Africa was the protagonist of Macfrut 2022, the international fruit and vegetable fair in Rimini. The role of Italian cooperation in promoting the development of advanced and sustainable agriculture in Africa with the support of modern technologies was at the center of the “Africa Days” organized in Rimini
Macfrut 2022, the international fruit and vegetable fair organized by Cesena Fiera, was held from 4 to 6 May at the Rimini Expo Center.
The event was attended by 38.500 visitors, a +18% increase compared with the September 2021 edition. More than 830 exhibitors (28% from abroad), over 500 accredited international buyers, 80 meetings, seminars and events, tests and demonstrations with 4.0 technologies in the innovative exhibition area “Smart agriculture”, coordinated by the research center cesenate Ri.nova: these numbers are proof of Macfrut’s success.
Unexplored markets were at the center of this year’s edition, with a particular focus on Africa, a strategic partner for Italy, both in terms of institutional relations and economic and commercial ties.
“Africa is a priority continent for Italian cooperation. We are present in the continent with nine offices and most of our ongoing projects are dedicated to Africa. In this continent the agricultural development sector plays a fundamental role“, Luca Maestripieri, director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), said during the inauguration of Macfrut 2022.
Africa’s development “depends on increasing sustainable agricultural production, improving production techniques, transferring capacity and technology to local farming communities, and addressing some key issues, such as the improvement of the cold chain. AICS already finances various projects on this issue,which is also one of the focuses here at Macfrut“, the AICS director explained.
The agency took part in the “Africa Days” of Macfrut 2022, a project carried out in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Trade Agency, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and in partnership with Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo. “Africa Days” consisted of three days of events including the “Stati Generali dell’Ortofrutta Africana”, a forum of experts, companies and institutions to discuss basic aspects for the agricultural development of the various African States.
Particular attention was paid to three key markets: Kenya, Mozambique and Senegal. A large delegations of 22 companies from these countries presented their businesses, in some cases opened thanks to AICS funds.
The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marina Sereni, taking part to the inauguration, emphasized that “Africa occupies a priority position in the strategic agenda of Italy and Italian Cooperation for Development, in the wake of the historical relations that bind the two shores of the Mediterranean; together, we form part of a single area, which exposes us not only to shared challenges, but also to opportunities in terms of stability, security and sustainable development“.
“Among the challenges that Italy and Africa share – continued Sereni – there is food security, seriously compromised on a global scale by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Africa is among the areas hardest hit by supply crises and rising commodity prices. I therefore hope that the organization of the ‘Africa Days’ will offer the opportunity to establish new virtuous synergies between our countries in the agri-food sector and to develop concrete solutions“.
