EIMA 2026: “Designing” the Future of Agriculture

The 2026 edition of EIMA International – the major event dedicated to agricultural machinery, to be held in Bologna from 10 to 14 November – is bringing its organisational planning forward and is already starting its layout phase. Requests for participation from exhibiting companies continue to arrive – explains the Events Office of FederUnacoma, the Italian Federation of Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers, which organises the event – but the ability to accommodate them depends on the allocation of product categories within the halls and on the assignment of exhibition spaces. “It is a complex ‘puzzle’ that needs to be put together,” explained Simona Rapastella, Director General of FederUnacoma, during the press conference held this afternoon in Verona as part of Fieragricola, “because both the number of applications and the requests for exhibition space are increasing.”
“Some sectors are seeing a growing demand,” Rapastella added, “such as the components sector, which now includes around 800 exhibiting companies and again this year is recording dozens of new brands applying to the exhibition for the first time. At this rate, with its 14 sectors and 5 thematic showacases dedicated to specific product categories, the event should match and perhaps even exceed the 1,750 companies of the previous edition.”

Among the announced innovations are those concerning the outdoor demonstration areas: the Garden E-motion area, dedicated to gardening, and the REAL area, dedicated to robotic technologies, will be located between Halls 35 and 37. The EIMA Energy area will extend along two external sides of Hall 30, while the Tractor of the Year and the Contoterzista Driver Trophy arenas will be located near the North Entrance of the exhibition grounds, which has gained increasing importance due to its proximity to new parking areas and to the terminus of shuttle services.

The agricultural machinery exhibition will offer very high standards in terms of facilities and services, welcoming visitors from more than 150 countries and official ICE delegations, which are expected to reach record numbers in this edition.
“Collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency is increasingly fundamental and strategic in confirming the international standing of the exhibition,” said the Director of FederUnacoma, “in line with the political direction set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, which identifies trade fairs as a key instrument for developing economic and commercial relations between countries.”
“We are already working intensively with ICE,” Rapastella continued, “because the number of international operators at this edition will be significant, as never achieved before, with a new programme that we are currently finalising.”

The agricultural machinery exhibition showcases the very best of production, presents premieres for every product sector and every brand, and highlights highly technological solutions through the “Technical Innovation Contest”, which opened last week and will accept new proposals submitted by manufacturers until 16 June.

At the same time, by combining technical content with economic and political issues,  EIMA International  confirms  itself  as  an opportunity for dialogue among organisations within the agromechanical supply chain, agricultural and industrial professional associations, and the world of politics and institutions. Among these, particular mention should be made of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, which will have an important exhibition area in the EIMA Extend Salon. Agricultural machinery is, moreover, the tool for achieving the objectives of productivity and environmental sustainability that are at the top of the national and international political agenda. These themes will be presented by members of the Italian government and parliament, by delegations of foreign governments, diplomatic representatives and delegations of Members of the European Parliament attending the exhibition.

The programme of events is expected to include at least 150 conferences, seminars and workshops such as those titled “Autonomous machines and tractors - the regulation of robotic activities”; “Data management in agriculture: the regulations and the CEADS project for a “common European data space”; “Working in a safe environment: risks, best practices and ‘technological shields’”; “Voluntary carbon credits, an important incentive to promote low-impact agriculture and forestry”.

The programme will also focus on political and economic themes (such as those relating to agromechanical markets in the free trade areas recently established between Europe and India, and betweeen Latin America and Europet), as well as on socio-cultural topics (“Imagined agriculture. Design, robotics, “micro” and “macro” technologies: forms and landscapes of the near future”, “The human touch”: skills, procedures and graphic solutions to optimise the use of digital systems”).

“All of this makes EIMA International a place of ‘permanent training’ for all agromechanics professionals,” concluded Simona Rapastella, “and a tool for ‘designing’ the future of agriculture, as suggested by this year’s claim: Design Agricultural Future.”