The Soil Mission-funded Nemesis project has officially launched its first Open Call to expand its network of experimental sites across the Mediterranean region. The call aims to strengthen regional Living Labs focused on improving soil health, combating desertification, and mitigating land degradation. Selected applicants will join local partnerships to co-create, test, and demonstrate practical solutions within the Nemesis framework.
Funding and Benefits
The Open Call provides a total funding budget of up to EUR 500,000, with individual grants reaching up to EUR 100,000 per selected third party.
Successful applicants will receive:
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Financial support dedicated to expanding the Nemesis Living Lab network.
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Access to Living Lab knowledge, infrastructure, stakeholder activities, and co-developed tools targeting soil degradation.
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Technical and scientific mentoring from experts in soil challenges, geoinformatics, social sciences, vocational training, and policy innovation.
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Capacity building and skills enhancement through workshops, co-creation processes, and regional networking events.
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Increased visibility and policy relevance by participating in an initiative aligned with the EU Mission “A Soil Deal for Europe”.
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Opportunities to network with key stakeholders across industry, academia, policy, and society.
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The possibility to directly test, validate, and demonstrate innovative soil health solutions in real-world environments.
Regional Focus and Living Labs
The Nemesis project utilizes a network of five autonomous, connected Living Labs where farmers, scientists, local authorities, and citizens collaborate. Each Living Lab addresses a specific regional soil health challenge linked to desertification.
Through this call, the project will select at least one additional experimental site per Living Lab to enhance geographical, agro-ecological and socio-economic representativeness of the Nemesis network.
Eligibility and Application Process
The application process is open to single legal entities that manage land, test fields, or demonstration sites. Eligible categories include:
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Farmers, landowners, farmer cooperatives, and producer organizations.
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Regional or local public authorities managing relevant land.
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Environmental NGOs with managed demonstration sites.
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Applied research institutes with field sites.
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SMEs operating test fields, pilot farms, or providing soil intervention services.
Proposals must be completed in English and submitted through the official Nemesis Open Call webpage https://www.nemesis-soil.eu/open-calls
Detailed eligibility criteria and specific Living Lab requirements are detailed in the Nemesis Open Call 1 Guidelines, available on the project website in English and local Living Lab languages.
Key Dates
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Call opening – 01/06/2026.
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Submission deadline – 01/08/2026.
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Start of funded projects – 01/10/2026.
Project Data and Contact
For specific questions regarding Open Call 1, applicants can contact opencalls@nemesis-soil.eu.
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Grant Agreement ID – 101219087.
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Topic ID – HORIZON-MISS-2024-SOIL-01-01.
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Total EU Contribution – €11,999,402.47.
The European Rural Development Network (ERDN) is a consortium partner in the Nemesis project. The project receives funding from the European Union as well as the Swiss Confederation through the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).
