‘Market access and trade facilitation’ at the AU-EU Ministerial Conference: call to strengthen collaboration between the private sector, decision-makers, researchers and donors
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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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… +Gillian Goddard (Trinidad & Tobago), co-founder of the Alliance of Rural Communities
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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 Cissoko (Guinea): “Our work goes beyond products: it’s about people.”
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +Access to finance: capacity building based on a pathway to investment for MSMEs in the agri-food sector
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +Development of an internal training system – example of Dobi AgriCo Ltd., a committed partner for sustainable agri-food in Nigeria
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +Côte d’Ivoire – SODIPEX SA strengthens its internal audit capacity: an example of COLEAD post-training support
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
‘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… +Strengthening the financial resilience of professional organisations – Example of the UNCPM in Mali
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +Tomato trials in northern Nigeria: encouraging early results against heat stress and Tuta absoluta
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +A new version of Agrinnovators.org is now available, providing a global hub for entrepreneurs in the agri-food sector
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +Gender: COLEAD trains its experts to fully integrate gender into their training programmes
- 15/07/2025
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News
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… +