COLEAD participated through the FFM+ programme at the high-level thematic session on market access and trade facilitation, organised as part of the 6th African Union–European Union Ministerial Conference on Agriculture, entitled ‘A sustainable future for agri-food systems’, held in Rome on 10 October.
The session, opened by French Minister of Agriculture Annie Genevard, brought together a prestigious panel composed of Estherine Fotabong (AUDA-NEPAD), Agata Gałińska (DG AGRI, European Commission), Alice O’Donovan (CELCAA) and Isolina Boto (COLEAD), moderated by Steven Were… +
An activist, systems thinker, and organic food pioneer, Gillian has spent over three decades cultivating not just crops, but community. As co-founder of the Alliance of Rural Communities, she has turned her passion for food justice into a bold movement spanning the Caribbean, Africa, and North America, with a single vision: to restore power, pride, and prosperity to rural communities.
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Gillian left for the United States at 17, where she built on her gardening experiences… +
Fatou Titine Cissoko is the founder and managing director of Jedengui (EFK), a Guinean agri-food company that transforms local agricultural surplus into high-quality natural products. She is a leading figure in women’s entrepreneurship in West Africa, committed to empowering women, supporting small-scale producers and reducing post-harvest losses. Originally from Kindia, Fatou witnessed over 40% of fruit production being wasted due to a lack of markets. Hailing from a farming background, she established EFK in 2014 to reduce waste and enhance… +
The consultation process, which officially began in June 2025, aimes to contribute to the development of the COLEAD 2030 strategy. Close to 300 contributions have been registered so far. These responses come from members, technical and financial partners, and the COLEAD team. This wide-ranging survey reveals some valuable initial findings, which we share with you here. Please note that there is still time to respond to the questionnaire (and at 2030@colead.link) as the consultation closes at the end of July.… +
On 25 June, COLEAD held its Board of Directors and General Assembly in a hybrid format, bringing together almost 200 members who joined the event online through national members’ meetings. Around twenty countries were represented. This level of participation highlights the network’s increasing vitality and the value placed on direct dialogue between members, teams, and partners.
During the meeting, members approved the 2024 annual report and financial accounts. The meeting also provided an opportunity to review progress towards the five… +
In response to the challenges of accessing finance, COLEAD has developed through the FFM+ programme a comprehensive approach called “Investment Readiness Path”. The approach aims to strengthen the financial capacity of agri-food businesses by equipping agricultural business managers and owners with the skills to validate their business models, develop business and financial plans, and interact with potential sources of financing. This increases their chances of accessing capital. These tools are essential for demonstrating the viability and profitability of businesses to… +
Founded in 2013 and located near Abuja, Dobi AgriCo Ltd is a Nigerian agri-food company that farms 200 hectares (100 of which are in active production) to grow vegetables in open fields and greenhouses for the local market. As a supplier to retail chains such as Shoprite and Spar, the company now aims to break into the export market. As part of the L.A.T. Cleveson Group, Dobi AgriCo has received substantial investment to develop a processing centre and dedicated training… +
As part of its EU-funded AGRINFO programme, COLEAD participated in a workshop organised by Morocco FoodEx on “The new regulatory context for exports of processed agri-food products and seafood from Morocco to the EU” on 24–25 June 2025 in Marrakech. Around 130 participants attended the event, including export companies, government agencies, and professional organisations. The aim was to improve understanding of upcoming EU legislative changes and safeguard the competitiveness of Moroccan exports.
Over three half-day sessions, COLEAD expert Ingrid Morvan… +
The STDF/PG/946 programme is currently being implemented in Senegal by COLEAD. It aims to strengthen the country’s phytosanitary capacities to promote fruit and vegetable exports and contribute to national food security.
The project is structured around four pillars: revision of the legislative framework; improvement of operational processes; capacity building for stakeholders; and communication dynamics. It also incorporates a cross-cutting gender analysis to ensure greater inclusion. Key progress to date include among other : Phytosanitary risk analysis (PRA): Training of stakeholders… +
‘Thanks to your contribution, the coaching took place under optimal conditions, promoting learning and exchange between participants,‘ says the SODIPEX team.
As part of the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, COLEAD continues to provide post-training support to ensure that the acquired skills are firmly established. In Côte d’Ivoire, SODIPEX SA received bespoke support following a group session on the principles of internal auditing. This is just one example of the operational support provided to horticultural enterprises.
Coaching in real-life… +
Mali’s leading agricultural umbrella organisation, the Union Nationale des Coopératives de Planteurs et Maraîchers du Mali (UNCPM), was established in 1985 to act as a liaison between the government and horticultural producers. Consisting of 17 horticultural unions and 150 cooperatives, the UNCPM now has over 15,000 producer members nationwide.
As part of its development, the UNCPM has created a strategic plan to clarify and prioritise the services offered to its members. These include promoting agroecology, providing representation and building technical… +
The purpose is to ensure compliance with international standards for beans and semi-processed products. This achievement comes at the right time to meet a new challenge: respecting maximum cadmium limits.
“The EDES programme is making great strides in the cocoa sector, mainly in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon. A self-assessment guide for the sector has been drafted for Ghana and adapted for the other two countries in cooperation with professional associations and relevant authorities.
