Bank vice president Dr Beth Dunford, seen visiting a Bank-supported farmer in Ethiopia, is leading the Bank delegation to AFSH Summit. (Image source: AfDB)

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) leveraged its deep expertise and convening power to highlight the crucial role of agricultural technologies, fertiliser and healthy soils in driving sustainable agricultural growth at the Africa Fertiliser and Soil Health (AFSH) Summit, which took place from 7-9 May in Nairobi, Kenya

The event explored solutions to widespread declines in farmland soil quality and built consensus on an African Fertiliser and Soil Health Action Plan. The summit also adopted an African Union Commission initiative to enhance the health and productivity of African soils. More than 1,500 participants from across Africa, including Heads of State and Ministers attended the event.

One of the notable side events titled ‘Dakar 2 - the State of African Fertiliser and Soil Health: Policy, Governance, and Institutional Framework to Accelerate Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts,’ brought together representatives of agricultural ministries, the private sector, and other stakeholders to showcase successful efforts by Ethiopia and Mali to scale soil health interventions, raise crop productivity and bolster rural livelihoods.

Another side event, titled, 'Advancing the Soil Initiative for Africa through the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils,' showcased the strategic and developing relationship between the AfDB and the US-led Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS), a movement to build resilient food systems grounded in diverse, nutritious and climate-adapted crops grown in healthy, fertile soils. VACS is aligned with the Bank’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative, which delivers heat-tolerant, drought-resistant and other climate-smart certified seeds to millions of Africa’s smallholder farmers to produce 120 million additional tonnes of food in Africa and lift 130 million people out of poverty.

As part of its Feed Africa strategy to boost yields and build resilience, the AfDB is committed to ensuring African farmers have access to the inputs they need.

In the setting of the Siam agricultural fair, a press conference to present EIMA 2024 was held on 24 April, in Meknés. (Image source: EIMA)

Organised by FederUnacoma, in Bologna from 6-10 November, the 46th edition of EIMA 2024 offers a plethora of innovations to Moroccan operators

Innovations like the REAL space—a space dedicated to robots, drones and more generally, to all those highly automated technologies—are capable of increasing production yields, improving the sustainability of crops and optimising the use of production factors. 

These are requirements that are truly stringent for the agriculture of the North African state of Morocco, which is particularly exposed to the consequences of climate change. Reduction of water supply sources, soil impoverishment, loss of productivity and decline in agricultural incomes are the main challenges that Moroccan agriculture has been facing positively in recent years.

Keeping this in mind, the focus on innovation continues with the usual exhibition of the winning models of the ‘Technical Innovations 2024’ competition and with the numerous in-depth technical meetings on the most relevant issues for the primary sector and for the world of agricultural machinery. 

Technology will also be the protagonist in the spaces outside the pavilions, in the outdoor areas where the show of the finalist tractors of the Tractor of the Year will be staged, as well as demonstrations of vehicles for bioenergy supply chains, trials of gardening and green care machines.

To date, more than 1,500 companies—500 of which from abroad—have already formalised their participation in the event, but the number is destined to grow further in the coming weeks, bringing the total number of exhibitors to the highest levels in the history of the exhibition.

For more information and to register, visit: https://www.eima.it/

Aviana's International Poultry Expo will be kicking off on 12 September in Madagascar. (Image source: Aviana))

From 12-15 September this year, Aviana will be organising the International Poultry Expo at the Le Plus Grand Hall in Antananarivo, Madagascar

Being the world’s 47th largest country and the fourth-largest island, the country has enormous potential in the livestock and fisheries sector. 

Livestock is widespread, with about 60% of rural families depending on it for their income. Animal production is dominated by extensive livestock rearing, pigs and poultry. There is also a growing modern poultry industry around the main cities.

The fisheries sector on the other hand, has more prominence along Madagascar’s western coast, particularly in the province of Toliara. There is also a good potential for the development of shrimps and prawns rising and for freshwater aquaculture, mainly for common carp and tilapia, in paddy fields, ponds and cages. 

According to statistics from 2008, the overall meat production was estimated at 251,000 tonnes; milk at 530,000 tonnes and hen eggs at 19,000 tonnes. In regard to fishery and aquaculture, production totalled to 130,000 tonnes in 2008. Moreover, around 35,000 tonnes of fishery products are exported every year, with more than 50% of these being exported toward European countries, and the rest toward Japan, Mauritius and some Asian countries.

For more information and to register, visit: www.avianaafrica.com

The organisers of agrofood & plastprintpack Ethiopia are delighted to unveil the 2024 event scheduled to take place from 16-18 May in Addis Ababa. (Image source: Fairtrade Messe und Ausstellungs GmbH & Co. KG)

The sixth edition of agrofood & plastprintpack Ethiopia is scheduled to run from 16-18 May 2024 at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa

Agriculture is the backbone of Ethiopia's economy and continues to contribute 33% of GDP, provide 66% of employment and generate 76% of the country's annual exports. According to the ATA Ethiopian Agricultural Transformation Agency, agriculture has grown at an annual rate of 9%, reaching a value of US$36bn over the past five years. In addition, the country is also the second largest importer of plastics in primary form in East and Central Africa. 

Following the resounding success of the June 2023 edition, which saw 3,558 trade visitors flocking from across Ethiopia and neighboring nations, the organisers of agrofood & plastprintpack Ethiopia are delighted to unveil the 2024 event. Spearheaded by fairtrade Messe, the renowned German trade show specialists, and their Ethiopian partners Prana Events, this premier gathering is set to serve Ethiopia’s vibrant agriculture, food, beverage, plastics, printing and packaging industries.

With exhibitors representing China, Ethiopia, France, India, Italy, Kenya, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom, the stage is set for another compelling showcase of innovation and collaboration.

agrofood & plastprintpack Ethiopia 2024 enjoys the strong support of the Ethiopian government comprising the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Industry, Chemical and Construction Inputs Research and Development Centre and the Ethiopian Food, Beverage, Research and Development Centre. Internationally, the event also receives suupport from institutions such as the AHK Delegation of German Industry and Commerce for Eastern Africa, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Trade and the embassies of Germany, France, India, Italy and Türkiye, among others. 

For more information and to register, visit: https://www.agrofood-ethiopia.com/