Agrilevante, a focus on Africa

The international trade fair exposition dedicated to machinery and technology for agricultural supply chains will host the convention on "Agricultural Economics and Political Stability: a challenge for Agriculture in Africa and in the Mediterranean area". The meeting will focus on policy strategies, financial mechanisms and technologies promoting the development of the agricultural economy in the African area

The major issues concerning the development of the Mediterranean and African agricultural economy are at the core of the fifth edition of Agrilevante. These specific issues will be addressed, with particular emphasis, during the international meeting “Agricultural Economics and Political Stability: a challenge for Agriculture in Africa and in the Mediterranean area”, which will be held on Friday, October 13, at 10.30 am at the Bari Convention Centre.

The meeting is intended as an opportunity for in-depth consideration of the potential and the criticalities of the African continent with political representatives, representatives of institutions, farmers and economic players, representatives of the university, and media providers.

The meeting will start with the presentation of a report carried out by Nomisma, on behalf of FederUnacoma, on the African countries socio-economic reality. As the organisers explain, the survey is an up-to-date map of the agricultural resources of the major African countries, that shows how often many of the countries, giving rise to substantial migration flows, have both resources and potential to develop a solid agricultural economy.

Agriculture can be, particularly on this continent, a stabilising economic and political factor, the only one able to guarantee food safety and job opportunities such as to allow the survival of agricultural communities in their native areas. In conclusion, Africa has already the potential to give a positive response to the problems of development and social stability, nevertheless, it still needs the tools to exploit this potential.

First, a more proactive policy, but also specific mechanical technologies fitted for the specific needs of crops in different pedoclimatic environments.

And it is in the field of cooperation with Africa that the Apulia Region is called to play a prominent role.

Not only because it is one of the Italian territories most affected by the phenomenon of migration and by using  foreign labour, but also because it owns, through its regional and local institutions, regional professional organizations, universities and its Agrarian Faculty, as well as  institutions of excellence in the field of agronomic training such as the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari, a place of high-level expertise able to develop and support consistent and long-lasting strategies.