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EIMA International Exhibition 2021 International Agricultural and Gardening Machinery Exhibition

The 2021 edition of EIMA International, scheduled to take place in Bologna from 19 to 23 October, will be more "topical" than ever. In a context that sees the "Green Deal" taking shape in Europe, where ecological transition is a priority for national governments, where digitalisation is a condition for the innovation of production processes, EIMA International will make a contribution of high strategic value.

The great exhibition of machinery for agriculture, landscaping and related components will offer the entire lanscape of technologies and electronic devices for the correct use of natural resources and the implementation of eco-sustainable processes. The exhibition is divided into 14 product sectors and five specialised theme halls, and will feature all those solutions that guarantee environmental compatibility, now a priority in the new EU agricultural policy. Particular attention will be paid to new models that have won the Technical Innovation Award and especially to those awarded the "Blue" sustainability prize.

Considerable interest may be aroused by the wide range of products exhibited in the "Idrotech" show dedicated to systems for optimising water resources, as well as those on display in the "Digital" show, dedicated to electronic, computer and satellite applications that help control the processing and the scientific management of production factors, achieving the "4.0" model in agriculture.

The conversion towards renewable sources is the objective of EIMA "Energy", which offers mechanization systems for entire bioenergy supply chains. The preservation of organic substance in the soil, the reduction of chemical inputs and the prevention of geological risks will be the subject of numerous conferences and seminars as part of the rich calendar of events scheduled during the exhibition.

The Bologna exhibition center, which has hosted the event since 1969, the year of its first edition, is ready to welcome exhibitors and visitors in avenue that is being upgraded: after the new pavilions 29 and 30, inaugurated at the 2018 edition, EIMA International will see the launch of pavilion 37, as well as a restyling of the walkways, refreshment areas and services, representing a further step towards the complete restructuring of the exhibition Centre that was already planned. But it will be above all the control and health and safety systems that will qualify the Bologna exhibition center and the October event.

These systems will ensure the distancing of visitors, expected from all over the world, thanks also to the "green corridors" set up by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The measures include rationalized

routes for flow management, IT support and apps to monitor the distribution of the public in the halls, health and control facilities, and above all systems for the on-line purchase of tickets and for booking business meetings so as to avoid crowding and useless stops inside the exhibition canter. In all likelihood, EIMA 2021 will be one of the first major exhibition events to adopt the Pass for "certified" visitors - currently being studied at the European level - representing as far as possible a protected place, the symbol of an agricultural and industrial economy that is finally getting back on track.

The sustainable use of water resources is one of the central themes of EIMA International, the great exhibition of agricultural machinery to be held in Bologna. Climate change is depleting the planet's water resources, as the reduction in rainfall and the increasing irregularity in their distribution make it impossible to balance consumption and replenish reserves. According to a recent FAO report, these reserves have shrunk by 20% in 20 years, bringing to 1.2 billion the number of people living in areas with a high water deficit. The emergency also concerns Europe, in particular the Mediterranean basin which - warns the European Environment Agency - is increasingly affected by desertification. In a scenario characterised by a growing demand for foodstuffs, agriculture must necessarily increase production yields without worsening the water deficit, and the answer lies in the use of advanced technological solutions. Pumping and filtering systems, water delivery systems from "sprinklers" to hose reel wagons, from rain wings to fertirrigation equipment, and all the specific components including the most advanced control units and devices, are the wide range of products that EIMA Idrotech can showcase, and which it can also describe thanks to a programme of conventions and technical seminars involving universities and institutions and taking place at the exhibition.

