Research projects – Animal protection and animal welfare

WHAT CAN YOU APPLY FOR?

Projects that promote an increased knowledge in animal protection and animal welfare for those animals that are kept permanently, or for a limited period of time, by humans.

Formas Ikon

WHO CAN APPLY?

Researchers with a doctoral degree, active at a Swedish university, college or research institutes, which are a, by Formas approved, administrating organisation.

Formas Ikon

HOW MUCH CAN YOU APPLY FOR?

Project length may be up to three years and the maximum grant for a three-year project is six million SEK.

Given decision: 2019-11-20 14:00

The Swedish Research Council Formas, in consultation with the Swedish Board of Agriculture, announces a funding call for research projects regarding animal protection and animal welfare for those animals that are kept permanently, or for a limited period of time, by humans.

Decision

Preliminary decisions. Please note that only decisions published in Prisma is a guarantee of granted funding.


How we keep our animals is regulated by the animal welfare legislation. All animals cared for by humans, for example farm animals, sporting and companion animals, are thus affected by the animal welfare legislation. Good animal protection means a clear legislation that are complied with and good animal protection is the foundation for good animal welfare. Animal welfare can, in turn, be defined by the five freedoms: freedom from hunger or thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury or disease, freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress.

Sweden is one of the leading countries regarding animal protection and animal welfare and it is the ambition of the Swedish government that Sweden shall remain in that position. Furthermore, the Swedish government raises in the bill 2016/17:104 -A long term food strategy for Sweden that the demand for animal products will increase globally as the result of an increased population and an improved economy. This will in turn increase the demands in knowledge of and the requisites for a sustainable animal husbandry in which preventive measures for animal health and welfare are important.

Research need to be developed together with business practitioners, and we encourage contact between researchers and the surrounding community to help ensure that the research is rooted in society’s needs. Formas therefore arranged a seminar with invited representatives from society and academia in May 2018 with the aim to identify areas in need of research and development within animal welfare and animal protection.

According to the letter of regulation from the government, Formas has committed totally six million SEK per year for animal protecting- and animal welfare measures. Furthermore, Formas shall announce the call in consultation with the Swedish board of Agriculture which in turn is assigned by the government to ensure a high level of animal protection and to work for a sustainable development and a competitive food industry.

The purpose with the call is to promote increased knowledge and knowledge based on research regarding animal protection and animal welfare for those animals that are kept permanently, or for a limited period of time, by humans. Furthermore, it is important that ethical and political discussions are based on scientific grounds, and that laws on animal protection are based on scientific fact.

Formas will, in consultation with the Board of Agriculture, announce funds that aim to finance research that, for example:

  • gives a scientific foundation to the requirements of animal welfare regulations,
  • gives an improved legal security and correct assessments at controls, or
  • examines the economic impact of an improved or reduced animal welfare

The projects must have an explicit and clear relevance for the welfare of the particular animal species the application concerns. Formas encourage inter- and transdisciplinary approaches when applicable. If the project concerns farm animals, horses or insects it is eligible that the project is associated to one of the identified areas in need of research stated in the document “Demanded research”, which was compiled after the seminar in May 2018.

Project length may be up to three years and the maximum grant for a project is six million SEK. According to the letter of regulation from the government, Formas has committed totally 36 million SEK for the years 2019-2021.

The 17th of May, Formas invited representatives mainly from the food industry together with researchers that applied for funding in Formas last call for Animal protection and animal welfare promoting measures in 2016, to a workshop “A day about animal protection”. The participants were asked to present areas in need of research and development regarding animal protection and
animal welfare. The identified challenges are compiled below.

Research needs and demands (pdf) , 132.9 kB.

In the call text you will find everything you need to know when applying. For example what the application shall contain, how the application is registered in the application system Prisma, information about administrating organizations, evaluation criteria and the assessment process.

Call text (pdf) , 282.5 kB.

How to apply

A digital application is submitted in the Prisma application system. Guidelines and information about what your application should contain can be found in the call text.

Contact Person

Updated:5 November 2020
Page manager: Alexandra Jeremiasson