VIV MEA 2025 draws global crowd, highlights regional push toward smarter food systems

UAE – VIV MEA 2025 closed in Abu Dhabi on November 27 with a surge of international participation, reaffirming its status as one of the Middle East and Africa’s most influential feed-to-food trade events. 

The fifth edition of the show drew 10,830 professional visitors and 144 industry leaders from more than 110 countries, offering a concentrated platform to explore where animal production technologies and markets are heading.

Held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) from November 25–27, the exhibition featured 505 companies from 49 countries. 

Exhibitors presented solutions spanning animal protein production, animal health, breeding and hatching, croptech-feedtech, food engineering, feed ingredients and additives, and expanding aquaculture innovations.

Organisers described the event as a dynamic marketplace for knowledge exchange, industry networking, and business development.

A strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) strengthened the show’s focus on food safety and sustainable agricultural development. 

According to ADAFSA officials, the collaboration helped deepen expertise and support the Emirates’ long-term food security goals. 

“Supporting VIV MEA 2025 gave ADAFSA valuable opportunities to strengthen its role across the feed-to-food value chain,” said Eng. Majed Musabah Almemari. 

He noted that participation “helped us benchmark our practices, adopt new ideas, and reinforce Abu Dhabi’s leadership in applying advanced and sustainable agricultural solutions.”

Growing international footprint and industry momentum

The organisers reported the exhibition floor was fully booked, driven in part by rising interest from global companies. 

Large national pavilions, from the United States, Korea, and particularly France, highlighted the increasingly international profile of the event. 

Anne-Marie Brault of Business France said, “The French Pavilion at VIV MEA 2025 embodies France’s strategic ambition to strengthen economic ties and foster trade partnerships across the MENA region.”

Across three days, visitors explored innovations for poultry, dairy, fish, shrimp, cattle, calves, goats, and camels, mirroring the region’s diverse production systems. The 2025 edition also included more than 30 conference sessions led by 130 speakers, most available free of charge.

A new Aquatic Pavilion broadened the show’s reach into aquaculture, supported by the second Aquatic MEA conference targeting sustainable regional seafood production. 

Digital transformation took center stage through the AgriBITs seminar, which examined the role of AI, IoT, and smart systems in building resilient food supply chains. 

Roundtable discussions on city-led food production, water governance, regenerative agriculture, and poultry water management added further technical depth.

Looking ahead to a more resilient food future

Organisers described VIV MEA 2025 as a milestone in the event’s global portfolio, underscoring progress toward more self-sufficient and technology-driven food systems in the region. 

Jeroen van Hooff, President & CEO of Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs and VNU Group, said the show “is a vital engine driving the conversation around global food security,” adding that the strong participation reflected “the commitment of the region to overcome challenges.”

The next edition of VIV MEA will return to ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, from November 23–25, 2027.

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