The “2024 Asia Agri-Tech Expo and Forum” took place from June 19 to 21. The organizers of the exhibition moved the event to Tainan City for the first time. The event drove transnational exchanges and cooperation by Taiwan’s major agricultural production areas to collectively promote innovation and applications of Taiwan’s agricultural technology (agri-tech). The Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), with the aim of creating international marketing opportunities for agri-tech businesses in Taiwan, specially invited 13 outstanding high-tech agribusinesses to exhibit at the“Taiwan Pavilion” at the Expo, where they displayed their specialties in different areas including smart agriculture and eco-friendly agricultural materials. The Pavilion’s overall image enabled the firms to penetrate into the international market and demonstrate Taiwan’s strong agri-tech capabilities.

International exhibition creates opportunities for local industries to engage in technology interactions

The MOA noted that the organizers of this year’s Asia Agri-tech Expo and Forum considered that Taiwan’s major agricultural production areas are mostly located in central and southern Taiwan. Moreover, they wanted to be part of the series of activities held by the Tainan City Government to celebrate the 400^th anniversary of the founding of the city. As a result, they moved the event to the ICC Tainan. They hoped to introduce foreign and domestic firms and buyers participating in the event to Taiwan’s main agricultural production areas and deepen international interactions and cooperation for local industries.

The focus for this Expo was on “sustainability, innovations, and eco-friendliness.” It displayed technologies and products needed at every step in industrial supply chains and, through a precision matchmaking mechanism,  provided relevant firms with optimal international marketing channels. This year more than 199 firms from 13 countries participated in the Expo, including makers of automated equipment, innovative technology, and cutting-edge biotechnology products and services for farming, aquaculture, and livestock herding. Besides showing Taiwan’s achievements in terms of industrialization of agri-tech R&D, the event also demonstrated that Taiwan is an important hub for agri-tech in the Asia-Pacific region.

Demonstrating the soft power of Taiwan agri-tech through public-private cooperation

The MOA stated that the “Taiwan Pavilion” was specially set up for continuously supporting international marketing for agri-tech and agribusinesses in Taiwan. The MOA invited 13 outstanding high-tech agribusinesses with whom the MOA has enjoyed significant cooperative achievements to participate in the Pavilion. The main themes were (i) agricultural materials that use innovative technology to practice sustainable agriculture and (ii) smart agriculture and agricultural equipment. The Pavilion displayed the products and services of these high-tech agribusinesses, demonstrating Taiwan’s remarkable achievements in terms of industrialization of smart agriculture, eco-friendliness, and circular sustainability.

In the field of agricultural materials, there were biological materials including plant protection agents which can be used to create eco-friendly cultivation conditions, biofertilizers, and biopesticides, providing a sustainable operational model to simultaneously ensure the high quality of agricultural products and environmental protection. As for smart agriculture and agricultural machinery, the Pavilion displayed super-intensive aquaculture equipment, unmanned aerial vehicles for agricultural uses, eco-friendly green livestock buildings, smart environmental control systems, and more. It also showed smart models to monitor and control crop growth and economic animal productions, enabling farmers to precisely control material usage and the growth of plants and animals. These models assist in the resolution of problems related to land access for agricultural production and the shortage of rural labor and make it possible to achieve intelligent and efficient production.

The MOA added that since 2019 when the Taiwan Pavilion began focusing on exhibiting the products of agribusinesses, thus far there have been 109 separat displays by individual firm showing more than 360 unique agri-tech products. Moreover, there were more than 1,500 negotiations through business matchmaking, more than 42 agreements or contracts signed through international marketing, with counterparts from countries including Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. These outcomes increased companies’ revenues by NT$29 million and encouraged new investments of nearly NT$40 million.

In recent years, the MOA has continuously featured innovative technology to drive profits from international marketing of agri-tech, established proactive cooperative relations with many countries in the Asia-Pacific region, substantively assisted exhibiting firms to develope international commerciale opportunities, and jointly promoted innovation and applications for agri-tech. In the future the MOA will keep strengthening this type of cooperation, expand technology interactions, and use the power of technology to solve global problems which agriculture is facing, so that we can all work together on behalf of the sustainable development of agriculture worldwide.

Opening ceremony of the 2024 Asia Agri-Tech Expo and Forum.

A group photo of guests at the Expo and exhibitor firms from the Taiwan Pavilion.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture Hu Jong-i and Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che personally visited the Taiwan Pavilion to lend encouragement to firms exhibiting their products there.