Open Call: Specialised Advisory Services for Social Economy SMEs on Greening Agrifood

GRAINS – Greening Agrifood in Social Economy, is a project funded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency.

The GRAINS project aims at building the capacity of social economy SMEs in agrifood by providing trainings, access to tailor-made services and financial support on sustainable practices and on how to reduce their environmental footprint, namely:

• Supporting the transition towards sustainable and environmentally friendly practices and production processes;
• Promoting the adoption of sustainable technologies and innovations;
• Building the capacity and competitiveness of social economy SMEs through knowledge transfer and skills development about sustainable practices;
• Fostering transnational cooperation, best practice sharing, and promoting sustainable practices through awareness-raising efforts.

Objectives of the Call 

• The primary objective of the present Call for Interest is to identify 40 Social Economy SMEs in agrifood to receive advisory services related to improving the capacity of their transition to a green business model by improving efficiency.
• The advisory services focus on addressing specific challenges related to greening social economy SMEs in agri-food, supporting them in adopting more sustainable practices and improving their environmental performance. It can include:
  • Mapping Funding Opportunities: Identifying various funding sources available for sustainable initiatives, such as government grants, impact investment funds, or corporate sustainability programs. Assisting in the application process and providing guidance on eligibility criteria to secure funding for projects or expansions.
  • Support to Obtain Certification on Labels: Guiding SMEs through the process of obtaining certifications like Fair Trade, Organic, or B Corp certification to demonstrate environmental or social responsibility. Assisting in integrating sustainable practices into operations to comply with certification standards.
  • Support in Developing Local Green Markets: Offering insights and advice to develop local green markets. Advisory services on carbon footprint reduction: Providing specialized advice and recommendations to enterprises on energy efficiency, water consumption, soil conservation and reducing food loss and waste, adopting eco-packaging and unpacked rules, etc.
• Further objectives:
  • Enhancing Sustainability to help social economy SMEs in agri-food enhance their commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
  • Promoting Growth and Expansion that align with sustainability goals and certifications that can open up new market opportunities.
  • Improving Market Access in supporting the development of local green markets
  • Reducing Environmental Impact through advisory services on carbon footprint reduction as well as adopting sustainable packaging practices.
• The services are provided free of charge for the successful beneficiaries. The services may be provided in English or one of the following languages: German, Romanian, Italian or Ukrainian.

Duration

• The project runs between 1 October 2023 and 30 September 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered as beneficiary, the applicant needs to fulfil the following requirements:

• Must be registered in the European Union member states or in Ukraine,
• Qualifies as a Social Economy SME
• Performs their productive activities within the agri-food sector.

For more information, visit European Union.