1. Under the Patronage of H. H. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, Minister of
Presidential Affairs and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority
Strategic Partner Co-located with Organised by
VIV MEA 2016
15-17 February,
ADNEC Abu Dhabi.
Global forum
for innovations
in agriculture
GFIA
POST SHOW REPORT
www.InnovationsInAgriculture.com
OF SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE
INNOVATIONS

2. We are all aware of the challenge we face: feeding 9 billion people by the year 2050. Yet we are also
aware that there are thousands of innovations - many already in existence - that can help us get there.
Whether you are an innovator, investor, policymaker, food producer, retailer or researcher, GFIA exists to
provide a platform for decision makers to create the catalyst for lasting food security.
THE WORLD’S LARGEST SHOWCASE OF
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE INNOVATIONS
6,503 attendees
81 countries in 2016
The co-location of GFIA 2016 with VIV MEA delivered the largest agriculture event in the Middle East.
33%more visitors
than the year before

3. A SNAPSHOT OF GFIA
THE EXHIBITION
Over 250 suppliers from around the world showcased thousands of working products to help agriculture
professionals right along the value chain.
MAIN CONFERENCE
Over 530 delegates enjoyed a powerful mix of keynote addresses, panel debates, innovation
presentations and Q&A sessions around a core theme of food security.
INNOVATIONS THEATRE
Over 80 speakers had 10 minutes each to show the audience how their innovation could improve
productivity and profitability without damaging the environment.
OPEN TECHNOLOGY FORUM
A platform for exhibitors to give live and practical demonstrations of their latest products.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS
26 roundtable discussions took place over the two days, providing an opportunity for small groups of 10
to tackle topics in depth and discuss the challenges and opportunities of a particular theme.
LIVESTOCK AREA
New for 2016, this display of award winning stud and pedigree breeds of goat, sheep and camel calves
proved to be a highly popular feature among visitors looking to increase their production efficiency and
sustainability.
ADFCA HOSTED SCIENTIST PROGRAMME
Held in partnership with the University of Arizona, this programme hosted over 200 scientists from around
the world to collaborate with a broad cross-section of participants in the development of solutions to feed
nine billion people.
FRINGE EVENTS
Attendees enjoyed free entry into a number of partner events run by CoolFarm, Evolve Growing Solutions,
International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture, Food & Agriculture Organisation of the UN, The Rockefeller
Foundation, Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture and Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Services Centre.
VIV MEA
All attendees enjoyed complimentary entry into the inaugural VIV MEA, taking place in the halls adjacent
to GFIA 2016 – a large B2B exhibition specialising in sustainable solutions for poultry production.
HOSTED FARMER PROGRAMME
This new programme hosted 62 top food growers and processors from the GCC looking to source
solutions to increase the sustainability and productivity of their business.
ROCKEFELLER EVENING RECEPTION
At the end of day one, hundreds of delegates, exhibitors and speakers enjoyed drinks and canapes
on the rooftop of the Aloft Hotel as the Rockefeller Foundation presented their innovative work on
cassava production

4. 6,503 attendees
81 countries in 2015
VISITORS BY MAIN COMPANY ACTIVITY
TOP 5 VISITOR JOB FUNCTIONS
VISITOR MAIN AREAS OF INTEREST
Food Producers
Distributors & Resellers
Supply Chain
Government
R&D
Investors
Development Agencies
Organic Agriculture
Climate-Smart Agriculture
Water Management
Biotechnology
Disease & Pest Control
Nutrition
Controlled Environments
Renewable Energy
18%
17%
16%
14%
12%
12%
12%
11%
27%
Executive
Management
10%
Sales / Marketing
Manager
6%
Operations
Manager
4%
Project
Manager
9%
Researcher /
Scientist
Food Losses & Waste
Soil Health
ICT in Agriculture
Saltwater Agriculture
Finance & Investment
Mechanisation
Others
11%
10%
10%
9%
8%
8%
4%
75% of visitors specifically attended GFIA to find new sustainable agriculture solutions
71% found products that they could see would benefit their business
62% were the final decision maker or key specifier for purchasing decisions
31%
18%
14%
13%
11%
7%
6%
TOP TEN COUNTRIES INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TRAVELLED FROM
Egypt India Jordan Kenya Lebanon
Netherlands Pakistan Saudi Arabia United Kingdom United States

