DLG and Fairtrade enter into partnership for Africa

15 Nov 2017 --- The DLG (German Agricultural Society) and the German trade show specialist Fairtrade will work together on four central agricultural markets in Africa. This is what the two trade fair organizers have agreed to a cooperation agreement on the sidelines of AGRITECHNICA 2017 in Hanover. 

DLG will bring in its agro and trade fair expertise by introducing its trade fair brand AgroTech to the existing agro-food trade fairs (agro segment) of fairtrade in Ethiopia and Nigeria, as well as alternately in Ghana and Ivory Coast. The focus of the cooperation is in the fields of agricultural technology and animal production. The primary goal of the cooperation is to offer German and international exhibitors the best possible platforms for their market development, thus enabling sustainable development of these agriculturally important emerging countries.

In order to attract new visitor target groups, such as the so-called large-scale farmers from the target and neighboring markets, a regionally adapted DLG specialist program will be set up or expanded. With the support of industry experts, know-how along the entire value chain of plant production is transferred into these regions.

Both Ethiopia, the world's leading producer of coffee, corn and millet and its vast integrated agro-industrial parks, and Nigeria as Africa's largest economy and with 190 million the continent's most populated country, are experiencing strong demand for innovative technologies for agricultural production. This applies equally to other West and East African markets. Above all, solutions for more efficient irrigation and plant protection are on the agenda of politics and practicing farmers in the field of crop and agriculture.

“We want to develop these markets together with our exhibitors and interested companies,” explains Bernd Koch, Managing Director of DLG International. “And we want to bring the decision-makers from West and East Africa together with the exhibitors.”

Jens Kremer, business developer at DLG, adds: “The economic potential for innovative agricultural technology for sustainable plant production in Africa is steadily increasing. We would like to be part of the positive development in this region and thereby support German and international companies with suitable mechanization concepts to open up these emerging markets. Because here, too, we want to support the region in the advancement and modernization of agriculture, true to the principles of the DLG.”

Martin März, Fairtrade's founder and CEO adds: “For several years politicians and decision-makers have stepped up their efforts to expand and modernize agriculture and food production in sub-Saharan Africa, and the international community is ready to support this development. The decline in oil revenues led to a revival of local production and the 'made-in' trend. Double-digit sales figures show that sub-Saharan Africa is investing heavily in agricultural and processing technology for the purpose of increasing yields, reducing immense post-harvest losses and reducing imports. Experts expect Nigeria and Ethiopia to become the major food producers in West and East Africa, respectively, and look forward to a very promising medium-term development, as the largest food markets in Africa are still under-supplied.”

“Since we have been working in Africa for twenty years, we have recognized the enormous potential at an early stage and have solid market knowledge. In the meantime, Fairtrade is one of the most important organizers of agro-food trade fairs on the African continent. We look forward to further developing the agro events of our agro-food shows in close cooperation with DLG as the world market leader for agricultural fairs, in order to make them even more attractive to exhibitors and trade visitors.”

The now agreed cooperation combines the complementary strengths of Fairtrade as a proven Africa trade fair expert and the DLG as an agricultural organization and organizer of international agricultural trade fairs.