Africa&Mediterranean Poultry Forum and B2B is the international event dedicated to poultry farming which will be held from 8 to 10 May 2024 at the Rimini Expo Centre, simultaneously with Macfrut, the international fruit and vegetable supply chain fair. Promoted by Fieravicola in collaboration with Assoavi and Unaitalia, the 2024 edition Poultry Forum includes 3 days of meetings and conferences with the aim of analyzing the sector dealing with constantly evolving scenarios. Characterized by a specific international focus on Africa and the Mediterranean, the event is also confirmed as an important opportunity for dialogue with institutions and stakeholders, thus systematically strengthening networking with the entire supply chain.

“The Poultry Forum is an international event that is organized in the years in which Fieravicola, a biennial fair, is not held, and allows us to maintain continuous contact with the sector and institutions", declares the president of Fieravicola Renzo Piraccini . "This year we will also have a specific international focus with the presence of numerous buyers from African and Mediterranean countries, interested in Italian technologies, genetics and veterinary products. Business meetings and a conference will be organized for foreign operators from these countries."

Over the three days, the most significant issues that Italian poultry farming is dealing with will be addressed, a totally self-sufficient sector, characterized by an integrated supply chain, grappling with challenges in terms of innovation, regulation and sustainability as underlined by the directors of two partner associations of the event.

“The Poultry Forum confirms itself as an important moment for the Italian poultry sector for in-depth analysis and sharing with the operators and relevant stakeholders", declares Lara Sanfrancesco , director of Unaitalia, "we will reflect together on the situation and prospects of the market, on the most important on the horizon in terms of innovation and regulation of the sector, as well as on possible outlets in the Mediterranean area. Our supply chains are ready to engage with experts and institutions to confirm their central role in the Italian agri-food system, with the commitment to continue investing in sustainability and providing consumers with high-quality white meat and eggs, essential for a nutritious diet, balanced and accessible".

“Among the main objectives of the event is not only to present the excellence of the sector, giving adequate space also to specialized meetings and conferences of the most important scientific societies and associations", underlines Stefano Gagliardi , coordinator of the Scientific Technical Committee of Fieravicola and director of Assoavi, "but also that of opening a bridge over Africa and the Mediterranean. On the other hand, Italian poultry farming has worked hard in recent years to address the challenges of sustainability and animal welfare, and today it is able to offer consumers different products based on the differentiation of production systems and breeding lines. But the concept of sustainability should not only be considered from the point of view of environmental or ethical respect: the economic and social aspect must also be considered”.

The challenges of the Italian poultry supply chain will be at the center of the first day (8 May at 3.00 pm). Fabio del Bravo of Ismea will present the study which investigates the prospects of the sector, the factors of instability and competitiveness on the markets. Gian Luca Bagnara , president of Assoavi, will talk about it; Antonio Forlini , president of Unaitalia; Domenico Brisigotti , general director of Coop Italia Generale; Damiano Li Vecchi , director general of Masaf International and EU Policies.

On Thursday 9 May, a first conference session will explore the role of technology and innovation, key factors in addressing the ongoing challenges in terms of animal welfare and safety (9.00 am). Among the topics are the prospects of in ovo sexing, vaccinations and the problem of insurance. The first part includes interventions from some companies in the sector, followed by contributions from Camillo Zaccarini Bonelli , director of the Ismea Risk Management Tools Directorate; Ugo Della Marta , general director of food hygiene and safety; Luigi Polizzi , General Director of Masaf; Romano Marabelli , Advisor to the Directorate General of the World Organization for Animal Health (Woah). The second part of the day features international issues with a specific focus on the development of the poultry sector in Africa, with insights into the sector in Egypt, Tunisia and Senegal. Among the speeches was that of Maurizio Forte , Ice Agency manager, and Antonio Montanari , vice president of Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo, president of the Martini Group.

The third day, Friday 10 May, will be dedicated to conferences focused on more specifically technical-scientific aspects with a focus on Italian poultry farming with experts from all over the world in collaboration with the sector scientific associations WPSA (World's Poultry Science Association), Sipa ( Italian Society of Avian Pathology) and Asic (Italian Scientific Association of Rabbit Breeding). This session will feature an update on the developments of the European Broilernet project by Unaitalia.