In The Spotlight
As DLG (German Agricultural Society)-organised EuroTier 2026 gears up to return to Hanover, Germany, to unite the animal farming and livestock management fraternity from across the world, visitors can expect an extensive programme of conferences, specialist events and networking opportunities
These include the International Cattle & Pig Event, the International Farmers Day and the new DLG-VetCon 2026.
With the driving theme, 'Intelligence in Animal Farming', this year trade visitors can explore intelligent solutions advancing livestock production. The exhibition covers all major livestock sectors, including pigs, cattle, poultry, horses, sheep and goats.
International Poultry Day on 9 November will highlight market developments and challenges in animal welfare, nutrition, animal health, sustainability and market perspectives. Experts from science, practice and industry will present innovations and solutions for sustainable poultry production.
International Farmers Day and International Cattle & Pig Event on 11 November 2026 will provide insights into markets, strategies and innovations in leading agricultural nations. It will reflect current topics in cattle and pig farming as international experts from politics, practice, science and business present trends, developments and best-practice examples while discussing solutions for sustainable, animal-friendly and economically viable livestock production.
Female Agri Fellows Networking Event and Women in Ag Award Ceremony will be celebrating women in agriculture while creating space for connection, exchange and inspiration. Women from across the agricultural and food industries will come together in an inspiring environment to network, share experiences and learn from one another, from start-up founders to business leaders from family farms.
The Open Agri Influencer Meet-up organised by the DLG Agri Influencer Team will see everyone active in agricultural social media to join this informal networking event. There will be collaboration among stakeholders in agricultural communication and content creation.
DLG-VetCon 2026: Professional Conference for Large-Animal and Herd Veterinarians creates an ideal environment for knowledge exchange in an international setting. Through its close integration with EuroTier, participants benefit from unique synergies including access to market leaders in livestock technology and animal nutrition, leading farmers and producers, as well as the latest industry trends and technologies.
EuroTier 2026 is set to be held from 10 to 13 November 2026 in Hanover, Germany.
The Ministry of Agriculture in Tunisia has announced a pilot vaccination initiative against bovine tuberculosis to advance animal health and livestock sector
The pilot will serve as a review of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine’s performance under Tunisian farming conditions before it can be rolled out nationally on a wider basis.
Expressing big anticipations from the pilot project, the Ministry believes that the BCG vaccine can effectively reduce the spread of bovine tuberculosis. Officials stressed that vaccination would complement rather than replace existing disease control measures.
The campaign will focus on epidemiological surveillance, biosecurity, animal movement controls and routine herd testing.
Caused by Mycobacterium, bovine tuberculosis largely impacts cattle, but can also infect people if they came into direct contact with infected animals or consumed contaminated meat or unpasteurised milk.
This vaccination drive will address rising human tuberculosis cases, which are reported to be 1500 annually, with almost 80% responsible for animal transmission, found Tunisia’s Order of Veterinary Surgeons. It is capable of spreading chronic illness, pneumonia, weight loss and death in infected cattle, limiting livestock productivity and affecting the supply of animal products.
In April 2026, veterinary authorities detected six cases of bovine tuberculosis in calves at a municipal slaughterhouse in Sousse, which pointed at the seriousness of the issue in adversely affecting the national cattle population.
The vaccination initiative is part of the government’s wider 2026-2030 livestock recovery strategy to restore cattle and small ruminant herds by improving forage production, digitising livestock monitoring systems and strengthening veterinary services.
The recovery programme will support Tunisia’s cattle, sheep and goat population, which has been seeing sharp decline since 2016 at 30%, going down to approximately 5.94 million head in 2022.
Officials believe that improving disease control will be essential to rebuilding livestock numbers, with successful vaccination potentially reducing losses associated with bovine tuberculosis by limiting the need for widespread culling of infected animals.
VIV Africa is returning to the Kigali Convention Centre on 7 and 8 October. (Image source: VNU Exhibition)
A region does not become one of the fastest growing agrifood markets in the world by accident
Rising incomes, rapid urbanization and a growing middle class are reshaping what and how much Sub-Saharan Africa eats, and animal protein and dairy sit at the center of that shift. For the global suppliers, investors and technology providers watching this trend, the question is no longer whether to engage with the region, but how quickly they can find the right partners on the ground.
