Since its launch in February 2024, the partnership between COLEAD and the Shared Interest Foundation (SIF) has been dedicated to strengthening eight selected cooperatives/companies in Côte d’Ivoire (three), Rwanda (four) and Uganda (one). This initiative concluded in February 2025, marked by a significant initiative – an interactive e-session on climate change awareness, conducted in both English and French.
Raising awareness on climate change
The two-day virtual session provided an engaging platform for participating companies/cooperatives to explore the intersection of climate… +
Research trial demonstration day at GART (Zambia)
On 10 January 2025, the Golden Valley Agricultural Research Trust (GART) successfully hosted a Research Trial Demonstration Day at its research farm in Chisamba, Zambia. The event showcased the progress of trials conducted under COLEAD’s Fit For Market Plus programme in partnership with GART.
The primary objective of this research is to explore the potential benefits of integrating underutilised crops, such as Cleome and Amaranthus, into established tomato and cabbage production systems. These… +
A recent scientific article highlights the results of a digital technology pilot project carried out in collaboration with the Uganda Avocado Association. This project, funded by the FFM+ programme, aims to support the development of the Hass avocado sector in Uganda and more broadly in the East African region. This publication represents a significant step forward in the promotion and dissemination of knowledge on sustainable agriculture.
Read the full article: Characterising avocado production systems for Ugandan exports: the need for… +
Unprecedented series of e-meetings: more than 100 experts already on board in January 2025
The COLEAD Training Department has embarked on a major transformation in 2025 with the launch of a series of innovative information sessions, available in English and French. These sessions aim to strengthen the skills of trainers by providing them with concrete tools to enrich their teaching practice and to fully exploit the potential of digital technology in distance learning.
The first session, dedicated to BigBlueButton, marked… +
Be ready to participate in the conference ‘Boosting agrifood research and innovation cooperation for impact at scale’, which will be held in Brussels, Belgium, on March 11, 12, and 13, 2025.
The aims of the conference are (i) to share results and lessons on the contribution of R&I projects to agrifood systems transitions, (ii) to identify key enablers and hurdles to achieve impact at scale through innovation, (iii) explore future contributions of R&I for agrifood systems transitions, innovation systems and… +
As part of a mission to strengthen sustainable agricultural practices in Zimbabwe, Greenstone Foods and Mdusoutpost have received targeted technical support to implement GLOBALG.A.P. standards through the FFM+ programme. This post-training support enables them to structure their activities with a view to certification and access to international markets.
Mdusoutpost: laying the foundations for future exports
Mdusoutpost is a farm specialising in the production of tomatoes, onions and cabbages. Looking to enter the UK and EU markets with snow peas and… +
Source PIP Magazine November 2008
“A study was organized jointly by the WTO SPS Committee, Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Report / September 2008). The research was based on replies from WTO Members and the OECD Development Assistance Committee Contact Points in response to a request for information on good practice in SPS-related technical cooperation. Members were asked to identify one or more SPSrelated technical assistance projects which could be… +
COLEAD is supporting four women-led micro-enterprises in Casamance, Sénégal, as part of the Fit for Market Plus (FFM+) programme. This initiative illustrates COLEAD’s commitment to the economic empowerment of women in the agricultural sector.
Concrete support for better financial management
Between October and November 2024, a coaching mission was carried out to help these businesses apply the knowledge acquired during the “Accounting and Financial Management” training in December 2023. This support enabled the entrepreneurs to assess the profitability of their… +
Stay tuned in 2025 for in-depth and useful knowledge to understand access to finance and how to actually get it
Access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges for micro, small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises (MSMEs), particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). While the sector accounts for nearly 49% of employment and 17% of GDP, the lack of adequate finance hinders productivity, rural development and food security.
Yet agricultural MSMEs play a driving role in economic growth and poverty reduction.… +
Would you like to take part? Click here
To mark the International Year of Women Farmers, proclaimed by the United Nations for 2026, COLEAD is launching ‘Voices from the Earth”, a global poetry and song competition, which aims to celebrate the essential role of women farmers in food security and rural development. The 2025/26 theme is therefore: ‘Women farmers cultivate sustainable futures’, fully in line with both the theme chosen by the United Nations and COLEAD’s mission.
The competition benefits… +
COLEAD’s distance learning platform has just reached a milestone in its history: more than 30,000 learners have now joined our learning community!
This new milestone is the result of our commitment to continuously improve the user experience and provide content tailored to the needs of the agricultural sector.
Here are just a few of the features that illustrate the quality of the platform’s content: An interactive guided tour: so that every user can easily find their way from the first… +
Tania Lieuw-A-Soe, President of SURIVIT N.V., is a leading figure in social entrepreneurship in Suriname.
SURIVIT N.V. is a thriving social enterprise specialising in cassava processing that embodies a model of commitment to food security, economic growth and the emancipation of women in rural areas.
