agribex

As it was planned in 2021, AGRIBEX will be one day shorter this year. The fair will start on a Wednesday but will still run through Sunday. The first day will remain the professional day, also known as hospitality day. During that day, visitors are offered a tailor-made reception that includes free parking, welcome with coffee, free cloakroom and lunch. The aim of the professional day is to keep the focus on the visit, giving visitors and exhibitors all the time and space they need to engage in dialogue with each other without being concerned with practical concerns. The hospitality day has proven its success in the past, so for Fedagrim it is only natural that nothing will be changed about the formula.

Theme islands are still the thread running through AGRIBEX

The theme islands remain just as big a fixture. After all, AGRIBEX is a platform for exchanging ideas and showcasing new technologies. That happens anyway on the exhibitors' stands, but certain topics are highlighted per theme island. This year, there are two specific themed islands each dedicated to new energies and robotisation. With new energies, the angle is that farms are on both the demand and supply side. After all, farms aim to become climate neutral and meet their own energy needs. On the other hand, by investing in a biogas plant, solar panels or a wind turbine, they can also become producers of energy and sell it to a local grid. The theme island aims to facilitate dialogue between the various parties, allowing agriculture and energy companies to find each other. Farmers can become power farms, as it were, and thereby set up a lucrative side business that strengthens their business model. Some 10 exhibitors have signed up to present their services at this theme island.

The robotisation theme island aims to link to the increasing automation in agriculture. Robots are making their rise in the agriculture and horticulture sector. Developments follow each other in shorter succession and the scope of robots' work is also steadily expanding. Tool carriers are already somewhat more established and robots in precision agriculture are also no longer a particular novelty. But what is more 'revolutionary' at the moment are so-called mecatronics. Machines that control their operation directly via actual observations in the field. Artificial intelligence is also making its appearance, and machine learning is an element that is also becoming increasingly common in agriculture and horticulture. 

This theme island will showcase the latest technologies, but there will also be room for debate. Debates on legislation and its gaps, but also on social and societal issues. The robotisation theme island has a total of 10 firms presenting their technology.

What is sure to return is the Workshop Live island. The fact remains that the sector is still looking for quality skilled personnel. With the Workshop Live, AGRIBEX wants to enthuse young people and jobseekers to get into the 'stile' and there can be no better way to do this by showing live what exactly the job entails. AGRIBEX is once again working together with Thomas More to ensure the content of the workshop. Actiris and VDAB will also be present at the fair to give jobseekers interested in engineering a boost and convince them to take a look at the workshop. Which, by the way, will be live on several screens on the fair floor.

What will also be repeated is the Ladies' Day. AGRIBEX remains convinced that women play an important, and sometimes undervalued, role in the agricultural business or in the various agricultural and horticultural supply companies. That is why there is a special day, i.e. 7 December, when the ladies will be figuratively put in the limelight. Exhibitors are advised to follow AGRIBEX's example on that day and dress their participation on 7 December in a woman-friendly manner. By the way, AGRIBEX will reward the exhibitor who excels in those women-friendly activities with a Ladies' Day Award.

AGRIBEX remains a meeting fair

Over all the years, AGRIBEX has clearly shown itself to be a platform for encounters. Both visitors among themselves and exhibitors use the fair to discuss current topics and exchange ideas. This is why AGRIBEX also plans to set up a meeting platform at the front of Hall 3, where people will have the opportunity to make short speeches, organise press events or simply discover a number of novelties. The island will also be used to officially open the fair on Wednesday 6 December around 18h. The official presentation of the fair has purposely been moved to the evening to give exhibitors the chance to attend the show as well.