The numbers back up the momentum. As per the Barometer of African Agriculture, published by the Foundation for Agriculture and Rurality in the World alongside the Pan-African Farmers Organization, African milk production climbed 17% over the past decade, rising from roughly 45.5 million to 53.2 million tonnes between 2013 and 2023. As per Statista's market forecasts, the continent's wider dairy and egg market is on a path toward roughly 10% annual growth between 2024 and 2029, a pace that outstrips most other food categories on the continent. Poultry tells a similar story, with demand climbing steadily as populations grow and diets diversify.
Meeting that demand is drawing real investment. International genetics companies, feed producers, animal health specialists and equipment manufacturers are expanding their footprint across the region, often in partnership with local producers who understand the market conditions on the ground. Cold chain and processing infrastructure, long an underdeveloped piece of the puzzle, is increasingly attracting the kind of capital and technology transfer that turns rising demand into reliable supply.
VIV Africa 2026 is where much of that momentum converges. Returning to the Kigali Convention Centre on 7 and 8 October, with a paid Leadership Conference opening proceedings on 6 October, the show has grown alongside the industry it serves. This year's edition brings back the dedicated Dairy Pavilion, sitting alongside the poultry, feed and animal health exhibitors that have long anchored the event—a clear signal that the platform's ambitions remain within the full breadth of the region's agrifood industry rather than any single category.
Around 2,000 visitors are expected in Kigali, travelling from Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Africa, Cameroon, Sudan and beyond, drawn by a program built to produce outcomes rather than footfall. The Leadership Conference gathers international experts to work through the trends shaping poultry, dairy and broader agriculture across the continent. Senior buyers looking to move faster can use the Hosted Buyer Program, which arranges scheduled introductions with suppliers so that a few days on the ground translate directly into new supplier relationships.
For companies weighing whether Sub-Saharan Africa belongs in their growth plans, the case is increasingly straightforward: this is a market expanding faster than most of its global peers, with real capital now flowing toward the genetics, technology and infrastructure needed to support it. VIV Africa 2026 offers a direct way in, a chance to meet the producers, processors and buyers shaping that growth in person rather than tracking it from afar.
Registration for the two-day exhibition is free for anyone who registers in advance, and is open now at africa.viv.net
For farms bustling with foraging and complex logistics, Pottinger has launched a compact twin rotor rake without chassis, advancing manoeuvrability
Its simple build keeps crude ash content to a minimum while maintaining high forage quality.
Known as the Top V 6520 C, the rotor rake is equipped with a headstock that pivots and moves in line with the tractor while taking turns, seamlessly raking central swathes. The innovative headstock stays in place with support from high centring forced mechanical stabiliser. This also keeps the machine from going haywire while driving downhill.
The floating rotor suspension is designed to enable three-dimensional ground tracking. The rake can easily bypass bumpy situations, thanks to the option of a multitask jockey wheel mounted directly on the headstock. It always ensures smooth run even at high speeds, because of the tandem axles tackling uneven ground.
At the headland, the machine is lifted by the tractor linkage and gently moved into the centre position. The high ground clearance of the TOP V 6520 C makes headland turns easier and prevents disruption of the already-formed swaths. The TOP V 6520 C is also compact during transport with its centre of gravity close to the tractor.
The working width can be adjusted mechanically from 5.9 m to 6.5 m and can be adapted to the geometry of each tractor. This produces swath widths between 1 and 1.6 m. This makes the rake capable of handling heavy forage in combination with smaller harvesting machines.
Pottinger has made sure to give the rake a rock-solid design for maximum flexibility and reliability when dealing with the unpredictability of harvesting times.
The Ministry of Agriculture in Tunisia has announced a pilot vaccination initiative against bovine tuberculosis to advance animal health and livestock sector
The pilot will serve as a review of the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine’s performance under Tunisian farming conditions before it can be rolled out nationally on a wider basis.
Expressing big anticipations from the pilot project, the Ministry believes that the BCG vaccine can effectively reduce the spread of bovine tuberculosis. Officials stressed that vaccination would complement rather than replace existing disease control measures.
The campaign will focus on epidemiological surveillance, biosecurity, animal movement controls and routine herd testing.
Caused by Mycobacterium, bovine tuberculosis largely impacts cattle, but can also infect people if they came into direct contact with infected animals or consumed contaminated meat or unpasteurised milk.
