A forum to bring together farmers and agri-food companies from Albi

The last forum of this type took place in 2018. At the time, some forty companies and almost 150 farmers had traveled to Albi. For this new edition, the department’s chamber of agriculture has already brought together 45 companies. “Many companies have responded. They need farmers. We had to cancel several editions due to the health crisis, but the need was also real for many farmers in the area”, specifies Alexandra Poulvélarie, one of the forum’s ankles in the sector.

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This is because it is sometimes difficult for farmers to market their raw or processed products, even more when it comes to young farmers. At the same time, companies sometimes struggle toidentify agricultural products available in the short, medium and long term. “At the origin of this forum there is an interpellation of farmers but also of companies”, recalls Alexandra Poulvélarie. “The idea of ​​the forum is to bring everyone together in the same place to maximize the chances of success, everyone needs the other.”

A crowded forum

In practice, the day will take place in two distinct parts with one-hour collective workshops in the morning to present the sector and its context, the opportunities it offers, its conditions for success, but also the points of surveillance. . The afternoon will be reserved for “speed-meetings”, individual, short meetings, lasting about 15 minutes, between farmers and companies or representatives of the sector. “These are scheduled in advance according to the needs of both parties. They must allow farmers to be able to exchange with maximum companies, without wasting too much time on their part,” adds the forum co-organiser.

Despite the near distant date of April 4, farmers interested in the process shouldn’t wait too long to report, because if the forum is held on April 4, registration will close on March 22. And the next edition won’t see the light before 2025. “It’s an appointment we only make once every two years, we mustn’t miss it,” warns Alexandra Poulvélarie.