Caribbean Agrifood Business – Spotlight on session #16 of the IICA COLEAD series: cross-border value chains
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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A strategic collaboration for Caribbean agriculture Since June 2021, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and COLEAD have joined forces through the FFM+ programme in the Caribbean Agrifood Business Series. This initiative highlights the innovations and successes of farmer-led agribusinesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Caribbean region. The series is driven by a common vision: to build a more sustainable, resilient and inclusive Caribbean agricultural sector. It promotes business models that are economically viable, environmentally… +Pacific: 60 villages, 1,200 farmers committed to sustainability and export with Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of the FFM+ programme, Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands (KPSI) has just completed its sustainability assessment using COLEAD’s Sustainability Self-Assessment System (SAS). KPSI: a company serving rural communities KPSI is a social enterprise and a major player in agricultural exports. For more than 20 years, it has been working to improve the livelihoods of 1,200 smallholder farmers in 60 villages in the Solomon Islands. The company purchases virgin coconut oil (VCO) and cocoa beans at fair prices and processes… +Access to finance: How to find and identify the right funding source for your agri-project
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
(The recording and supporting materials are available here: COLEAD Access to Finance webinars) As part of its structured investment-oriented support, COLEAD’s Access to Finance Department held, as part of the FFM+ programme, a webinar on 25 February entitled “ Selecting the right funding options for your agri-project“. This session is the third in a four-part webinar series designed to build the capacity of project leaders to identify, select and approach the most appropriate sources of funding for their activities. Profile… +Innovations and market trends: what international trade shows tell us about the future of agri-food
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
COLEAD’s Market Insights department, through the FFM+ programme, recently attended several major trade shows – Fruit Logistica, Biofach, Gulfood, IFE – to capture innovations, marketing signals and identify emerging trends. Between product innovation, the rise of superfoods, the shift towards sustainability and the breakthrough of artificial intelligence, the 2025 editions of these shows confirm that the global agri-food sector has entered a new era. Superfoods and well-being Demand for nutritious products is booming, driven by a growing focus on well-being.… +Flashback 2003 : Capacity building for ACP service providers through the PIP programme
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
Source PIP magazine n°2, December 2003 “(…) Whilst the PIP makes every effort to use local ACP service providers whenever it can, it continues to rely to a great extent on European service providers to carry out its daily activities. However, in order to guarantee the long-term viability of its current training programme, the PIP will also contribute to building the capacity of local ACP service providers so that in due course these local consultants may take over most of… +Strengthening plant biosecurity: example of a successful pilot internal audit mission with the NPPO in Zimbabwe
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of the FFM+ programme, a successful pilot internal audit mission was conducted with the National Plant Protection Organisation (NPPO) of Zimbabwe. This initiative represents a significant step forward in strengthening plant biosecurity and facilitating trade in the country. Over the course of three days, the team combined field visits to citrus production and processing facilities (two days) with analysis and reporting at NPPO border offices (one day). The goal: to establish an efficient and sustainable internal audit system… +Cooperation agreement signed between COLEAD and ACTESA/COMESA: A new strategic partnership for regional agriculture in Eastern and Southern Africa
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
COLEAD has recently signed, through the FFM+ programme, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), a specialised agency of COMESA. This partnership aims to strengthen cooperation to support smallholder producers, improve market access and promote sustainable agricultural practices in 21 COMESA member states and 7 East African Community (EAC) countries. This collaboration is based on a shared vision of agricultural development as a driver for a more resilient, equitable and prosperous… +Ethiopia: MAHEBER* (Mobilizing Actors in Horticulture for Entrepreneurship and Boosting Ethiopian Resilience), a new programme entrusted to COLEAD by the European Union – a strategic initiative fully aligned with the Global Gateway priorities
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
(*MAHEBER in Amharic means association, union, group gathered for a common purpose) COLEAD has been selected by the European Union Delegation to Ethiopia to lead an ambitious five-year programme to strengthen the competitiveness, resilience, inclusiveness and sustainability of the country’s horticulture value chains. Entitled ‘Enhancing the Competitiveness of Ethiopia’s Horticulture Sector’, this initiative is fully aligned with the Global Gateway priorities and contributes to the objectives of the EU Action Plan for the Development of Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Ethiopia… +Empowering women entrepreneurs: successful launch of the South-South online series. On 19 February 2025, COLEAD and UN Women launched their initiative dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP)
- 06/03/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
On 19 February 2025, COLEAD and UN Women launched the first session of the South-South Online Series, an initiative dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs in Africa, the Caribbean, the Pacific (ACP) and beyond. Designed to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, skills development and market access, the series provides a dynamic platform for business leaders to connect and progress. This series is created and organised as part of the Fit For Market Plus programme. A promising start: strong participation and significant impact… +Jeanette Marcelle inspires us—And you?
- 06/03/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
Handmade by Jeanette transforms Trinidad and Tobago’s culinary traditions into sustainable opportunities. In Trinidad and Tobago’s agri-food landscape, Jeanette Marcelle, also known as Chef Marcelle, stands out as a visionary and dedicated entrepreneur. As the founder and CEO of Handmade by Jeanette, she embodies resilience, innovation, and social impact through her brand, which promotes healthy, sustainable, and locally rooted food products. From culinary passion to purpose-driven entrepreneurship Jeanette Marcelle’s journey is anything but conventional. Initially pursuing a career in early… +