EIMA International: technologies and policies for agriculture

The promotional programme for EIMA International, the major agricultural machinery exhibition to be held at the Bologna Exhibition Centre from 10 to 14 November, concluded this morning in Rome with a press conference at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry. The exhibition, organised by the Italian Federation of Manufacturers FederUnacoma (Confindustria) and featuring the official participation of the Ministry, promises to be of great significance due to the breadth of products on display and the quality of its content. “There will be 1,800 exhibiting companies,” explained FederUnacoma’s Director-General, Simona Rapastella, during the press conference, “of which over 600 are from abroad, representing 45 countries.” Visitors – it was explained – who reached a record total of 350,000 at the last edition, are expected from 150 countries, confirming the international calibre of the event, which showcases the latest products and most advanced technologies for every type of vehicle: over 60,000 models, ranging from tractors to combine harvesters, from crop treatment machinery to soil preparation equipment, from gardening and landscaping machinery right through to robotics, digital systems and all components. “Of great significance – as Simona Rapastella emphasised – the scientific, cultural and political content is also very significant, with the presence, alongside the 14 specialist sectors and the 5 themed exhibitions, of the two Campus and Extend exhibitions, reserved for universities, research centres, professional organisations and institutions, amongst which CREA also plays an important role, with whom FederUnacoma has signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement”.The exhibition will provide an opportunity to monitor the sector’s market and trends in investment in agricultural technologies, at a delicate juncture for the global economy. FederUnacoma’s President, Mariateresa Maschio, focused on these aspects, pointing out that, although global demand for technological innovation is potentially very high, the current economic climate is holding back the market. “The rise in production costs,” said Mariateresa Maschio, “is weighing heavily on both the engineering industry and agricultural businesses, which in many cases do not have the financial leeway to invest in new technologies.” Over the course of the year, many major markets – from the US to France, Germany, Turkey and Brazil – have seen a decline in tractor sales, largely due to falling agricultural incomes, linked not only to higher production costs but also to worsening weather conditions.

 

“The strategy for tackling this phase,” concluded the manufacturers’ president, “must be multifaceted, involving access to new markets – such as, amongst others, those in Latin America, South-East Asia and Africa – public support schemes for the purchase of agricultural machinery, and new investment in research and training.”

Speaking on innovation, CREA President Andrea Rocchi said that this “is effective when it arises from dialogue with the productive sector for which it is intended. The CREA–FederUnacoma agreement establishes common ground between research and industry, enabling a dialogue on needs and the development of truly effective technological solutions. CREA’s participation in EIMA is the first concrete step in this collaboration, aimed at accelerating the transfer of innovation to agriculture”.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, emphasised that “EIMA embodies Italy’s capacity to innovate, conduct research and offer the world agricultural machinery that ranks among the very best, capable of combining environmental and productive sustainability, thanks in part to collaboration with research centres and educational institutions. “As a government, we have invested nearly one billion euros in agricultural mechanisation and, together with other ministries, have strengthened measures such as the ISI fund for workplace safety, tripling the available resources. These measures have enabled the sector to weather a particularly difficult economic period and confirm the priority given to mechanisation, safety and sustainability.”