ERA-NET Cofund SusAn: European Research Area on Sustainable Animal Production Systems

General introduction

SusAn (Sustainable Animal production) is the ERA-NET Cofund umbrella that establishes a useful European research agenda around animal production and also helps organize research funding for it. ILVO has been responsible for all communications in this network. SusAn falls under the SCAR Collaborative Working Group on Sustainable Animal Production (CWG-SAP), and has organized consultations with as many as 37 organizations from 23 European countries. Their joint European research network is solidly established and contributes to a research-supported, sustainable European animal production both economically, environmentally and socially. 

Research approach

Between 2016 and 2022, several transnational research calls and networking activities were organized by SusAn. There, the research questions and gaps were identified, and then translated a strategic research agenda. The next step was to launch the double-funded (by Europe and by Member States) research calls and ensure that submitted projects on these calls were selected and implemented.    

ILVO coordinated all communications of the network and of all research projects. 

Relevance/Valorisation

A total of 3 research calls were launched by SusAn: in 2016, 14 projects were funded through the Cofunded call with top-up from the European Commission for a total amount of €16M. In addition, 2 additional calls were launched. For this purpose, in 2018 the FACCE ERA-GAS and ICT-AGRI2 network joined forces. This resulted in 8 research projects contributing to the development of new technologies, solutions and systems for greenhouse gas reduction in European animal production. In 2021, together with ICT-AGRI-FOOD, FACCE ERA-GAS and SUSCROP, a call was launched to strengthen the circulatity between plant and animal production systems. Hereby, another 9 projects were funded. In addition, the SusAn Common Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda contributes to the transformation of animal production within the European agri-food system and forms the basis for future lines of research. 

Funding provider(s)
EU Horizon2020