Happy New Year 2025 to everyone! Greetings from the COLEAD General Delegate and Chairman, inspired by the shared responsibility that binds us in pursuit of our 2030 goals

Dear colleagues, partners, and friends of COLEAD,

As 2025 begins, we extend our warmest wishes to you, your teams, and your loved ones. May this new year bring health, joy, success, and hope to all.

This year is especially important for COLEAD and its global network. We are not just turning a page but embarking on a shared journey to shape a bold collective strategy for 2030—the reference date for the Sustainable Development Goals. In a world of rapid change and mounting challenges, our responsibility to transform agri-food systems into more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient structures remains paramount. It is more than a goal; it is the very commitment that brings us together.

As announced at the close of 2024, we will soon begin discussions on our “COLEAD 2030 Strategy,” a participatory initiative that will be enriched by your ideas, input, and expertise. We extend our gratitude in advance to all who will contribute. Let’s make 2025 the year we push beyond our perceived boundaries and chart a course for the future we imagine: a future in which collaboration, innovation, and solidarity confront today’s uncertainties to create a better, fairer world. As fellow colleagues, partners or members of the association, you are central to this endeavor. Your efforts, dedication, and expertise drove significant achievements in 2024, and we believe 2025 will be a year of even greater shared accomplishments and promising change.

In a world sometimes shaken by turmoil, our collective strength and shared values serve as our compass. Together, we will continue to develop tailored solutions, address complex challenges, and enhance our impact both locally and globally. May this be a year in which we draw even closer to build resilient, equitable communities.

As we set out on this promising path, we look forward to continuing this remarkable journey with you. In 2025, our shared ambition, innovation, and pursuit of tangible impact will guide us—because by uniting our efforts, we can transform challenges into opportunities and tensions into strengths for the common good.

With warm regards and deep gratitude,

Jeremy Knops                                                                                                                             Stephen MINTAH

COLEAD General Delegate                                                                                                       COLEAD Chairman