Innovation will, once again, be the key theme of EIMA International. Organized by FederUnacoma, the Italian association of agricultural machinery manufacturers, the Bologna event - the first event for the agromechanical sector that takes place "physically" after the restrictions imposed by the Covid 19 emergency - will be the international showcase of the latest generation technologies applied to agriculture, and it will offer businesspeople from all over the world the widest choice of models for every type of processing. "EIMA 2021 will have great impact in terms of technological offerings," explains Alessandro Malavolti, president of FederUnacoma, the Italian federation of manufacturing industries that is the direct organizer of the event, "and it will have considerable influence in terms of political content, helping to promote strategies to guide agriculture towards a green transition. As always, the technology showcase is expected to be very wide-ranging, given that to date 1,500 manufacturers have confirmed their participation, with more than 400 foreign companies. Many more could join in if the restrictions imposed by the health emergency in some countries are lifted. "Industries from every country are taking part in EIMA with increasingly sustainable technologies," concludes Malavolti, "because the ecological transition is a qualifying element of the European economy, but first and foremost it is a vital necessity for the entire planet".

The spotlight will be on the new products and initiatives dedicated to new gen-

eration systems, but above all on the Technical News, competition/exhibition, which will be exhibited for the entire duration of the exhibition in the Quadriportico of the exhibition center. This time, the initiative dedicated to "Technical Innovations", which has always been one of the most anticipated sections of the event, had a longer preparation and selection phase than usual, due to the postponement of the EIMA dates.

The components industry for agricultural machinery and equipment is restarting at a faster pace than expected. Data from the periodic survey carried out by Comacomp (FederUnacoma) on the basis of surveys of member companies indicate a clear increase in total turnover in the first quarter of the year. 51.5% of the companies surveyed recorded increases of over 20%, and another substantial number of companies (22.5%) recorded increases of between 11% and 20%. The majority of companies (60%) have seen their turnover increase on the domestic market, but the expansion trend has also affected the share of turnover generated by exports. Sales in the European area have a great impact, with about half of Italian companies reporting increases in turnover of over 11% and one company in five reporting increases of over 20%. Non-European markets also performed positively: 53% of the sample recorded a growth in business, while a significant number of companies (35%) maintained last year's levels.

Digital technologies for agriculture 4.0 are at the center of EIMA International 2021, the world exhibition of agricultural mechanics scheduled from 19 to 23 October at the Bologna Fair Centre. In fact, the great Bologna event will include a space specifically dedicated to advanced electronics in Pavilion 36. It is the EIMA Digital Exhibition, confirmed this year after the success of the 2018 edition, offering visitors a broad overview of the latest generation solutions for satellite guidance, GPS, on-board computers, ISOBUS devices, sensors, specific software and drones. Four months after the show, says FederUnacoma, the direct organizer of EIMA, about 30 specialized companies have confirmed their participation in the "Digital" exhibition, and others should be added in the coming weeks, given the topicality of the theme and the economic interest in 4.0 technologies.

In addition to being a showcase for the most advanced technologies, EIMA Digital is also an opportunity for dissemination and professional updating on the applications of 4.0. Specific seminars and conferences are scheduled in the context of the Show, thanks to the presence of university and research institutions and the collaboration with AEF, the world association of experts in digital systems applied to agriculture, which will have a fixed presence at EIMA 2021.

The rescheduling of the event due to the health emergency made it possible to divide the “Technical Innovations” award into two stages, extending the deadlines for submitting candidate innovations. The first round, during which 43 unpublished solutions were awarded - 15 as "Technical Innovations", strictly speaking, and 28 as "Mentions" - ended on 12 November with the proclamation of the winning technologies, as part of the EIMA Digital Preview, the virtual preview of EIMA International. The second, which saw the recognition of 12 other innovations among those that subsequently came to the attention of the jury, ended at the end of January with the completion of all the procedures and dissemination activities. Of the 12 awarded innovations, five were recognized as "Technical Innovations", being totally original and unpublished devices, while the remaining 7 as "Mentions", that is to say as constructive solutions that still stand out for efficiency and ability to improve the performance of agricultural machinery.

The 43 winning models of the first session and the 12 winners of the second will be awarded in October in Bologna, with the official ceremony scheduled during EIMA International.