October 17, 2023

 

SPACE 2023 returns to Rennes, France, with 90,771 visitors in attendance

 

The 37th edition of SPACE was held on September 12-14 at the Rennes Exhibition Centre in Rennes, France.

 

Among the 1,207 exhibitors at the event, 241 were exhibiting there for the first time and 365 were international companies from 39 countries.

 

SPACE welcomed 90,771 visitors, including 12,125 international visitors from 122 countries. Overall, these figures reflect a 23% increase in the number of international visitors, as well as a record number of countries represented.

 

International participants included several African delegates — with some from Benin, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Togo — who confirmed their growing interest in solutions presented at SPACE to help them achieve food security.

 

The event's key role in the start of France's new agricultural policy season was accentuated with its launch by French Minister for Agriculture and Food Sovereignty Marc Fesneau.

 

For this year's edition, SPACE was dedicated to energy, which was explored in numerous discussions, conferences and debates. The topic was also the focus of the Espace for the Future organised by the Chambers of Agriculture.

 

Espace aims to help visitors understand how they can cut energy costs and diversify their activities through opportunities offered by the energy sector. Thus, the new Experts' Area within Espace offered animal farmers practical information on subjects like fuel consumption, hydrogen, energy consumption reduction and laws on renewable energies.

 

Another notable highlight was the innovation-centric Innov'SPACE awards which saw 118 applications. Thirty-seven companies were awarded one or two stars depending on the degree of interest of the farmer or end user. Four winners received the special three-star distinction.

 

SPACE is also a showcase for dairy and suckler breed presentations and competitions. This unique characteristic of the event saw 500 cattle from 13 different breeds being paraded in a ring.

 

This year's edition of the Genetics Show was made of up two major events: the National Charolais Breed Competition and the European Simmental Breed Challenge. Ten other inter-regional competitions and genetic presentations complemented the programme.

 

The Meat Excellence beef cattle auction, which was dedicated entirely to suckler breeds, and the inter-breed "Genomic Elite Auction", which looked at dairy and mixed breeds, were declared to be a success.

 

For the second year running, the 32,000 litres of milk collected at SPACE will be donated to food banks.

- SPACE