Promosalons Nigeria, the exclusive representative of SIMA Paris in Nigeria, leads a mission of Nigerian firms and organisations on international agricultural trade shows in France – SIMA Paris 2019 and Salon International De L’Agriculture (SIA).
Organisation of the outing involved collaboration with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for the two events; the SIMA Paris 2019, held from February 24 to 28, and the Salon International De L’Agriculture is ongoing in Paris, till March 3.
According to Akin Akinbola, managing director/CEO, Promosalons Nigeria, Cameroon and Gabon, some of the firms and organisations include Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Boslan Agro Services, Scoa Nigeria plc, Agro Nigeria Magazine, Gorine Energy Limited, Tamtek Global Business, Premier Seed Nigeria Limited, Fortune Agricultural Services, among other experts in the agribusiness.
The SIMA Paris 2019, a biennial event, showcased the latest technology, innovation and trends in agriculture to the Nigerian delegates and provided them an ideal avenue to explore numerous options in attaining developmental strides in the agric sector.
More so, the Nigerian business delegates were provided the opportunity to interact, exchange ideas and contacts with other professionals in the agric industry from around the world.
In keeping with its theme of “Innovation for competitive agriculture,” SIMA Paris 2019 at Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, showed two spaces offering centre stage to 34 young companies and to innovation and new technology for the farming world on the theme ‘Start-up Village,’ which would act as a springboard in helping young companies emerge among the big market names, Akinbola said.
Thirty-four start-ups including businesses that leverage ICT to aid farming operations, drone technology and robotics businesses, online stores were expected to benefit from the platform.
Agriconomie, Aptimiz and Carbon Bee were notable mentions among the numerous brilliant start-ups that create value along the various lines of the agric industry.
The event also focused at all forms of agric, holding several events relating to the big global challenge for years ahead, which is: Producing more, better.
Africa’s goal to spur economic growth in rural regions, mainly through agriculture and the food industry, was highlighted as one of the priorities of development programmes across the continent.
The events also included the SIMA African Summit, with a conference co-organised with AXEMA and in association with the South African journal Farmer’s Weekly: the SIMA Dealers’ Day-ting.
The essence was to dedicate a day to informal meetings between exhibitors and dealers from the world in association with SEDIMA and CLIMMAR.
The theme of the 2019 SIMA African Summit edition was “Agribusiness in Africa: positioning agriculture as a business sector’ and the conference brought together around ten speakers (including representatives of the FAO, the PAFO, Club Demeter and FARM), all agribusiness experts who are directly involved in its development in Africa.
Issues bordering on increasing agricultural production through technology and mechanisation and Promoting a dynamic food industry in Africa were at the fore of their discussion.
Denene Erasmus, a multiple award-winning South African journalist and columnist from Farmer’s Weekly South Africa, was the host for the event, which held on February 26th.
This year’s edition of SIMA Paris included participants from countries around the world and covered a wide range of segment in the agric industry – harvesting, storage, traction, crop protection, conservation, harvesting equipment, irrigation, crops, handling, transport, dairy production, livestock equipment, storage buildings, spare parts and components.
