Highlights of the 2024 survey of partners benefiting from COLEAD programmes

Respondents scored 8.21 out of 10 on their likelihood to recommend COLEAD to fellow professionals.

At COLEAD, we value the insights and feedback of our partner-beneficiaries (PBs) i.e. partners who have benefited from a programme implemented by the organization, to refine our practices and enhance the impact of our support. Our annual Pulse Survey, conducted each summer, continues to serve as a cornerstone for assessing our performance and aligning our efforts with the evolving needs of our stakeholders.

Here are the key findings from the 2024 survey:

• Enhanced engagement: This year, the survey was sent to all organisations with a signed Development Project at the time of launching the survey (all programmes/projects). The survey reached 557 organizations across 32 countries, achieving a notable 33.2% response rate—a significant increase from 23% in 2023. Of the respondents, 59% represented “new” organizations (partners supported for less than three years), bringing a fresh perspective to our evaluation.

• Positive trends in support quality: The general quality of COLEAD’s support was rated at an average of 7.32 out of 10, improving to 7.93 for those supported for more than three years. Respondents highlighted the professionalism, responsiveness, and reliability of the COLEAD team.
• Key challenges: Access to finance remains the primary challenge, followed by infrastructure needs. These findings reaffirm the importance of our focus on enabling market access and providing financial and technical resources to PBs.
• Significant impacts: Partner-beneficiaries cited key benefits from COLEAD’s support, including improved access to markets, enhanced skills, networking opportunities, and better product quality. Notably, contributions to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were particularly impactful on SDG 12, promoting responsible consumption and production.
• Strong advocacy: Respondents scored 8.21 out of 10 on their likelihood to recommend COLEAD to fellow professionals, underscoring the tangible improvements in skills and outcomes facilitated by our support programs.

COLEAD remains committed to leveraging your feedback to strengthen our programmes. Thank you to all who participated in this year’s survey! Together, we continue to grow and achieve sustainable progress across the agri-food sector.

Take the Survey Next Year! Missed this year’s survey? Stay tuned for the next edition in summer 2025. Your voice is essential in shaping COLEAD’s journey forward.