (cash) and 123 million Euro (in kind).
After impact assessment the European Commission decided to prepare a legislative proposal for European Council and European Parliament codecision towards the creation of a programme under Article 185 (TFEU) in July 2016, according to interest expressed by participating countries. Taken on 4 July 2017, this decision dedicates no more than 220 million Euro of H2020 European framework programme contribution to projects with varied technology readiness levels accomplishing the goals of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (below), in addition to implementation structure support. This contribution will be provided for 10 years (between 2018 and 2028) and accounts an indicative global sum of 440 million Euro. Participating states are Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey.
PRIMA's implementation structure is a foundation under Spanish law. Created on 19 June 2017, it will operate in Barcelona, in liaison with the Union for the Mediterranean, headquartered at that city. This setting shall enhance synergies for the Euro-Mediterranean region at large, and vice-versa.
Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda
PRIMA focuses on the topics of food systems and water resources, while ensuring flexibility from countries involved. The complete version can be downloaded here. Pillars and concomitant goals are:
1. Sustainable management of water for arid and semi-arid Mediterranean areas
- To test and stimulate adoption of context‐tailored water‐saving solutions, in particular in agriculture;
- To improve land and water sustainability in arid and semi‐arid watersheds;
- To elaborate and stimulate adoption of new policies and protocols for the governance of water management systems.
2. Sustainable farming systems
- To develop smart and sustainable farming systems to maintain natural resources and to increase production efficiency;
- To design and promote the adoption of novel approaches to reduce the impact of pests and pathogens in farming.
3. Mediterranean food value chain for regional and local development
- To innovate in the Mediterranean food products based on Mediterranean diet heritage and to enhance the links between nutrition and health;
- To find context‐adapted solutions to increase food and water chain efficiency, and reduce losses and wastes;
- To conceive and implement innovative, quality oriented models in agri‐business as potential sources of new jobs and economic growth.
Events
Agenda and authorised presentations at the Symposium “Adaptations of Agriculture to Climate Change: France, Portugal and the Mediterranean Area”, Instituto Superior de Agronomia da Universidade de Lisboa, 27 e 28 de setembro de 2018, here and here.
Agenda and presentations (click on title to open) of the event "Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA): Introduction and Calls for Proposals", Universidade dos Açores, Ponta Delgada, 2 March 2018, here.
Agenda and presentations (click on title to open) of the event "Partnership for Research and Innovation in the Mediterranean Area (PRIMA): Introduction and Calls for Proposals", INESC TEC, Porto, 23 February 2018, here.
Agenda and authorised presentations (click on title to open) of the event "Launch Of The Partnership For Research And Innovation In The Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) In Portugal", Pavilhão do Conhecimento, Lisboa, 7 February 2018, here.
For more information (regularly updated)
https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/research-area/environment/prima_en
Contact
Maria Maia
FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
DRI – Department for International Relations
Av. D. Carlos I, 126
1249 – 074 LISBOA
Portugal
Maria.Maia@fct.pt
Tel: (351) 213 911 543