The agriculture, horticulture, water, and food sectors are facing growing challenges related to production efficiency, sustainability, and resource management. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) offer new opportunities to address these issues by improving processes, decision-making, and resource use. To support innovation in these areas, the KIC call titled “KIC AI for Agriculture, Horticulture, Water, and Food 2026” invites researchers to collaborate with industry partners and form public–private consortia to develop research proposals focused on AI applications in these sectors.
The call encourages a wide range of research approaches, including the application and further development of existing AI algorithms as well as proof-of-principle demonstrations relevant to agriculture, horticulture, water management, and food systems. AI technologies could contribute to making agricultural production more sustainable, improving water management and security, and strengthening the safety, nutrition, and reliability of food supply chains.
This funding opportunity is a revised version of a similar call launched in 2023. For the 2026 edition, several aspects have been improved to encourage broader participation, including more flexible conditions related to research focus, co-funding requirements, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
The total budget allocated for the call is €7 million. Research consortia can apply for grants ranging from €600,000 to €1,840,000 from the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO). NWO will fund up to 80 percent of the total project costs, while the remaining 20 percent must be provided through mandatory co-funding by participating partners, either in cash or through in-kind contributions.
The deadline for submitting research proposals is October 13, 2026, before 14:00 CEST. To support collaboration and the formation of strong research partnerships, NWO will host a matchmaking event on April 2, 2026. The meeting will allow researchers, companies, and other organizations to exchange ideas, present project concepts, and explore opportunities for joint proposals.
The call is part of the NWO-KIC innovation programmes developed under the Knowledge and Innovation Covenant. These programmes aim to address major societal challenges in the Netherlands by promoting cooperation between research institutions, private companies, and government organizations. By encouraging industry participation and investment, the programme seeks to ensure that research results contribute directly to economic opportunities and practical solutions for society.