A career rooted in agriculture
Born into a farming family, Tania developed a passion for the land and entrepreneurship at an early age. After studying in Suriname and the Netherlands, she founded a company in… +
Lalaina Marie Chantal is Sustainable Development Manager at Lecofruit (Basan Group), Madagascar
In the demanding landscape of modern agribusiness, Lalaina Marie Chantal RAVAOARISOA stands out as a passionate and committed player in sustainable development. With a clear vision and unwavering determination, she now holds the position of Sustainable Development Manager at Lecofruit, where she combines innovation, social impact and respect for the environment.
For several years, Lalaina has embodied the vital link between economic issues and sustainability at Lecofruit, a… +
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… +
Between September and December 2014, the National Plant Protection Organisations (NPPOs) of Suriname, Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts received support from the FFM+ programme to strengthen their knowledge and expertise in regulatory frameworks. This initiative focused on the mandatory registration and traceability of operators and the establishment of a risk-based operator classification system. Divided into six sessions, the training provided practical tools and key insights tailored to the needs of competent authorities from English-speaking Caribbean countries.
Outcomes and feedback from… +
The Sanidad e Innovación Agropecuaria (SIA) project, implemented by COLEAD for the Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic, is making steady progress. Structured around four strategic ‘blocks’, the project aims to mobilise institutional infrastructures and strengthen the country’s capacity in the field of sanitary and phytosanitary safety. A team of 12 international and local experts mobilised by COLEAD is working closely with local stakeholders to deliver the 46 products expected by August 2026.
Key achievements in the four components… +
Two new biopesticides have been officially registered by the Kenyan regulatory authority, the Pest Control Products Board (PCPB), for use on 3 minor crops: Eco-Bb (Beauveria bassiana strain R444 2.0×108 cfu/g) to control aphids, whiteflies and thrips on basil.
Eco-Bb (Beauveria bassiana strain R444 2.0×108 cfu/g) to control false codling moth (FCM) and fruit flies on mango.
Levo 2.4 SL (Oxymatrine 2.4%) for the control of FCM on avocado. These registrations, which are the result of field trials supported by… +
The Market Insights department is part of COLEAD’s Facilitating Access to Markets division. Its main objective is to translate qualitative and quantitative data into (i) an in-depth understanding of agri-food markets and (ii) concrete initiatives for the benefit of partners benefiting from COLEAD and its programmes in terms of marketing or sales. To this end, the team facilitates the exchange of information and the establishment of B2B relationships useful to support the decision-making processes. The team is made up of… +
In January 2025, COLEAD organised a training session in Dakar as part of the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme. The aim of this initiative was to strengthen the teaching skills of expert trainers to better communicate key messages on hygiene, traceability and safe use of plant protection products to horticultural businesses.
As part of a regional capacity-building initiative, this session targeted 16 experts from West and Central Africa who had previously been trained in ‘training and communication techniques’ and… +
COLEAD manages and implements international and local programmes/projects funded by partners. Since 2015, COLEAD has diversified its financial partnerships by becoming more firmly rooted at local level via national programmes that complement multi-country intra-ACP interventions such as Fit For Market. It is in this context and with this rationale of deepening and increasing COLEAD’s action and impact at ‘country’ level that new programmes have recently been signed with the European Union delegations for the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire and Uganda… +
Media coverage of the farmers’ protests in 2023-2024 highlighted the immense challenges facing the agricultural sector. Rising costs, pressure from retailers, mounting debt and the effects of climate change are threatening the viability of farms, affecting not only producers but the entire agri-food supply chain. In particular, these mobilisations call for fair prices and concrete mechanisms to protect farmers from their structurally vulnerable position in the food chain.
In this context, and in line with its long-standing advocacy for fairer… +
As part of the Freshfel initiative on the Environmental Footprint, the “Fresh Produce PEFCR” Technical Secretariat (TS) invites all industry representatives to give their opinion on the second version of the FreshProducePEFCR document. This document develops technical rules for calculating the environmental footprint of fruit and vegetables.
A consultation open to all stakeholders
The second public consultation will run from 13 January to 10 February 2025. The aim of this exercise is to ensure that a variety of perspectives are… +
Last November, COLEAD provided a post-training support in the field of sustainable energy management to WANGU PTY LTD, a fruit and vegetable processing company in Sierra Leone. This intervention, carried out as part of the FFM+ programme, included a Type 1 energy audit according to the ISO 50002:2014 standard. The aim was to optimise the company’s energy consumption and improve its overall operational efficiency.
An energy audit for efficiency
The audit focused on analysing energy consumption patterns at WANGU’s Masiaka… +
(Source : Pip Magazine n°11, April 2007)
“In addition, the Toolbox contains databases covering relevant supporting information. The Toolbox was designed as a CD-ROM, with the aim of providing a solution to the problems that face export companies in accessing important information, while at the same time minimising internet connection problems experienced in most ACP countries. The Toolbox comes in the form of two CD-ROMS. Once they are installed on a computer, they provide access to several sources of information,… +