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The call for applications closes on August 31. Ten initiatives will be included in the Catalogue, and three will have the opportunity to present their projects at the final event of the Iberian consortium.

Odiana — Association for the Development of the Lower Guadiana — has launched a call for applications within the framework of the European AGROSOCIAL project. It is aimed at entities developing innovative solutions and best practices capable of addressing the challenges of the social agrifood economy in the territories of Alentejo, Algarve, and Andalusia (AAA). Applications can be submitted until August 31, 2026, through the dedicated platform.

The initiative aims to identify projects that already demonstrate an impact on the ground — or that reveal high implementation potential — in areas considered strategic for rural development. These include generational renewal, commercialization, digitalization and artificial intelligence, water and climate management, sustainability, and gender equality.

The call is open to cooperatives, associations, social enterprises, startups, public entities, non-profit organizations, and other structures linked to the agrifood ecosystem and the social economy. Applications are welcome from both existing initiatives and pilot projects, as well as solutions developed outside the AAA territory, provided they demonstrate adaptability and replicability in the region.

In total, ten initiatives will be selected to form part of the AGROSOCIAL Catalogue, a tool for promoting and showcasing the solutions identified within the project.

Among them, three finalists will be invited to publicly present their work during the consortium's final forum, scheduled for the last quarter of the year. In addition to institutional recognition, the selected entities will benefit from increased visibility among project partners and opportunities for collaboration within the Iberian agrifood innovation ecosystem.

The evaluation of applications will be based on criteria such as the degree of innovation, territorial, social, and economic impact, solution sustainability, replication potential, and alignment with the strategic objectives of the AGROSOCIAL project. The process will take place in two phases: first, checking application eligibility, followed by a technical evaluation conducted by an expert panel.

Applications must be submitted exclusively through the online platform available at https://convocatriaagrosocial.softr.app, where the call terms and all necessary information regarding the participation process can also be consulted.

Odiana is the entity responsible for coordinating this call, which is part of the AGROSOCIAL project developed by an Iberian consortium co-financed by the Interreg Portugal-Spain Program (POCTEP) 2021-2027.