This guide identifies the good practices… +
Between February and July 2025, COLEAD conducted field trials in four major tomato production zones in Kano State, Nigeria, as part of the FFM+ programme. COLEAD collaborated with Bayero University Kano (BUK) and the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) on this project. The aim of this research was to identify integrated solutions to two major challenges: heat stress, which is exacerbated by climate change, and infestations of Tuta absoluta, a highly destructive pest.
Solutions tested in the field:
The teams… +
The Research and Innovation Brokerage Department (R&I) at COLEAD plays a key role in identifying, consolidating and disseminating technical knowledge for the benefit of agri-food sectors. In collaboration with the Information and Communication Department, it develops practical tools to support stakeholders in the sector towards more sustainable and competitive practices.
In this context, these two departments work together to continuously review, update and enrich our technical guides so that they best meet the specific needs of value chains.
The latest… +
On Friday 27 June, a webinar entitled ‘Los recursos y la red de COLEAD a su servicio’ was organised specifically for the Dominican Republic, in collaboration with the Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana (JAD).
The webinar showcased the wide range of tools and services offered by COLEAD, including: the e-learning platform for training in agricultural, commercial and regulatory best practices;
access to the digital library and interactive sector data tools;
updates on European regulations via the AGRINFO programme;
the crop protection database… +
In June, three sessions were organised to inform agri-food chain stakeholders and competent authorities about new EU rules on MOH in food, which are expected to come into force in 2027. To facilitate participation by AGRINFO programme* partner countries across geographical regions, webinars were held for three different time zones with interpretation in French, Spanish and Portuguese.
The webinars attracted considerable interest, with a total of 794 people registering and more than 520 taking part in the three sessions. Presentations… +
COLEAD is pleased to announce the new version of Agrinnovators.org. This new version has been developed as part of the FFM+ programme, in collaboration with PAFO, the OECD, IICA, PFO and UN Women.
While the platform was previously focused mainly on African entrepreneurs, it is now open to all regions of the world, strengthening our commitment to South-South cooperation and knowledge sharing.
Agrinnovators.org is a dynamic platform that connects entrepreneurs, companies, and experts to accelerate the development of sustainable solutions… +
As part of the Fit For Market Plus programme, COLEAD has just launched a new training course for trainers dedicated to ‘Strengthening facilitation and communication skills for gender mainstreaming in the agri-food sector’.
This five-week programme brings together 16 carefully selected experts, supported by two educational and two technical experts. The course is directly aligned with the practical implementation of COLEAD’s Gender Strategy, which aims to embed gender equality at the heart of sustainable agri-food value chains.
The objective is… +
To celebrate the United Nations’ International Year of Women and Girls in Agriculture in 2026, COLEAD has launched ‘Voices from the Earth’, a global poetry and song contest that highlights the vital contribution of women farmers to food security and sustainable development. The theme for 2025/26 is ‘Women farmers are cultivating sustainable futures’, reflecting the priorities of the United Nations and COLEAD’s mission.
Latest news: Djaïli Amadou Amal, a Cameroonian writer and patron of the first edition of the competition,… +
Implemented by COLEAD with the support of the European Union, the AGRINFO programme is a strategic information service designed to help low- and middle-income partner countries understand, anticipate, and adapt to changes in European regulations impacting their agri-food exports. Through its digital platform, newsletter, regulatory digest and interactive Q&A service, AGRINFO gives competent authorities, private sector actors and professional organisations direct access to clear, up-to-date, actionable regulatory intelligence.
On 20 May 2025, as part of Europe Week celebrations, the European… +
From 28 to 31 May 2025, COLEAD has participated in the Feria Agroalimentaria in Santo Domingo, the Dominican Republic’s flagship agri-food event. Organised by public and private institutions every two years, the event brings together over a hundred exhibitors and thousands of visitors, providing an essential platform for promotion, dialogue and cooperation.
COLEAD had an institutional stand to inform participants about its activities and partnerships in the country. The aim of this presence is to raise the organisation’s profile and… +
In the heart of Benin, Marlène Kindji is leading a transformation in how vegetables are preserved, valued, and consumed. As the Founder and Director of Badémè Natural Foods, Marlène has made it her mission to ensure that locally grown, perishable produce doesn’t go to waste but instead nourishes communities at home and across the diaspora.
Badémè Natural Foods, established in 2017, was born out of a personal and pressing need. Marlène watched her mother, a market gardener, struggle to sell… +
In Barbados and the wider Caribbean, agriculture faces increasing challenges: soil degradation, climate change, rising input costs, and food security concerns. Against this backdrop, entrepreneur Joshua Forte is building solutions that support farmers and gardeners in growing healthier food while protecting the environment.
As founder and director of Red Diamond Compost Inc., Joshua Forte leads a social enterprise dedicated to regenerative agriculture, turning organic waste and invasive species into effective, eco-friendly soil and crop inputs.
A vision rooted in soil… +
The CEA-FIRST Consortium identifies key opportunities for strengthened EU-AU collaboration.
As part of the CEA-FIRST project aiming to establish a functional International Research Consortium (IRC) on FNSSA, a mapping report of multistakeholder initiatives (MSIs) active in the field of food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture in Africa and Europe has just been finalized. Conducted as part of Work Package 3, the aim of this mapping exercise is to support the implementation of the IRC by identifying existing multi-stakeholder… +