Driving climate resilience in agriculture and regional communities
This is the mission of ClimaPannonia, a new Horizon Europe innovation action launched in early 2025. But long before demo farms were set up and partners gathered around shared goals, there was an idea and a name that had to capture it all.
In this first blog entry, we look at the story behind the name. Through a short interview with the ClimaPannonia coordinator, prof Velimir Mladenov (Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad – UNSFA), we explore how the project was born, what it stands for, and why its identity matters as much as its technical work.
Prof. Velimir Mladenov
A Second Chance That Set the Direction
ClimaPannonia wasn’t the first version of the project. In fact, the team’s first attempt under the same Horizon Europe call had a different name: Mission4Pannon.
“Climate Pannonia is our second attempt within this call,” the coordinator shared.
“For the first one we received the Seal of Excellence – that was a sign we were on the right track, although the project had a very promising name, Mission4Pannon.”
While that earlier version was well received, the team saw the chance to go deeper, strengthen the strategy, and craft a name that would clearly signal purpose to both experts and the wider public.
“After the reconstruction of the project, we decided on the current name because it clearly indicated what we would be doing.”
What’s in a Name? Everything.
ClimaPannonia combines two key ideas:
- Clima – a direct link to the EU Mission on Adaptation to climate change, which funds the project and calls for real-world, regional action.
- Pannonia – the biogeographical area at the heart of the project, stretching across Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, Slovakia, and Czechia.
But the name also represents the values that shape every part of the project.
“The strategy and goal of the project is to create innovative systemic solutions that will help build resilience to climate change,” the coordinator explained.
“Guided by this, and the idea of doing something that can result in measurable change, we came up with this project. Our main goal was change.”
This vision goes beyond research. It’s about impact, and that’s what the name ClimaPannonia had to reflect: regional relevance, scientific credibility, and a call to action.
The Bigger Picture:
A Piece of the Puzzle
Even though the project is rooted in the Pannonian region, its goals are European and global. Agriculture everywhere is under pressure, and the lessons from Pannonia can contribute to solutions far beyond its borders.
“It is clear that one project can deal with modelling different ways of doing agriculture in a region or even a wider region,” said the coordinator.
“Our project is of great importance because it is the only one in the Pannonian plain that has the task of covering several agricultural sectors and offering solutions that can help in the great struggle.”
“By combining solutions from several projects, it will be possible to complete the picture and spread the fight on one front. Therefore, I would not link our project only to our region, but would view it as an important puzzle in the formation of the front.”
This way of thinking shapes the entire project strategy and its communications. ClimaPannonia is not an isolated effort. It’s part of a network of projects working under the same mission umbrella, using different tools and paths to answer the same call.
“When I compare our project with others within the mission, I see a clear parallel. We used a similar way of thinking. Although we deal with different agricultural sectors, there’s a clear coincidence – we all experienced a clear call from the European Commission on how to approach solving the problem.”
How We’ll Communicate the Mission
The name ClimaPannonia is more than branding. It’s a promise to stay true to the project’s vision and to bring people into the process. That’s why communication is at the heart of what comes next.
We’ll use blog posts, videos, farmer interviews, infographics, field events, and social media to keep the conversation going. And we’ll do it in a way that reflects the project’s values: collaboration, clarity, and care for people and the planet.
The name ClimaPannonia tells a story – a story of persistence, place, purpose, and partnership. It’s a name that looks forward, grounded in a region that’s already feeling the effects of climate change but ready to lead in resilience.
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Author: ABE
