The 37th edition of SPACE took place from 12-14 September at the Rennes Exhibition Centre in Rennes, France
Featuring 1,207 exhibitors, the three-day exhibition not only reflected the healthy economic situation of the farming industry, but also its concerns regarding the future, as production volumes for beef, milk, pork and poultry are falling. At the same time, consumer demand for quality food at affordable prices has never been higher. The three days of intense activity were therefore more necessary than ever for all those involved in the dynamics of animal farming, to allow them to address these issues, to alert political leaders to this unprecedented situation and to reflect together on solutions for the future.
Energy as a major theme
The 37th edition was also dedicated to energy, which was the central theme of SPACE 2023, explored in numerous discussions, conferences and debates. At a time when strategic decisions need to be taken to meet the dual challenge of energy and food sovereignty, SPACE was a key opportunity to prepare for the future in this area. The new Experts' Area within the Espace for the Future provided animal farmers with very practical and useful information on subjects such as fuel consumption, hydrogen, reducing energy consumption in buildings, the law on renewable energies, etc.
Innov’Space
A total of 118 applications were submitted, and were rigorously examined by a jury of more than 50 members. 37 companies were awarded one or two stars depending on the degree of interest for the farmer or end user. Four winners received the special three-star distinction: Kverneland Group France’s Pudama, which applies fertiliser to each individual seed; Leretrif Rossard Bâtiment’s Watt’N’Wall, which consists of prefabricated walls for pigsties equipped with a hydraulic network to heat part of the space; and finally Mastaplex’s Mastatest and Zoetis’s Vetscan MastiGram+, both of which diagnose mastitis quickly, so the animals affected can be treated more efficiently.
The world of animal farming
SPACE attracted an unprecedented number of international visitors, with 122 countries represented by the 12,125 visitors who came to Brittany looking for solutions to help them develop or improve their farms. The many delegations from Africa namely Benin, Cameroon, and Côte d’Ivoire, among others, confirmed their growing interest in the solutions presented at SPACE to help them achieve food sovereignty. The European Association of Agricultural Journalists (ENAJ) also took part in this year's edition and held its Annual General Meeting there.
The Youth Forum and the Tech’Agri Challenge
Once again this year, SPACE focused its attention on young people, highlighting the value of animal farming trades in order to further boost their attractiveness. The Youth Forum welcomed around a hundred students each day to discuss their concerns. At the first Tech'Agri Challenge by Innov'Space that was organised this year, HND and engineering students from the agricultural and digital sectors reflected on and developed technical solutions to issues encountered by farmers such as digital identification cards for cattle, automated headlocks for remote opening, etc.
Conferences
Through the hundreds of conferences included in its programme, SPACE continues to offer its participants knowledge-rich content. Together, these presentations are what make SPACE a unique platform for the development and progress of the animal farming industry.
The genetic showcase
This year’s edition of the Genetics Show featured two major events: the National Charolais Breed Competition and the European Simmental Breed Challenge. Ten other inter-regional competitions and genetic presentations complemented the programme. The 'Meat Excellence' beef cattle auction, dedicated entirely to suckler breeds, and the inter-breed 'Genomic Elite Auction', a unique event in Europe, dedicated to dairy and mixed breeds, were a great success.
The 37th edition of SPACE, with its abundance of opportunities to meet and share ideas, its highly committed exhibitors, its dynamic and enthusiastic visitors all keen to maintain and develop animal farming in our regions and around the world, was a fantastic platform for all these players to find the keys to feeding the world's 10 billion people in the next 30 years, in an increasingly carbon-free economy.
For more information, visit: https://uk.space.fr/
