Vercelli Festival: enhancing cooperation in agricultural machinery sectors

This event was held as part of the larger Risò trade fair, and was specifically directed at representatives of Italy overseas, offering them an overview of international cooperation and the opportunities and challenges facing various countries. FederUnacoma President Mariateresa Maschio gave a speech on the strategic role of mechanization in various regions of the world and the need to strengthen relations with foreign countries

The "Risò" international rice festival provided an opportunity to discuss cooperation strategies abroad, not only in the rice-growing sector but also in other key sectors of the agricultural economy. A review of diplomatic and trade activities with foreign countries was made possible thanks to a meeting with agricultural attachés from Italian embassies, held with the presence of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, Undersecretary Patrizio La Pietra, and the President of the Italian Trade Agency, Matteo Zoppas. Cooperation - as related through the testimonies of officials from the embassies of Brazil, Vietnam, China, Mexico, Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, who were at the meeting - must be developed in the commercial sphere, but also in the fields of technology, research, and training. FederUnacoma President Mariateresa Maschio addressed the prospects for technical cooperation, drawing attention to the role of agricultural mechanization in rice cultivation, as in every other sector of the primary economy, given that mechanization can reconcile production growth and environmental sustainability. The rice-growing machinery that FederUnacoma showcased at the Vercelli event is an example of how the agricultural machinery industry can cover every stage of the production process with next-generation technologies - remarked the President of the Italian manufacturers - and how it is capable of creating equipment that a­dapts to the specific needs of all producing countries. Moreover, Mariateresa Maschio noted, the key objectives of agriculture - ensuring food security while simultaneously helping to combat the effects of climate change, protecting biodiversity, and soil fertility - are global, not individual country objectives. When taking on the global challenges facing agriculture, the President of the manufacturers noted, open systems and favorable conditions for technical and commercial collaboration do not always exist. Indeed, in several countries, trade barriers exist that risk precluding valuable opportunities for Italy and our partner countries. "The exhibition events organized by FederUnacoma," Mariateresa Maschio concluded, "thanks to our close collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), are designed to greatly help foreign delegations to identify concrete technological needs and test increasingly effective cooperation models".