Supporting partner countries in achieving compliance with EU organic standards: the case of Zimbabwe
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
No Comments
As part of the FFM+ programme, COLEAD recently supported the Rusitu Valley Fruit Growers and Marketing Trust (RVGMT) and the Pineapple Growers Agricultural Cooperative Society Limited (PGACSL) in aligning their Quality Management System (QMS) and Internal Control System (ICS) with the new EU Organic Regulation (EU 2018/848). This revision of the European framework introduces stricter requirements for group certification, traceability, and transparency, which are essential for maintaining access to EU organic markets. The assignment involved close collaboration with the RVGMT… +Strengthening dialogue for a sustainable agro-industry in West Africa: insights from the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
From 15 to 18 September 2025, COLEAD took part through the FFM+ programme, in the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition (GISE), a major event for industrial transformation in Ghana and across West Africa. The mission aimed to strengthen synergies between public, private and technical partners, while showcasing initiatives implemented through the Fit for Market Plus (FFM+) and AGRINFO programmes. Beyond institutional visibility, this participation marked a key milestone in promoting a sustainable, innovative, and competitive regional agro-industry. The GISE: a… +Flashback 2014 – Tapping into local and regional markets
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
Source : Horizons magazine, October 2014 (…) COLEACP helps farmers improve the quality of products for the local market. As the standard of living rises in the ACP states, short supply chains now offer real opportunities for economic development. Local and regional markets are developing into important outlets for the agrifood sector in Africa and the Caribbean. They represent an attractive alternative to export. In many African countries, selling goods at a stall or a local grocery is no longer… +Strengthening local agri-food value chains and women’s entrepreneurship: the example of Casamance, Senegal
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
Processing units play a central role in creating added value, ensuring product quality, and enhancing the competitiveness of horticultural value chains. Moreover, strengthening the technical and organisational capacities of small enterprises and cooperatives is a key condition for scaling up the regional agri-food sector and recognising the economic role of women within value chains. In Casamance, training sessions organised through the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme have brought together production and processing managers with a clear objective: to improve… +Strengthening crop protection: the example of Ramsay Agriculture
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, COLEAD provided technical assistance to Ramsay Agriculture, a small but dynamic farming enterprise based in Mzuzu (Malawi), through the Horticultural Production and Marketing Consortium (HOPMAC). Towards a safer and more sustainable production model The support aimed to help the company put into practice the knowledge acquired during the training course “Developing a Crop Protection Strategy”. Over four intensive days, the COLEAD expert assessed existing pest management practices, trained field staff… +Towards circular waste management: example of support for Jacarandas in Madagascar
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, Jacarandas, a company specialising in the production of spices and essential oils in Madagascar, benefited from technical assistance to update its Waste Management Plan (WMP). The mission, carried out jointly by LONO (Côte d’Ivoire) and SOATY, a Malagasy expert trained under the programme, aimed to provide the company with a plan aligned with international standards and oriented towards a “Zero Waste” policy, through the recovery or treatment of all waste… +Supporting agribusinesses in developing bankable business plans: the case of Produhort in Malawi
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, COLEAD supports agribusinesses in developing bankable business plans, essential tools for growth and long-term sustainability. In this context, a post-training support mission was conducted with Produhort Investments Ltd, a horticultural enterprise based in Lilongwe (Malawi). As a participant in the “Develop a Business Plan for Your Agribusiness” training, Produhort received tailored coaching to finalise and strengthen its 2025–2030 business plan. A business plan to guide growth The mission’s objective was… +Sustainable products for healthy living: Thanthwe Enterprises (Malawi) leads the way towards regional and international markets
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
Thanthwe Enterprises, an innovative agri-food company from Malawi, has benefited from strategic support through the FFM+ programme, aimed at strengthening its competitiveness and structuring its expansion into regional and international markets. This support provided the company with strategic guidance and in-depth market analysis to inform its approach to market entry in Southern Africa, notably South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique, with a longer-term goal of expanding into the European Union. The study revealed the strong potential of Thanthwe’s diverse product portfolio,… +Social sustainability through SMETA 4-Pillar certification: The example of Chisel Investments in Zimbabwe
- 03/11/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of the Fit for Market Plus (FFM+) programme, COLEAD recently carried out a follow-up mission at Chisel Investments Pvt Ltd, a horticultural company based in Headlands, Zimbabwe. The objective was to assess the progress made in implementing the SMETA 4-Pillar standard and to identify the remaining steps required to achieve certification. Encouraging progress over one year Since the first assessment in 2024, Chisel Investments has made significant progress, particularly in developing internal policies and procedures that align with… +New DeSIRA LIFT reports to promote innovation and skills for transforming African food systems
- 09/09/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
The DeSIRA LIFT programme has recently published several reports that highlight key initiatives aimed at strengthening agricultural innovation and inclusion in Africa. ‘Women and Innovation’: Fifteen case studies illustrate the central role of women in transforming agri-food systems, whether as farmers, entrepreneurs, researchers, or community leaders. Their innovations foster sustainable livelihoods, community resilience, and responsible natural resource management. From research to business: In collaboration with the RUFORUM network, a study analysed how universities in countries such as Cameroon, Senegal,… +