5. H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of
Climate Change and Environment, UAE
Aidan Cotter, CEO, Bord Bia - Irish Food Board,
Ireland
Marc van Ameringen, Executive Director, Global
Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Switzerland
Mamadou Biteye, Managing Director, Rockefeller
Foundation, Africa Regional Office, Kenya
Dr. David Bergvinson, Director General, The
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-
Arid Tropics, India
Pedro Taques, Mato Grosso State Governor, Brazil
Rajeev Raini, Senior VP and
Global Head - Farming, Olam International
Haydar Alsahtout, Director Arabian Shrimp Co.,
Saudi Arabia
Dr Hans van der Beek, Agricultural Counsellor for
GCC Countries, Embassy of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, Saudi Arabia
H.E. Ambassador Shahira Wahbi, Chief
Sustainable Development & International
Cooperation, League of Arab States, Egypt
Guy Callebaut, Board Chair, GlobalGAP and Vice
Chairman of the Board of BelOrta, Belgium
H.E. Rashed Mohammed Khalfan Al Shariqi,
Director General, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority,
UAE
Ronald Guendel, Political Affairs & Stakeholder
Relations, Bayer CropScience
Susana Crespo, Agriculture Industry Manager,
Esri, USA
Dawood Al Yahyai, Director of Aquaculture
Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
Wealth, Oman
Eng. Ahmed Bin Rashid Al Balla, CEO, National
Aquaculture Group (NAQUA), Saudi Arabia
Ermek Kosherbayev, Vice-Minister of Agriculture,
Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of
Kazakhstan
Nasser Al Junaibi, Acting CEO, Abu Dhabi
Farmers Services Centre, UAE
Daniel Gad, Board Chairman / Managing Director,
Ethiopian Horticulture Cooperative /Omega Farms,
Ethiopia
Mahmood Al Obaidii, Operation Director, Dar Aqua
Agriculture, Bahrain
Said AlRawahi, General Manager, Oman Fisheries
Co S.A.O.G, Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Zia-Ulah, Head of purchasing
Department, National Prawn Company, Saudi Arabia
Imad Saleh Alhamid, Dairy Farms Director,
NADEC, Saudi Arabia
Sanjay Sethi, Group Managing Director,
Paragon Agri Ltd
Rohtash Mal, Chairman and Managing Director,
EM3 AgriServices Pvt. Ltd, India
Abdulrahman M. Althonayan, Operations Manager,
ARASCO, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Mustafa, Purchase Incharge,
Al Ain Dairy, UAE
Ghassan Fares, Chief Purchasing Officer, Barari
Forest Management, UAE
Apoorva Bhagat, Owner, Bhairavnath Poultry
Farms, India
Fathalu Mohamedali, Buying Manager,
LuLu Group, UAE
Aresh Sholeh, General Manager,
Pardis Flower, Iran
HH Sheikh Abdelouahhab Ziad, Agricultural
Advisor, Ministry of Presidential Affairs and UAE
goodwill ambassador to FAO, UAE
Sadek Al Ramadan, CEO, Al Yaseen Agri,
Saudi Arabia
Mohamed Al-Otaiba, Chairman, Jenaan Investment
VIP BUYERS AND ADVISORS
,
ua

6. 54%‘definitely’
planning on
exhibiting in
2017 with a
further 25%
‘likely’ to exhibit
93%were satisfied
with their ROI of
time and money
93%of exhibitors
agreed that
GFIA attracts
an international
audience
75%rated the quality
of attendees
as ‘good’ or
‘excellent’
89%of exhibitors
were successful
in meeting their
event objectives
Over 250 suppliers of sustainable agriculture innovations from around the world gathered in Abu Dhabi
to demonstrate how their solutions and technologies can increase productivity, whilst saving natural
resources and protecting the environment.
View the full exhibitor list at www.InnovationsInAgriculture.com
Exhibitors presented technology across the following themes:
NEW for 2016 – GFIA online meeting system
Over 860 meeting requests were sent by exhibitors and visitors, with 565 meetings confirmed before
the show opened.
The meetings system was very effective for us. We arranged some great meetings
and the customer service was excellent.
Ferhat Benyahia, International Business Developmenr, Silvandersson & Cryonite
65% agreed that they had made contacts with the potential to ‘make a real difference to their business’
Biotechnology
ICT in
agriculture
Climate-smart
agriculture
Disease &
pest control
Food losses
& waste
Controlled
environments
Nutrition
Saltwater
agriculture
Soil & plant
health
Water
management
Organic
agriculture
Precision
agriculture
Mechanisation
Renewable
energy
100%of exhibitors
were satisfied
with the quantity
of attendees
with 54% rating
it as ‘excellent’

8. THE SPEAKERS
Involving 122 speakers across 3 theatres, the GFIA 2016 Conference delivered a carefully designed mix of
keynote addresses, panel discussions, innovation presentations, roundtable discussions and technology
demonstrations on the theme of sustainable innovations for food security.
A Grand Opening
Plus keynote addresses over the two days from:
Marc van Ameringen, Executive Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Switzerland
André Laperrière, Executive Director, Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition
Mamadou Biteye, Managing Director, Rockefeller Foundation, Africa Regional Office, Kenya
Professor M. S. Swaminathan, Founder, The M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation
Jan Hartke, Clinton Climate Initiative, USA
Pedro Taques, Mato Grosso State Governor, Brazil
H.E. Ermek Kosherbayev, Vice Minister of Agriculture, The Republic of Kazakhstan
Guy Callebaut, Board Chair, GlobalGAP and Vice Chairman of the Board of BelOrta, Belgium
“Welcome address”
H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed
Al Zeyoudi
Minister of Climate Change
and Environment, UAE
“Origin Green: The world’s
first national sustainability
programme”
Aidan Cotter
CEO, Bord Bia - Irish Food
Board, Ireland
“High-tech bee backpacks
to secure the future
of food”
Professor Paulo
de Souza
Office of the Chief
Executive Science Leader,
Commonwealth Scientific
and Industrial Research
Organisation, Australia
“Using space to help life
on earth”
Andrew Pylypchuk
Regional Manager, Planet
Labs, Canada

9. GLOBAL AWARENESS
A THREE MONTH ONLINE ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN DELIVERED OVER 103,000 VISITORS TO
THE GFIA 2016 WEBSITE FROM 166 COUNTRIES.
The PR campaign delivered 9,712 col/cm with press exposure value worth more than $707,000.
Al Ittihad, the UAE’s largest circulating Arabic daily published a 4-page broadsheet supplement about
GFIA two days before the show opened.
GFIA’s network of influential partners sent invitations to more than 280,000 professionals worldwide.
A highly selective Hosted Farmer Programme delivered 62 of the region’s top procurement managers
from across the GCC in particular Saudi Arabia and Oman.

10. SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
Supported by
Official Media Partners
Commercial Supporter
Forum Sponsors
Sponsored by
Cassava Innovation
Challenge Partner
Knowledge Partners Destination Partner
Associate Sponsors Strategic SponsorStrategic Partner

11. LOOKING FORWARD TO 2017
Find out more and get involved in our upcoming events at www.InnovationsInAgriculture.com
Organised by