1. Objective of the Call

The overall objective of this call is to create modern, marketable agricultural and food products, processes and services representing high added values.

The development of the production processes in the agricultural sector by starting R&D cooperation programs to promote the utilization of its production environment in a sustainable way, development of the capital goods of the agricultural food industry in order to increase the economic capacity within the scope of cooperation between the agricultural entities interested in the improvement of the innovation conditions of production and Hungarian research workshops.

2. Actions to be carried out

1. Development of modern, marketable agricultural food products, processes and services representing high added value.
2. R&D projects enhancing the marketability of products and the effectiveness of production infrastructure.
3. R&D projects supporting the fulfillment of quality and hygiene requirements specified by law and regulations in agricultural cultivation and animal husbandry as well as in the products derived from them in an efficient way.
4. Development of production processes as well as biological and plant genomic bases of the agricultural-food sector by developing procedures and programs to promote the utilization of its production environment in a sustainable and efficient way.

3. Activities to be supported

R&D activities:

• basic research up to 30% of total eligible cost
• applied research,
• experimental development

4. Eligible applicants

Research consortia established by companies with or without legal entity settled in Hungary (agricultural ventures, cooperatives, production and sales cooperatives, soletraders) and agricultural research workshop(s), higher educational institutions engaged in agricultural development activity to implement the tasks laid down in the competition program.

The maximum number of consortia members cannot exceed six (6). Neither research workshops nor ventures in themselves are allowed to submit proposals. There must be at least one business member of the consortia utilizing the results and achievements of the project.

5. Financing

The National Office for Research and Technology for this Programme allocate a budget of 2500 MFt in words: two billion five hundred million HUF from The Research and Technological Innovation Fund.
A further 500 MFt in words: five hundred million HUF is provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development from its own budget.

6. Form of project funding, duration of the project

The project funding is provided as a grant without any repayment obligation.
The planned duration of the project cannot exceed 36 months.

7. Expected number of projects

The expected number of projects to be selected shall be: 40 to 50

8. Evaluation and selection criteria

• Objectives of project proposal, their conformity with the specified thematical priorities, utilization and application possibility of expected results (0 to 5 points)
• Technological novelty and clear legal status of applied methods and solutions in the proposal (0 to 5 points)
• Professional capability and suitability of the consortium for the execution of the planned tasks, the professional capability and suitability of the coordinator for the management of the project (0 to 5 points)
• The technological and economic significance of the project (0 to 5 points)
• The foundation of the planned budget expenditures, the proportionality between the requested fund and the expected results (0 to 5 points)
• Utilization and impacts of the results (0 to-5 points)
• The quality of the work plan, its scheduling and actuality, the measurement of the expected results and the extent of risks revealed in the proposal (0 to 5 points)

Maximum points: 35

If the average points are lower than 24 points, the proposal will not be funded.
The evaluation of the proposal is done by the strict observance of confidentiality and principle of equal chances.

Date of publication: 08.08. 2005
Deadline for submission: 14.09.2005