AFTEA offers a premier launchpad for agri-food tech companies to showcase cutting-edge technologies, products and solutions that future-proof the region’s agri-food industries. (Image source: AFTEA)

The third edition of Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia (AFTEA) took place from 19-21 November at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore

Organised by Constellar, AFTEA offers a premier launchpad for agri-food tech companies to showcase cutting-edge technologies, products and solutions that future-proof the region’s agri-food industries. This year, the event highlighted the latest advancements driving the agri-food sector forward, while providing an expected 10,000 attendees direct access to more than 300 exhibitors.

The event played a critical role in transforming food systems in Asia to be more resilient, sustainable and accessible and catalysed this transition by convening the industry’s bellwethers, innovators, start-ups, investors, and key decision makers to discover the latest technologies and food solutions and enable their applications towards driving sustainable food systems. 

Exhibitors showcased state-of-the-art advancements and solutions across eight profiles: Novel Food Technology, Smart & Urban Farming, Novel Food, Alternative Proteins & Sustainable Food, Aquaculture, Food Safety & Security, Sustainability & Resource Management, Technological Solutions, Aquaculture. 

Supported by the Asia-Pacific Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), the Cultivated Meat Pavilion returned after last year's successful launch. Moreover, the Founder's Hub, a dedicated space for hosting the inaugural Agri-Food Tech World Championship was launched to identify, support and celebrate trailblazing Seed to Series A start-ups in the areas of agri-tech, food sustainability, health & wellness, and deep-tech.

Multiple startup pavilions offered attendees the chance to explore groundbreaking, diverse solutions that are shaping the future of the agri-food sector. Additionally, the Agri-Food Tech Demo Day offered a stage for finalist teams from RP Trendlines’ Agri-Food Tech Incubation Programme while the two sandbox stages offered a combined 30 hours of content across 100 sessions on innovation, sustainability and food safety. 

“We recognise the urgent challenges facing Asia’s food systems, from climate change and resource scarcity, to shifting consumer demands with demographic frictions of ageing population and growing Gen Z segments, and the need for sustainable growth," said chief executive (markets), Constellar, Paul Lee. "Through events like the Singapore International Agri-Food Week and Agri-Food Tech Expo Asia, we are committed to providing a platform that brings together innovators, industry leaders and policymakers to address these critical issues.” 

The attendees could discover the potential of seaweed and yeasts technologies to provide solutions to reinforce immune response and gut health. (Image source: Olmix)

Olmix on 15 October, organised the Immuno'Science forum dedicated to immunity and gut health in Porto

The forum which was enriched by the presence of representatives from 14 different countries brought together international keynote speakers covering various species such as poultry, swine, ruminants, and aquaculture. The attendees could discover the potential of seaweed and yeasts technologies to provide solutions to reinforce immune response and gut health. 

Poultry session

In his multidisciplinary research, Dr Rami Dalloul, the R. Harold Harrison distinguished professor of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia in Athens, focuses on areas investigating host-pathogen interactions during enteric challenges, particularly coccidiosis and clostridial diseases in chicken and turkey. 

In his talk, entitled 'Enteric defenses in poultry: dynamics and potential modulation,' Dr Dalloul gave a comprehensive overview of the birds’ immune system, and introduced the unique bacterial and parasitic co-infection model developed in his lab, to mimic a necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge. He also summarised the results that several nutritional strategies targeting immunity, gut integrity and microbiota obtained using this model, opening the floor to Olmix speaker, Maria Garcia, immunity product manager, to present the results obtained using this coinfection model with Algimun, a seaweed based solution. 

In this trial on broilers, Algimun not only improved performance but also significantly reduced the inflammatory response and enhanced gut integrity, thereby indicating Algimun's ability to improve broiler performance and combat the negative effects of NE. 

Swine session

In his presentation, Nicolas Bertho, a senior scientist at INRAE in France provided an overview of key swine immunology concepts. He revisited previous collaborative research with Olmix and shared findings from the ongoing immunity project ONIRIS which focuses on the effects of oral seaweed extracts (MSP) supplementation during the delivery of an attenuated PRRSV vaccine. The study highlights that this supplementation modulates systemic inflammatory cytokines and improves the anti-PRRSV humoral response. 

Following his presentation, Francisco Rocha Pinto, product manager for the Vet range at Olmix, discussed the positioning and application of Searup in swine. A number of experiments have been carried out on Searup. Two types of effects namely short-term pro-inflammatory response and long-term anti-inflammatory and antiviral benefits have been observed on two types of immune cells: monocytes and alveolar macrophages. A second experiment also noted an enhanced immune response that was observed when Searup was administered one day before and two days after vaccination. A third and final experiment is planned for 2025, where further promising results from oral seaweed supplementation are anticipated to address the significant challenges posed by PRRS. 

Ruminant session

During his presentation, Matteo Mezzetti, who holds a PhD from the Doctoral School in the Agro-Food System Agrisystem brought interesting and deep information on the inflammation during the transition period and all the consequences on early lactation, health and performing in dairy cows. Matteo presented several nutritional strategies that can be used as tools to promote proper immune functions of the cows.

After Matteo’s presentation, Elise Nacer-Khodja, product specialist at Olmix, presented field applications of Algimun in dairy cows in heat stress conditions, in which the benefits of using Algimun during the transition period of dairy cows were highlighted. This included lower inflammatory status and improved immune response around calving, resulting in a higher milk production during the 3 first months of lactation.

Aqua session

Professor and head of the Aquaculture and Fisheries group at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, Dr Geert Wiegertjes in his presentation entitled 'Immunomodulation in aquaculture: managing expectations' provided deep insights into the challenges that affect fish health in aquaculture and an overview of the components of the immune system and mucosal barrier function. 

