The EU CAP Network is organising the workshop ‘Growing alternative crops for new market opportunities in a changing climate’ with a focus on innovation, knowledge exchange and EIP-AGRI. We are looking for participants who would like to share their knowledge and experience on the topic.  

This event will take place in Vienna, Austria from 22 to 23 April 2026. 

The event will focus on the sharing of practical examples and experiences, innovative approaches and project results that can support farmers to make well-informed decisions about diversifying their cropping systems in response to climate change in different European regions. Practical information on crop suitability, cultivation practices and market opportunities for alternative crops will be key components in supporting this goal. More detailed information about this event can be found on the event page on the EU CAP Network website. 

The participants will have the opportunity to:

• Map successful real-world examples of the cultivation and marketing of alternative crops in different EU regions. 
• Identify and build knowledge on innovative practices related to alternative crop production and access to new markets, supporting farmers to ensure greater adaptability to climate change, diversification of income streams and strengthened socio-economic resilience.  
• Discuss the potential and the challenges of introducing alternative crops, both considering farm practices and associated market options. 
• Foster networking among EIP-AGRI Operational Groups (OGs), Horizon Europe multi-actor projects and other relevant innovative projects and disseminate their results. 

The event will include field visits to inspiring projects or initiatives on the cultivation and marketing of alternative crops. The field visits are organised in collaboration with The Austrian Rural Network. 

If you are interested in participating and actively sharing your experience and innovative ideas, please fill in the application form before 29 January 2026, 23:59 CET. 

Please forward this open call to others who may be interested in attending and contributing to this workshop. 

We are looking for farmers, advisors, projects and initiatives related to growing and marketing of alternative crops, including EIP-AGRI Operational Groups and Horizon projects, retailers, NGOs and any others interested in sharing their knowledge.  

For any questions, please contact workshop.innovation@eucapnetwork.eu. 

Yours sincerely, on behalf of the organising team, 

Rocío Losada Iglesias  

Task Manager EU CAP Network workshop ‘Growing alternative crops for new market opportunities in a changing climate’ 

European CAP Network 

EU CAP Network Support Facility for Innovation & Knowledge exchange | EIP-AGRI 

Important to know

Selection criteria

All applications will be assessed based on the following criteria:

• The applicants are able to demonstrate keen interest in the topic and participation in the workshop, with reference to the main and specific objectives of the workshop.
• With respect to contributing to the objectives of the workshop, applicants demonstrate expertise and background on the topic, and are able to share and exchange ideas, knowledge and experiences with the other participants.
• Applicants are able to demonstrate the ways in which their participation in the workshop could potentially benefit their professional activities.

The involvement of applicants in relevant projects and initiatives will also be considered in the assessment of applications. Geographical balancing will be applied to ensure balanced distribution of participants across the member states.

Selection process

Please be aware that only one participant per project/organisation will be accepted. However, the participation of farmers and advisors is strongly encouraged, and a second application per organisation/project may be accepted if one of the two applicants is a farmer or an advisor.

Due to the limited number of participants, it will not be possible to accommodate all requests for participation. We will do our best to create a diverse community of participants with a broad geographical coverage. After the organisers have assessed the applications received, selected participants will receive an invitation to register and confirm their attendance at the workshop.

Travel and accommodation information

Participation at the event is free of charge. Please note that participants from public/national administrations shall cover their own travel and accommodation expenses. For other participants, if expenses cannot be covered by projects or organisations, travel and accommodation (hotel) costs for some selected participants may be covered by the European Commission. Please do not make any reservations until you have heard that your application was successful.