This vaccination drive will address rising human tuberculosis cases, which are reported to be 1500 annually, with almost 80% responsible for animal transmission, found Tunisia’s Order of Veterinary Surgeons. It is capable of spreading chronic illness, pneumonia, weight loss and death in infected cattle, limiting livestock productivity and affecting the supply of animal products.
In April 2026, veterinary authorities detected six cases of bovine tuberculosis in calves at a municipal slaughterhouse in Sousse, which pointed at the seriousness of the issue in adversely affecting the national cattle population.
The vaccination initiative is part of the government’s wider 2026-2030 livestock recovery strategy to restore cattle and small ruminant herds by improving forage production, digitising livestock monitoring systems and strengthening veterinary services.
The recovery programme will support Tunisia’s cattle, sheep and goat population, which has been seeing sharp decline since 2016 at 30%, going down to approximately 5.94 million head in 2022.
Officials believe that improving disease control will be essential to rebuilding livestock numbers, with successful vaccination potentially reducing losses associated with bovine tuberculosis by limiting the need for widespread culling of infected animals.
Ghana has taken a bold step towards reshaping its agricultural future with the official launch of the Timbuktoo AgriTech Hub, a purpose-built initiative designed to bring digital innovation to the heart of the country's farming sector.
The hub arrives at a time when Africa's agricultural landscape is crying out for practical, technology-driven solutions, and Ghana is positioning itself as a serious contender in leading that charge.
The launch ceremony in Accra drew considerable attention, with the Minister for Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), lending his presence and voice to the occasion. His message to African entrepreneurs was unambiguous: technology holds the key to transforming agriculture and building stronger, more resilient food systems across the continent.
The hub is not operating in isolation. It brings together a compelling mix of innovators, investors, incubators, and ecosystem leaders from across Africa, with partnerships already in place with the United Nations Development Programme, 500 Global, and Seedstars. That kind of backing signals serious intent and gives the initiative a solid foundation from which to grow.
The problems the hub is set up to tackle are well known to anyone familiar with African agriculture. Climate pressures, fragmented supply chains, poor market connectivity, and restricted access to financing continue to hold farmers and agribusinesses back. The Timbuktoo AgriTech Hub aims to chip away at these barriers through data-driven tools, mobile platforms, artificial intelligence, and improved digital infrastructure, all geared towards boosting productivity and expanding market reach.
Beyond supporting startups directly, the hub will run a capacity-building bootcamp for incubator managers, investing in the institutions that nurture early-stage businesses. Access to both catalytic and commercial capital will be made available to participating startups, addressing one of the most persistent obstacles to scaling agricultural innovations across the continent.
The minister rounded off proceedings with a call to action, urging governments, investors, and innovators to work more closely together and turn promising ideas into tangible, lasting development outcomes. It was a fitting note on which to close a launch that felt less like a ceremony and more like the beginning of something genuinely significant.
As part of the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa's Growth and Development (TagDev 2.0) programme that has been designed to boost high value crop yield and educate farmers on Artificial Intelligence, the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) has introduced an AI-powered fertigation system that digitalises irrigation and fertiliser application by leveraging real-time data
The project is set to become an exemplary climate-smart agriculture, working wonders on boosting crop production.
The installation is already operational at a greenhouse built in MUST's main campus in Thyolo, which will be supporting the growth of tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers.
“We are using AI to make farming more efficient, productive and climate-resilient while providing students and communities with practical skills that can transform agriculture,” said Jabulani Nyengere, senior lecturer in geoinformatics and postgraduate coordinator at MUST, who has been spearheading the project. He explained that the system ensures sustainability by cutting down water and nutrient waste. It works from the combined effects of AI, precision irrigation and automated fertiliser management.
The advanced technology is designed to decode crop growth data without any breaks and automatically adjusts water and nutrient levels, ensuring plants receive the right inputs while conserving resources, he said.
The project aligns with MUST's vision on advancing research and development on innovation and technology to address food security, climate change and sustainable agricultural development.
The smart system combines irrigation and fertiliser application, automatically adjusting in real time the crop estimates according to their growth stage. As the right quantity of nutrients are secured for the crops at the right time, less waste is generated, ensuring boosted productivity, crop quality and efficient use of resources.