Following the presentation, Raquel Pereira, aqua specialist at Olmix, gave an overview of Algimun effects on fish and shrimp immune response and growth performance in both scientific and commercial conditions, highlighting how Algimun reinforces natural defenses in a complete approach, promoting systemic immunomodulation and mucosal barrier functions (gut, skin and gills).

By promoting overall health status and improving animal performance in different contexts, particularly in challenging conditions, Olmix has demonstrated to be a reliable partner and supplier of natural solutions to support the growth and sustainability of modern livestock farming stakeholders.  

For more than 25 years, ICBA has extended its reach to support communities in more than 50 countries. (Image source: ICBA)

The International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA) reflects on a journey marked by resilience, innovation and commitment to supporting sustainable agriculture in some of the world’s most harsh environments

Headquartered in Dubai, UAE, ICBA was founded to address the urgent challenges of agriculture in saline and arid environments. Since its establishment in 1999, ICBA has grown from a regional initiative to a global leader in biosaline agriculture and climate-resilient farming solutions.

For more than 25 years, ICBA has extended its reach to support communities in more than 50 countries, addressing pressing global challenges such as food security, water scarcity, and adaptation to climate change. Through its revolutionary research and development, ICBA has helped equip these communities with solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Initially focused on identifying salt-tolerant crops and developing resource-efficient technologies to enable agriculture in water-scarce regions, ICBA today, leads pioneering projects that range from natural resource management and climate adaptation to agri-aquaculture. Moreover, the world’s largest collections of drought-, heat-, and salt-tolerant plants are contained within its genebank. 

ICBA has also taken part in groundbreaking initiatives including developments such as the Emirates Soil Museum and the Desert Life Sciences Laboratory, each contributing to a better understanding of soil and plant resources in arid climates. Additionally, ICBA has championed the use of climate-resilient crops, like quinoa and pearl millet, to strengthen food security and support sustainable production in arid regions.

With a strong focus on capacity development, ICBA has collaborated with organisations worldwide to empower farmers, scientists, and policymakers with expertise in sustainable agricultural practices. 

As it celebrates its 25th anniversary, ICBA aims to deepen its research, expand its partnerships, and continue building resilient food systems to benefit communities around the world.

J-AGRI became the stage for groundbreaking agritech demonstrations. (Image source: J-AGRI)

Organised by RX Japan, this year's edition of Asia's largest agriculture and livestock expo, J-AGRI was held from 9-11 October at Makuhari Messe in Tokyo, Japan

The event which attracted a total of 32,921 visitors from Europe, and North America took place alongside co-located shows GARDEX and TOOL JAPAN. Farmers, researchers, importers, wholesalers and government officials explored a curated showcase of the latest agritech, gardening tools, and safety equipment. The exhibitions’ strategic layout made navigating these innovations seamless, promoting targeted interactions and fruitful partnerships.

Visitors at GARDEX dove into eco-friendly gardening solutions, while TOOL JAPAN spotlighted precision tools and safety equipment. This cross-industry synergy created a vibrant atmosphere for knowledge exchange and networking.  Around 893 exhibitors were welcomed from several nations including China, South Korea, Taiwan,Germany, India, and the US, highlighting its role as a global hub for industry advancement.

At GARDEX, standout exhibitors such as Henan SteelArt Science and Technology Co., Ltd. showcased stylish steel furniture, while Metal Max Hardware Co. dazzled attendees with its wide selection of gardening tools. TOOL JAPAN also turned heads with SOLA’s Austrian-engineered measuring tools and QS SAFETY’s specialised safety gloves, proving the event’s versatility in catering to diverse industries.

From the Autonomous Robot 'Titan,' capable of patrol monitoring, insect trapping, and UV irradiation, to the HERMAI Robot for high-tech greenhouse operations, visitors experienced the future of farming firsthand. The FJD AT2 automatic steering system and AC101 Connect drone also showcased transformative technologies that are set to revolutionise farming operations’ efficiency.

As J-AGRI's 2024 edition comes to an end, RX Japan is already preparing for its next chapter which will include two editions in 2025 namely, J-AGRI (KYUSHU) which is due to be held from 28-30 May at Grandmesse Kumamoto followed by J-AGRI (TOKYO) which is scheduled to take place from 1-3 October at Makuhari Messe. 

Around 200 exhibitors and 8,000 trade visitors are expected to be present at the show. (Image source: ILDEX)

The third edition of the international livestock, dairy, meat processing and aquaculture exposition ILDEX Philippines prepares to kick off in co-location with the Philippines Poultry Show from 27-29 August 2025 

Organised by VNU Exhibitions Asia Pacific, with MEREBO Messe International being in charge of European and Australian participants, the event will occupy 6,000 sq m at SMX Convention Centre in Manila and will include all groups of livestock management and meat processing.

The 2025 edition will focus not only on poultry but will also broaden its scope to attract professionals from the hog industry and feature the newly introduced Smart Aqua Solutions Pavilion, showcasing innovations in sustainable water systems. This expansion reinforces the event’s commitment to addressing the most critical aspects of the livestock and agri-business sectors. Around 200 exhibitors and 8,000 trade visitors are expected to be present at the show.

“Momentum for the 2025 edition is already building, with over 40 leading local and international suppliers confirming their participation,” said Mr. Kevin Zhao, project manager of ILDEX Philippines. “Notable global companies such as Arm & Hammer, Big Dutchman, Cargill, CEVA, Hipra, PhilChema Inc., Pilmico Foods Corporation, Pure Bio Science, Top Shelf, and Zoetis have already committed to joining us. These top players, alongside numerous other exhibitors, will present comprehensive solutions and cutting-edge innovations tailored to the unique needs of the Philippine livestock industry. We are excited to provide a robust platform for such influential industry leaders to connect and collaborate.”