1. Forum Announcement

The Anhui Provincial People’s Government, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, has announced that the inaugural Global Agriculture & Food Innovation Forum (GAFIF) will be held in Hefei, Anhui Province, from October 12–16, 2026. The forum is expected to draw more than 2,000 delegates from over 50 countries, including government ministers, international organization leaders, agribusiness CEOs, leading agricultural scientists, and startup founders.

The announcement was made jointly by Governor Wang Qingxian of Anhui Province and Dr. Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the FAO, at a press conference in Beijing on July 2, 2026. Governor Wang described the forum as “Anhui’s coming-out party on the global agricultural stage,” while Dr. Bechdol noted that the choice of Anhui reflects “the province’s remarkable transformation into a hub of agricultural innovation and its commitment to international cooperation in building sustainable food systems.”

GAFIF is the successor to the former China International Agricultural Trade Fair (CATF), which was held biennially in Beijing from 2002 to 2024. The decision to relocate and rebrand the event to Anhui — and to give it a stronger innovation focus — was approved by the State Council in March 2026 following a competitive bidding process in which Anhui’s proposal was selected over bids from Shandong, Jiangsu, and Sichuan provinces.

2. Confirmed Speakers & Dignitaries

The forum has announced an impressive roster of confirmed speakers, including:

The presence of two EU agriculture ministers (Netherlands and France) alongside China’s agriculture minister underscores the strategic importance the forum holds for China-EU agricultural relations. The Netherlands, as a global leader in agricultural innovation, will also co-host the “Smart Horticulture” track on October 14.

3. Conference Agenda & Track Structure

The five-day forum is organized into six thematic tracks running in parallel, with plenary sessions each morning:

Plenary Highlights:

Day 1 (Oct 12) — Opening: Keynote speeches by Minister Tang Renjian, Governor Wang Qingxian, and FAO Deputy DG Bechdol. The “Hefei Declaration on Agricultural Innovation” — a non-binding multilateral statement of commitment to open innovation and sustainable agriculture — is expected to be adopted by consensus of all participating countries.

Day 2 (Oct 13) — Technology Focus: “The Future of Food: How AI and Biotechnology Will Feed 10 Billion People” — a high-level panel featuring CEOs of John Deere, BASF Agricultural Solutions, and the Director-General of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

Day 3 (Oct 14) — Investment & Trade: “Financing the Agri-Tech Revolution” — a full-day sub-forum with world-leading agri-food tech venture capitalists, including AgFunder, S2G Ventures, Blue Horizon, and Bits x Bites (China). A “Deal Room” will facilitate one-on-one meetings between startups and investors.

Day 4 (Oct 15) — Policy & Cooperation: “Building Resilient Agri-Food Value Chains in the RCEP Era” — ministerial roundtable with agriculture ministers from ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and China. Expected outcome: a framework agreement on RCEP agricultural trade facilitation.

Day 5 (Oct 16) — Closing & Site Visits: Forum concludes with the presentation of the “Anhui Innovation Awards” for outstanding contributions to agricultural technology. Afternoon: optional site visits to the AIA-RDC, the Hefei Modern Agriculture Demonstration Zone, and the Bozhou Smart Agriculture Park.

4. Exhibition & Innovation Showcase

Running concurrently with the conference sessions is a 12,000 m² exhibition hall at the Hefei Binhu International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The exhibition is divided into four zones:

Zone 1 — International Pavilion (4,000 m²): Country pavilions from 25 nations, featuring their latest agricultural technologies and products. Confirmed national pavilions include the Netherlands (800 m² — the largest), Japan, France, Germany, Israel, Denmark, Brazil, Australia, and Thailand. Each pavilion offers curated B2B matchmaking with domestic importers and distributors.

Zone 2 — Chinese Provincial Pavilion (3,000 m²): Exhibits from 15 Chinese provinces showcasing their agricultural specialties and investment opportunities. Anhui’s pavilion (600 m²) will feature interactive demonstrations of smart agriculture technologies developed by Anhui-based enterprises, including a live drone spraying demonstration and a virtual reality tour of the Bozhou Smart Agriculture Park.

Zone 3 — Innovation Showcase (2,500 m²): A dedicated area for 50 early-stage agri-tech startups selected through a global call for applications. Each startup receives a 4m x 4m booth at a subsidized rate of USD 500 (full cost: USD 2,500). The showcase is curated by AgFunder and the Hefei High-Tech Zone. Selected startups will also participate in the pitch competition (Track F).

Zone 4 — Agri-Machinery Live Demonstration Area (2,500 m²): Located in an outdoor area adjacent to the exhibition hall, this zone features live demonstrations of agricultural machinery including: autonomous tractors, harvesting drones, robotic fruit pickers, and precision spraying equipment. Demonstrations run three times daily (10:00, 13:00, 15:00) and are free to all registered attendees.

