Agricultural machinery: Italian-Algerian cooperation at the heart of Agrilevante

Algeria's agricultural economy, which accounts for 10% of GDP and employs 13% of the workforce, is experiencing a growth phase. The Algerian government's policies, aimed at promoting the country's food self-sufficiency, crop diversification in the primary sector and the implementation of technologies and cultivation systems, have in fact allowed for the improvement of the production of various types of commodities, including cereals. On the other hand, Algeria presents favorable conditions for the development of agricultural activities, also by virtue of the great extent of the available agricultural area (41 million hectares compared to 12 in Italy) and the particular pedological characteristics, suitable for both specialized crops with high added value and for arable crops. However, to achieve the goal of food security, Algeria's primary sector deal with complex challenges, especially those connected to increasing productivity in the fields, combating climate change, and the sustainability of cultivation practices. The answer to these challenges - it was underlined during the press conference to present Agrilevante, the exhibition of agricultural machinery for the Mediterranean scheduled in Bari from 9 to 12 October - can only come through a highly technological response. The meeting, held this afternoon in Algiers as part of the IPSA FILAHA event dedicated to the agri-food sector, was attended by Alberto Cutillo, Italian Ambassador to Algeria, Luigi D'Eramo Undersecretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests, Maurizio Motta, Director of the ICE Office in Algiers and Davide Gallarate from the FederUnacoma Events Office, the association that represents agricultural machinery manufacturers in Confindustria and is the main organizer of Agrilevante. 

“The challenges facing the primary sector are common to our countries and range from coping with the effects of climate change to increasing productivity while optimizing available resources. The goal - said Undersecretary Luigi D'Eramo - is more resilient and sustainable farming, and for this reason the role of technological innovation, combined with that of research, will be increasingly important".

“The Algerian government has launched a priority program focused on the development of Saharan agriculture and mountain areas, including the rational use of agricultural land, the expansion of irrigated areas and the strengthening of the logistics base”. In addition to the opportunities related to the transfer of skills and technical assistance in various fields, including cultivation methods, organic farming, irrigation, and storage of agricultural products - Maurizio Motta stated - further opportunities for Italian companies come from the demand of Algerian operators for vehicles and equipment for soil preparation, irrigation, harvesting and post-harvest, as well as for buildings and equipment for livestock farming.

 

In this perspective, Agrilevante offers Algerian operators a complete range of technologies capable of satisfying every need of Algerian agriculture, from the most advanced irrigation systems to the most innovative machinery for livestock management, from new generation tractors to sophisticated equipment for sowing and transplanting. The Bari exhibition is not only a commercial and promotional initiative but is also an ideal platform to explore the needs and priorities of the agricultural economies of the Mediterranean also in terms of training, as a "forum" for discussion on issues of common interest and opportunities for cooperation. "The organizational machinery of Agrilevante is running at full speed. To date – Davide Gallarate said in a press conference – we have received requests for more than 90% of the available surface area in the fair grounds and we expect to be "sold out" in just a short time with over 25 thousand square meters of net surface area occupied". FederUnacoma organizers expect to see and, if possible, even exceed the record numbers of 2023 with its 95,000 visitors (4,000 of whom were foreign, from 60 countries), official foreign delegations from 27 countries and 350 exhibiting industries. 

The October Agrilevante event will boast many new features, starting with the Levante Green Showcase dedicated to gardening and green care machinery, and the Extend area reserved for institutional bodies. There will also be the REAL area for agricultural robotics with exhibitions and field demonstrations of robots and highly automated digitalized systems and, still on the subject of innovation, technological innovation will be of ever-increasing importance, with the Agrilevante/Machinery for Mediterranean Agriculture Competition, which includes the Agricultural Processing Award and the Green Care Award. For the first time ever, the forum of the Club of Bologna will be present at Agrilevante. This prestigious association of experts and academics from all over the world assesses agricultural mechanization scenarios and recommends an agenda of priorities, which is also useful for the purposes of political planning. The Bari event is also an important opportunity to further strengthen Italian-Algerian cooperation, including in the agricultural mechanics sector. "In 2024, Italian exports of agricultural machinery to Algeria reached almost EUR 35 million, up +34.9% from 2023 and confirming Italy as Algeria's second supplier. This role - concluded Davide Gallarate - has further solidified in the first two months of 2025, with an export value of approximately EUR 5 million, seeing an increase of 56.5% compared to the same period last year".