Biocontrol: Opportunities and challenges in tropical horticulture
- 13/12/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Caribbean, News, Pacific, Switzerland
No CommentsCOLEACP Keynote Address at ABIM 2021 On 19–20 October, COLEACP participated in the 16th Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) in Basel, Switzerland. During these two days, 970 participants from 44 nations were able to network together face-to-face, as well as listen to inspiring presentations and panel discussions. Both SMEs and large enterprises were well represented. The programme of ABIM 2021 included a journalist-led panel discussion involving biocontrol industry leaders, food processors, NGOs and researchers on how biocontrol will help transform… +New EU measures impacting aubergines (eggplant), Capsicum and yardlong beans
- 10/12/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Capsicum, Eggplant, News
In November, the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed approved amendments to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1793. As a reminder, this is the regulation on the temporary increase of official controls and emergency measures at EU border control posts where there is a food safety risk or evidence of widespread serious non-compliance with EU legislation. All of the new amendments are due to the detection of pesticide residues. The new measures are specified in a draft Regulation and… +News digest: Agri-food markets, production and trade
- 06/12/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Avocados, Cameroon, Caribbean, Citrus fruits, Coffee, Fiji, Kenya, Mangoes, News, Nigeria, Pacific, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda
Agri-food Africa Rwanda: Rwanda plans to double its lending to agriculture Rwanda plans to double its lending to the agricultural sector from 5.2 to 10.4% by 2024. The goal is to modernise agriculture, which now accounts for one-third of Rwanda’s GDP. Small farms can rarely access financial services due to high interest rates (18-24% per year). Access to these loans will enable farmers to invest in new means of production and thus secure the food supply for a country whose… +Updated guidance on the new EU Organic Regulation
- 29/11/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Caribbean, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, News, Nigeria, Pacific, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
The new EU Organic Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/848), originally intended to apply from 1 January 2021, was postponed to 1 January 2022 to allow for completion of the secondary legislation due to Covid-19, among other reasons. In the meantime, several new delegated and implementing acts have been issued during 2021. At the time of writing, 18 items of secondary legislation have been published, and a further eight are in the adoption process. These latest changes are included in COLEACP’s “Update… +5th African Diaspora Agrofood Forum: summary
- 26/11/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, News, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Last September, COLEACP supported Belgium-based NGO The FoodBridge with the organisation of the 5th African Diaspora Agrofood Forum which reunites stakeholders to discuss the role of the African Diaspora and global agribusiness in supporting development both on the African continent and in diaspora communities. Over 200 participants followed the online conferences on ‘Recovery, resilience and sustainability: African diaspora agrofood entrepreneurship in a changing world‘ on Friday 17th September 2021. The recordings of the conferences are available on COLEACP YouTube channel… +INNOVATIONS SERIES : 1-year anniversary of inspiring stories from African businesses and SMEs
- 16/11/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Benin, Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, News, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda
In November 2020, the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and COLEACP launched the Innovations Series held every two months and aimed at showcasing innovations and successes of African farmer-led businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Six Innovations Sessions have been organised on various topics and featured 24 inspiring farmers groups and entrepreneurs. They presented their businesses to more than 2 200 participants from more than 100 countries on different continents. Find here a snapshot of their presentations which we hope… +SPS Good Practice Guide for Penja pepper
- 02/11/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Cameroon, Pepper
A “Sanitary and Phytosanitary Good Practice Guide for the Penja Pepper Sector” has recently been published in French and will soon be available in English. Together with sector stakeholders, the Penja Pepper Representative Geographical Indication Group (GRIGPP) managed the development and production of the guide, which is based on an analysis of SPS risks throughout the value chain. The publication was achieved through the project “Improving SPS capacity in the Penja pepper value chain”, which is funded by the Standards… +ALFA: A new Africa-France link for agriculture and food
- 27/10/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, France
On 6 October, a new initiative was launched at the headquarters of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), on the sidelines of the Africa-France summit. The Agriculture-Livestock-Fisheries-Africa (ALFA) initiative, a grouping of 105 French companies covering the entire value chain, was launched by Karim Aittalb, CEO of GEOCOTON and co-founder of ALFA1, in the presence of France’s Minister for Foreign Trade, Franck Riester. The aim of this new platform is to contribute to renewing the partnership between Africa… +UNIDO Senegal: Waste management for mango processers in Casamance
- 27/10/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Mangoes, Senegal
COLEACP is contributing to a UNIDO project in Senegal that aims to create shared prosperity, by providing support to improve the competitiveness of the country’s mango sector and advice in the environmental and social fields. COLEACP’s Research & Innovation service has been working with partners in Senegal to support the improvement of waste management in mango processing. During July and August, a technical team worked to identify appropriate methods for the valorisation of mango production waste and co-products. This study… +News digest: COP26, climate change and food systems
- 26/10/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Caribbean, News, Pacific
What’s happening at COP26? You can view the overall schedule and themes here. What events are relevant to food systems? As well as the international negotiations, there are many “Green Zone” events and side events. The following selection focuses on natural resources, agriculture, and the ACP regions. Green Zone You can join these events virtually by subscribing to the COP26 YouTube channel. Links to each free live stream will be found on the Green Zone webpage. Date in November Time… +