The Buzz is Real: Our Recap of the “Agriculture Days” Trade Fair

AGRICULTURE DAYS 2023 was held in the city of LUSHNJE on April 27–29, 2023. The International Trade Fair in Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery, and Technologies organized by Iceberg Exhibitions had a wider focus on agriculture, livestock, technologies, innovation, and financing opportunities in the sector.
The trade fair was supported by the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Lushnja Municipality, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with the AATSF project, GIZ Albania with the SRD project, Risi Albania, the Digital Partner Vodafone, and also companies such as MBM Albania, Agrimatco Albania, Austria Praemix, and financial institutions OTP Bank, Credins Bank, and NOA.
Agriculture Days 2023 offered important opportunities for businesses and professionals in related sectors, covering the whole international market. The main purpose of the exhibition was to create a communication platform for businesses to encourage new partnerships and collaborations in the agriculture sector.
During the three days of the fair, numerous activities took place aiming to raise awareness about concepts such as “sustainability”, “zero-pesticide”, “organic farming,” etc. through informative sessions, workshops, and conferences.
Agriculture is the most important economic sector in Albania, with a 23% contribution to the country’s GDP. Albania has a total land area of 28,750 square kilometers, of which 24% is agricultural, 36% is forest, and 15% is pasture and other types of land. 43% of the population works in jobs that are related to agriculture.
Key Moments & Features

Agriculture Days 2023 under the loupe of the key government’s officials
During the three days of the fair, several activities occurred, starting with the opening ceremony on the first day of the fair, marking the beginning of the trade fair and setting the tone for the entire event. The ceremony was attended by key industry leaders, government officials, ambassadors, exhibitors, and guests. Ms. Enejda Sheku, CEO of Iceberg Communication, welcomed attendees and provided an overview of the trade fair’s objectives and highlights. She invited other speakers to the ceremony, starting with the Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development, Ms. Frida Krifca, Mayor of Lushnja Ms. Eriselda Sefa, Mr. Taulant Balla, Ms. Brunilda Isaj, Business Unit Director of Vodafone Albania, Mr. Martins Tiknuss, Managing Director of Gateway & Partners Latvia. After the speeches, the Minister was invited to explore the trade fair exhibits, network with other industry professionals, and take a tour throughout the venue. 
The third day of the fair started with the visit of the Prime Minister, Mr. Edi Rama, indicating the importance of the trade fair to the country’s economy and the government’s support for the industry. Upon arrival at the trade fair, the Prime Minister had a brief tour of the exhibition area, visited key exhibits, and met with industry stakeholders and the exhibitors. His visit generated significant media coverage that promoted the trade fair, and we hope this will raise awareness of the industry.
One very important moment of the fair was the visit of Ms. Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Finance and Economy, who also had a tour of the exhibition area and met with the key stakeholders of the agriculture sector and exhibitors. She said this was a very important event for the agriculture sector, and the selection of the location (Lushnja) was very strategic. She also hoped that this might be a yearly event.

Content Sessions designed to provide attendees with valuable information, networking opportunities, and a chance to showcase their products and services.
Drive business growth & promote the industry as a whole.

For the next three days, several activities, such as conferences and workshops, were held. Take a peek at all the parallel events that occurred and the main topics:
Conference organized with the support of Risi Albania regarding the International Quality Standards
for fruits and vegetables, and also innovative technologies in agribusiness.

Sustainability Forum organized by the World Sustainability Organization regarding the importance of sustainable agriculture, fisheries, and tourism as the only way towards FAO objectives and consumer protection.
Workshop organized by Austria Praemix regarding Innovation and effective management of livestock
Farms.

Workshop organized by NOA regarding Financing, partnerships, and agricultural value chain counseling by NOA.

Workshop organized by GIZ Albania (SRD Project) regarding the Biological Control for Zero Pesticide Products in Greenhouse Vegetables with an international speaker, Mr. Spiros Kavouras, Expert BioBest Belgium.

Workshop organized by Agrimatco Albania regarding the Plant Nutrition and Chemical/Organic Fertilizers. From Theory to Practice and the Soil Analysis Laboratory this event involved the youngsters from the professional high schools of Lushnja and Elbasan.

Product Presentation organized by AZ Rendering. They introduced a new generation product, an organic fertilizer.

Workshop organized by the Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development and the EBRD with the AATSF Project. The workshop started with an introduction to the AATSF Project and continued with a presentation of the guarantee fund and farmer portal.

Not only did we have agricultural machinery exhibits, crop exhibits, etc., but we also celebrated agriculture with entertaining events.

Live music with Kristi Karkanaqe and the band created a festive and upbeat atmosphere for attendees at the end of the first day of the fair.

The second day of the fair ended with DJ Piko. Incorporating music and a festive atmosphere will make “Agriculture Days 2023” a memorable experience.

Mark your calendars for the can’t-miss event of the year “Agriculture Days 2024”, April 2024! Our next agriculture trade fair promises to be bigger and better than ever before.

From engaging workshops to exciting exhibits, together we can make this event a game-changer for the business community of agriculture in Albania and the region.