REENFORCE: Strengthening human capital and increasing the excellence of widening - country organisations in R&I for bio-based, low-risk and smart crop protection.

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The REENFORCE project, led by the Agricultural University of Athens, aims to create a long-lasting cross-sectoral collaboration, to empower the R&I human capital base, increase the cross-sectoral collaboration and enhance the excellence of research performing organizations in the Widening countries of Greece and Portugal. The project’s thematic area lies in sustainable crop protection, more specifically in the topics of: (i) bio-based solutions and low- risk pesticides, (ii) ecotoxicology assessment of applied substances and (iii) smart spraying applications. REENFORCE addresses Action 4 of the ERA Policy Agenda 2022-2024, while it supports Europe’s twin green and digital transition, in the context of agriculture and sustainable crop protection. REENFORCE consortium consists of 4 academic organizations, 4 private companies and 1 competence centre from two Widening countries (Greece and Portugal) and one no Widening country (Belgium), specializing in the fields of bio-based, low-risk and smart application of pesticides. REENFORCE will map relevant needs and knowledge gaps in R&I and cross-sectoral collaborative research in Widening countries, defining the requirements for upskilling human capital and enhancing research organizations & excellence, following business sector demands. It will develop specialized training material, and will conduct multiple training activities (face- to-face & online), cross-border and cross-sectoral secondments of R&I talents (in the context of joint research studies and shared use of infrastructure), providing opportunities for personal career development. REENFORCE will propose best practices, institutional reforms and policy recommendations, to increase the excellence of R&I, and research support, in Widening countries, and will widely promote the economic, environmental and societal benefits of biobased, low-risk and smart application of pesticides.