A year of action to support agricultural cooperatives/ companies in Africa: COLEAD and the Shared Interest Foundation reflect on a promising partnership
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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Between February 2024 and February 2025, COLEAD, in partnership with the Shared Interest Foundation (SIF), designed and implemented a capacity building programme for eight selected agricultural cooperatives / companies (coffee, cocoa, vegetables) in Rwanda, Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire. A four-part support approach The support pathway was structured around four key actions, tailored to the needs of each cooperative following an initial diagnostic assessment: Organisational and financial diagnostics : Each cooperative benefited from an analysis of its governance and financial management… +Closure of NExT Kenya: “Asante sana! Let’s build on the programme’s legacy together”
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: Uncategorized
The closing workshop of the NExT Kenya (New Export Trade Kenya) programme took place in Nairobi on 28 March 2025, marking the end of a five-year journey to strengthen horticultural value chains in Kenya. Led by COLEAD and funded by the European Union to the tune of €5 million, the programme brought together a wide range of public and private partners to address key challenges in the sector, while laying the foundations for long-term transformation. A resilient programme in a… +Africa : sustainability of agribusiness SMEs ; COLEAD’s Self-Assessment System shows progress achieved over 5 years – the case of Kenya
- 08/04/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
As part of its holistic approach to sustainability, COLEAD has developed a Sustainability Self-Assessment System (SAS) over the past ten years and through the FFM programmes. This system is designed to help agricultural stakeholders – particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and producer groups – analyse their practices, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and make progress towards more responsible and competitive agriculture. The SAS is based on four key objectives: To create a dynamic of continuous improvement… +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… +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… +