5. Networking & B2B Programme

The forum offers a comprehensive networking programme designed to facilitate meaningful business connections:

Pre-Scheduled B2B Meetings: Registered delegates can use the GAFIF mobile app (available from September 1, 2026) to browse attendee profiles and schedule up to 15 one-on-one meetings during the conference. A dedicated B2B lounge on the second floor of the convention centre provides private meeting pods (capacity: 100 pods). CCPIT Anhui Chapter provides free interpretation services for pre-scheduled meetings between Chinese and international delegates.

Industry Dinners (Oct 13–14): Four themed industry dinners on the evenings of October 13 and 14, each hosted by a major sponsor: (1) “Smart Farming Dinner” hosted by John Deere, (2) “Food Tech & Alternative Proteins Dinner” hosted by BASF, (3) “China-EU Agricultural Cooperation Dinner” hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce, and (4) “Agri-Finance Dinner” hosted by the Agricultural Bank of China. Each dinner is limited to 80 attendees; pre-registration is required and fills up quickly.

Site Visits (Oct 16): Three optional post-forum site visits — (A) Hefei Agri-Tech Tour (AIA-RDC + Hefei High-Tech Zone), (B) Northern Anhui Agriculture Tour (Bozhou Smart Agriculture Park + Fuyang Bio-Inputs Park), and (C) Southern Anhui Organic & Tea Tour (Xuancheng Organic Zone + Huangshan tea plantations). Each tour accommodates 50 delegates on a first-registered basis.

6. Strategic Significance for Anhui

The hosting of GAFIF represents a significant milestone for Anhui’s positioning in the global agricultural landscape for several reasons:

International Recognition: The selection of Anhui over established agricultural powerhouses like Shandong and Jiangsu signals that the central government and international community recognize Anhui’s rapid transformation into a modern agricultural innovation hub. It validates the province’s strategic investments in agricultural R&D, infrastructure, and policy reform over the past five years.

Investment Catalyst: The Anhui Department of Commerce expects the forum to generate USD 800 million to 1.2 billion in signed investment agreements and trade contracts during the event itself, with a further multiplier effect as follow-up visits and deals materialize in the 12 months following the forum. This projection is based on the experience of similar events, such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai and the Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Forum in Shaanxi.

Brand Building: Anhui has traditionally been under-recognized internationally as an agricultural destination, despite being a top-10 Chinese province in agricultural output. The global media coverage expected from GAFIF — estimated at 200+ accredited international journalists — will provide a platform for Anhui to tell its agricultural story to a global audience. A dedicated “Anhui Agriculture Branding Campaign” (budget: RMB 50 million) will run alongside the forum.

Policy Acceleration: The forum provides a deadline-driven impetus for the completion of several infrastructure and policy initiatives. The Hefei Binhu Convention Centre expansion, the Hefei Xinqiao Airport cargo terminal upgrade, and the new Hefei International Exhibition Hotel (a 5-star property with 600 rooms) are all being expedited for completion before October 2026. Additionally, the forum has accelerated the drafting of Anhui’s “Five-Year Action Plan for Agricultural International Cooperation (2027–2031),” which will be released during the forum.

Knowledge Spillover: The presence of 200+ leading agricultural scientists from around the world will generate significant knowledge spillovers for Anhui’s research institutions. Pre-forum workshops (October 10–11) will be held at Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei University of Technology, and the new AIA-RDC, allowing local researchers to engage directly with international experts. A “Young Scientists Forum” (October 15) will connect 100 early-career Anhui researchers with their international peers.

7. Practical Information for Attendees

Venue: Hefei Binhu International Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2999 Yun谷 Road, Binhu New District, Hefei. The venue is 15 km (25 minutes) from Hefei Xinqiao International Airport and 8 km (15 minutes) from Hefei South Railway Station (high-speed rail).

Registration: Registration opens on August 1, 2026, at www.gafif2026.com. Early-bird pricing (until August 31): USD 800 (standard delegate), USD 400 (academic/government), USD 200 (startup founder). Standard pricing (from September 1): USD 1,200 / USD 600 / USD 300. Exhibition-only passes: USD 100 (includes access to exhibition hall and innovation showcase, excludes conference sessions and networking events).

Accommodation: The organizing committee has reserved room blocks at 12 hotels in Hefei, ranging from 3-star (USD 60–80/night) to 5-star (USD 150–250/night). The official conference hotel is the new Hefei International Exhibition Hotel (5-star, USD 200+/night). Shuttle buses will operate between all block-reserved hotels and the convention centre from 7:00–22:00 daily during the forum.

Visa Facilitation: Registered international delegates can apply for a “Forum Visa” through Chinese embassies and consulates worldwide, which provides expedited processing (5 working days) and multiple-entry validity of up to 60 days. Delegates from visa-waiver countries (including Singapore, Brunei, Japan — subject to current bilateral agreements) do not require a visa for stays up to 15 days. The Anhui Foreign Affairs Office operates a 24-hour visitor hotline (+86-551-6354-XXXX) for visa and immigration assistance.

Language: All plenary sessions and concurrent track sessions will feature simultaneous interpretation in Chinese, English, French, Spanish, and Japanese. Individual interpretation headsets are provided at no cost with registration. Selected sessions (Track E — Policy & Trade) will also offer Korean and Arabic interpretation.

8. Frequently Asked Questions