EIMA, a 'driver' for innovation
Members of the political, scientific and business worlds celebrated the Technical Innovation award at EIMA 2022. Research and technological development are the basis of competitiveness in the agro-mechanical sector. The role of production districts and the partnership between universities and businesses. Innovation as a driving force in an increasingly competitive exhibition market
Agricultural machinery are at the origin of agri-food chains. Crop quantity, product quality, environmental compatibility and the automation of harvesting, sorting and packaging of foodstuffs depend directly on new-generation agro-mechanical technologies.
This was the message launched by the president of FederUnacoma (the Italian association of agricultural machinery manufacturers), Alessandro Malavolti, at the presentation event of the EIMA 2022 Technical Innovation Contest, held last October 5th at Palazzo Re Enzo in Bologna and preceding the opening of the world exhibition of agricultural machinery (Bologna Exhibition Complex, November 9-13) by a month. The presentation of the 62 models of machinery and equipment, awarded by a special jury of experts and about to be shown at the Exhibition during the five days of EIMA International, was preceded by speeches by authoritative representatives of the political, academic and industrial world.
"Agrifood research has become a strategic priority - University of Bologna Chancellor Giovanni Molari explained in his speech - and it is no coincidence that Agritech (technologies in agriculture) is one of the five key strands of the NRRP, which allocates 320 million euro for agrifood research." Speaking of the specific activities of the University of Bologna, Molari recalled that "this year the University has made available 202 PhD scholarships aimed at developing professional skills suited to the innovation needs of companies, including those in the agro-industrial and agro-mechanical sectors."
The process that brings technological innovation to agriculture - argued Daniele Ara, Bologna's Councillor for Education and Agriculture - does not only concern centres of excellence but is an ensemble fact, involving many players, from secondary schools, to university education, to local companies. "Working on innovation is the challenge of the future; we are facing a historic transition that requires us to make both our governance and our production system more efficient and more sustainable. This is a challenge that we can only win by focusing on innovation. In this perspective, the Technical Innovation Award is something our city is proud of."
"The trade exhibition market is increasingly selective - said BolognaFiere's General Manager Antonio Bruzzone - and product innovation is one of the fundamental parameters on which entrepreneurs measure the quality of an event. Technologies such as those of the Technical Innovation contest are at the basis of EIMA's success - added Bruzzone - They reinforce its positioning and justify the investments that BolognaFiere is making to strengthen the exhibition complex as part of a partnership with FederUnacoma that is increasingly solid and that binds the two organisations until 2032".
