Organized on the initiative of Adir in partnership with Territoire magazine(s), the Nou Lé Local trade fair welcomed 25,000 visitors from September 11 to 14 at the Expobat park in Saint-Paul. Between stands and exhibitor pavilions, conferences, animations, concours, the actors of local industrial production, agricultural and agri-food, construction, of the circular economy, crafts, training and innovation enhanced products, companies, professions and demonstrated their know-how.
More space, more exhibitors, more visitors. As expected, the Expobat park “made it possible to bring the show closer to Reunion Islanders living in the West and the South. This open-air exhibition played up conviviality to the fullest”, judged Thierry Reydellet, secretary general of Adir. The president of Adir, Michel Dijoux, welcomed the day after the event that Nou Lé Local had brought together the leaders of Medef, of the CPME, of the FRBTP and the agricultural and agri-food sectors around a common objective : “We are going to play as a group in the face of the challenges facing our territory, speak with one voice to influence local and national authorities. We must protect our economy in the face of the pessimistic information coming to us from Paris and Brussels regarding tax exemption measures., tax credit, dock dues and aid to agricultural businesses. » A first lesson from the show is therefore that its move to the West has made it possible to almost double its attendance compared to its first edition., in 2023 at the Nordev exhibition center in Saint-Denis. A second, that it becomes a unifying event by bringing together the main branches of the productive economy of Reunion. For proof, the strong presence of construction, who nevertheless still has to figure out how to talk to the general public about his achievements, his jobs, ses ambitions, ses innovations. We would have liked to glimpse the places where people will live, a million Reunion Islanders will live and work in twenty years.
Industry in 2050
Twenty years or more, exactly, this was discussed during the exchange of views between private and public actors on the future of local industry by 2050. In the actual context, no wonder that it was more a question of identifying the obstacles to development than of projecting into the future during this conference. But the equation to be solved in future years seemed to emerge implicitly, namely how to find the balance between the need to preserve and consolidate what has been built over the past thirty to forty years and that of making it evolve to follow and participate in the transformation of the world ? Failing to be able to respond immediately, On the one hand, some of the conditions essential to the future of local industry were laid down. : resilience, the ability to absorb shocks from elsewhere ; the ambition of food sovereignty, energy and digital ; availability of land ; sustainability and circularity of the economy. But without forgetting that “we will live in a world very different from the world of today, there will be many new solutions”, added Alex How-Chong, great figure of local entrepreneurship.
Romain Leboeuf : “I feel like I’m helping to advance the industry”
Romain Leboeuf, best butchery worker in France, was in Reunion Island for the third time to lead and chair the jury for the Best Butcher Competition, organized by Sica Révia in collaboration with ARIBEV. The Parisian butcher shares his views on the meat industry and the situation of the catering professions.
Meeting Leader : What inspires you by what you saw this year at the Nou Lé Local show and in Reunion? ?
Romain Leboeuf : That we can make things happen quickly. I came to Reunion for the first time ten years ago, to support the meat industry. It was then a sector in the making. I learned about local farms by talking with breeders. Ten years later, I notice that breeding is more structured and that the quality of the meat has increased, which creates emulation among meat craftsmen. A virtuous circle is set up. From year to year, we see the first young people trained in butchery who are setting up shop. Today, they in turn train other young people. It's starting to work, and I have the feeling of helping to advance the sector.
However, the sector is having difficulty recruiting ?
Our job requires passion, personal commitment. It’s not a job where you just come in the morning and leave at the end of the afternoon.. Young people must also understand that it is a real social elevator. When we are good, we earn a very good living there. It’s a profession where you can settle in very early. Me, I was 23 years old, when I settled. And then, while practicing this profession, we value our territory and our heritage. In, more with learning, we get paid to learn !
