The EIMA International roadshow is once again making a stop on the African continent. Following Meknes (Morocco) and Nairobi (Kenya), the global exhibition of machinery and technologies for agriculture and horticulture – scheduled to take place in Bologna from 10 to 14 November – was presented this morning at the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce (Ethiopia) by Giovanni Nicolai Dionisi, First Secretary of the Italian Embassy; Claudio Pasqualucci, director of the ICE office in Addis Ababa; Kenenisa Lemi, Secretary General of the of the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce; and Fabio Ricci, Deputy Director-General of FederUnacoma, the Italian association of agricultural machinery manufacturers, which is also the direct organiser of the Bologna exhibition.
Now in its 47th edition, the Bologna exhibition is an event of great interest to farmers and agricultural machinery technicians in Ethiopia. From Tuesday 10 to Saturday 14 November, manufacturers from around the world will be exhibiting more than 60,000 models of machinery and equipment for the primary sector and gardening, along with the relevant components, at the Bologna exhibition centre. These solutions, as Fabio Ricci, deputy director of FederUnacoma, emphasised at a press conference, are capable of meeting every technological need of the Ethiopian agricultural sector. Agriculture is the main pillar of the country’s economy – as was noted during the press conference – and accounts for almost all of its exports. “The country’s varied soils and soil-climate characteristics,” said Fabio Ricci, “are in fact suitable for a wide range of crops, from cereals to pulses, from oilseeds to fruit and vegetables, right through to coffee, of which Ethiopia is the world’s third-largest producer of the Arabica variety.” “The primary sector,” added the deputy director of the Federation of manufacturers, “therefore has considerable potential for growth, but is held back by a low level of mechanisation, the limited use of irrigation systems, and a lack of transport and storage infrastructure.”
The EIMA exhibition – which hosts over 1,800 manufacturers and is organised into 14 major product sectors and 7 thematic showcases – provides an opportunity to showcase to Ethiopian operators technologies tailored to the country’s production needs, as well as a chance to explore strategic issues such as those relating to international cooperation projects and the training of technical staff for the optimal use of machinery and digital systems. This takes place against the backdrop of the strong collaboration and harmony between Ethiopia and Italy, highlighted at the press conference by officials from both countries.
“The EIMA International exhibition presentation in Addis Ababa,” said Claudio Pasqualucci, “represents an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Italy and Ethiopia in the field of agricultural mechanisation. Ethiopian agriculture has great potential and can benefit from modern, sustainable technologies capable of increasing productivity and improving the efficiency of supply chains. Italian industry can offer advanced solutions, training and the transfer of know-how to improve the quality of agri-food supply chains and optimise production. EIMA International will be an ideal platform for fostering new commercial and industrial relationships. As ICE Agency, we will work to promote a high-calibre Ethiopian presence at the event. I would like to thank FederUnacoma, the Italian Embassy and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce for their invaluable collaboration.”
We look forward to seeing you at EIMA in Bologna, where an official delegation of Ethiopian business representatives – organised by ICE and FederUnacoma – will also be present. This delegation will facilitate ‘business-to-business’ meetings organised according to the operators’ interest in specific technologies deemed a priority for the country’s agricultural development.
