Written by 
BOLOGNA, Italy—Citing the “multiple and worrying” effects of climate change in agricultural systems around the globe, agricultural technology experts gathered at the 46th annual EIMA International Exhibition raised the need to step up strategies for adaptation, including the use of machinery and innovative techniques.
“Agriculture is the first victim of climate change, since agricultural activities take place outdoors and must adapt to the extreme weather events that have now become quite usual,” said Prof. Luigi Sartori, who teaches Agricultural Mechanization at the University of Padua, in a forum held at the sidelines of the 46th annual EIMA International Exhibition.
Citing a clear example, he said intense rains wash away fertile areas and cause soil erosion and degradation. Also, the release of carbon dioxide from the soil during the mineralization processes of organic matter further contributes to the worsening of the climate crisis, he said.
Sartori said both conservative and precision agriculture techniques need to be applied to preserve the structure and fertility of the soil, as well as the use of machinery and digital technologies to optimize the use of resources such as water and fertilizers.
Genetic improvement can be applied in the selection of crop varieties that are more resistant to climate change, according to him.
Such path, according to Sartori, plays a fundamental role in allowing crops to gradually adapt to new environmental conditions.
Demand for mechanization
Simona Rapastella, General Manager of FederUnacoma, said the demand for mechanization remains potentially very high as the agricultural world recognizes the need for innovations and plans its investments.
The weeklong EIMA International exhibition gathered 346,800 delegates, of whom 63,100 come from 150 different countries.
Over 60,000 models of vehicles, equipment and components —from tractors to combine harvesters, from soil processing equipment to treatment and harvesting machines, from forestry equipment to gardening and greenery maintenance equipment—were on display before a crowd of economic operators, farmers, contractors and technicians, as well as students and enthusiasts.
“The spotlight was on robots, drones, digital technologies and artificial intelligence systems that represent the new frontier of agro-mechanics, and which are already capable of responding to the challenges of food security, environmental sustainability and climate change,” Rapastella pointed out in a statement during the conclusion of the event.
FederUnacoma, the Italian federation of manufacturers that organized the exhibition, said the event gave them a platform to analyze the evolution of demand in the traditional markets of Europe and America, in the emerging markets of India and China, and in the newly-mechanized markets of Southeast Asia and Africa.