Celebrate resilient African and Caribbean MSMEs supporting sustainability, growth and inclusion
- 27/06/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Caribbean, Côte d'Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
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With respectively less than 10, 50 and 250 employees, Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of most economies. They account worldwide for over 70% of all businesses and for more than 50% of jobs,1 especially for women and youth. MSMEs work with millions of family farms and contribute to securing food safety and security, providing nutrition to local consumers and communities, as well as promoting innovation and creativity towards sustainable food systems. MSMEs are highly sensitive to… +INNOVATIONS SERIES: Business Profiles of the SMEs showcased in the first 7 sessions
- 04/05/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, News, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda
In November 2020, the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and COLEACP launched the Innovations Series on innovations and successes of African farmer-led businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs, despite the numerous challenges they face, have unprecedented opportunities to supply local, regional and export markets. Moreover, innovation is a driving force in transforming food systems, promoting sustainable agriculture and leveraging investment. In this context, PAFO and COLEACP hold a two-hour session, every two months, to share best practices from entrepreneurs,… +Catch up on our latest webinars showcasing ACP agribusinesses
- 06/04/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: ACP EN, News
Two recent webinars focused on agrifood businesses in the Caribbean and Africa: “Agriculture trade: Opportunities for SMEs and businesses in export markets” (with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, IICA); and “Catalysing young African agri-entrepreneurs’ investments” (with the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization, PAFO). Agriculture trade: Opportunities for SMEs and businesses in export markets IICA-COLEACP Caribbean Agrifood Business Series: Session No. 5 This series focuses on innovations and successes of Caribbean farmer-led businesses and SMEs. The 31 March session highlighted the… +INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S RIGHTS DAY 2022
- 08/03/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: ACP EN, News
Celebrate women in the agrifood sector! Worldwide, about a third of established businesses are women owned and managed.1 Sub-Saharan Africa has of the highest rates of women’s entrepreneurs.2 Latin America and the Caribbean region show a high rate of women entrepreneurs involved in high-growth activity and manufacturing and transportation sector, half of them being under the age of 35.3 Women are a significant entrepreneurial force as owners of farms, input supply stores, service delivery businesses, and processing and export firms… +Our most read news of 2021
- 11/02/2022
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: News, Togo
Highlighting dynamic young people in agriculture, and developments in sustainable production COLEACP’s most viewed news stories last year featured environmental sustainability training, organic regulation, agripreneurs, and incubator training for young technical managers in Togo. These activities are supported by the EU-funded Fit For Market and Fit For Market SPS programmes, and the STDF project in Togo, part of a suite of programmes implemented by COLEACP. Launch of group distance training on Environmental Sustainability Management A new training series under… +INNOVATIONS SERIES : 1-year anniversary of inspiring stories from African businesses and SMEs
- 16/11/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Benin, Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, News, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda
In November 2020, the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and COLEACP launched the Innovations Series held every two months and aimed at showcasing innovations and successes of African farmer-led businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Six Innovations Sessions have been organised on various topics and featured 24 inspiring farmers groups and entrepreneurs. They presented their businesses to more than 2 200 participants from more than 100 countries on different continents. Find here a snapshot of their presentations which we hope… +COLEACP and partners supporting sustainable entrepreneurship
- 25/10/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Caribbean, News, Pacific
During September and October COLEACP collaborated with partners to present four online events, supported by the Fit For Market programme. With OECD: Fruit and Vegetables Industry Series: Session no. 1 On 14 September the OECD Fruit and Vegetables Scheme and COLEACP launched the Fruit and Vegetables Industry Series to highlight the significance of the sector in the context of the United Nations International Year of Fruit and Vegetables (#IYVF2021). The first joint session, with 220 participants, focused on “The fruit… +Congratulations to ColdHubs and all the winners of “Best Small Business: Good Food for All”
- 16/09/2021
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: Africa, Nigeria
This year’s UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS2021) launched a competition to recognise the importance of (SMEs) to the future of food and to acknowledge that small businesses are too rarely heard on the international stage. The Best Small Business: Good Food for All competition selected 50 winning SMEs – from cafes through farmer cooperatives to digital start-ups – from nearly 2,000 applications from 135 countries. The winners and share US$100,000 in cash prizes. Their stories and impactful work is presented… +International Food Safety Day 2021 : promotion of companies from the Innovations sessions
- 07/06/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, News, Rwanda, Uganda
CELEBRATE WITH PAFO AND COLEACP AFRICAN MSMEs CONTRIBUTING TO SAFE AND HEALTHY FOOD FOR ALL NOW AND TOMORROW! Micro, Small and Medium Size Enterprises (MSMEs) are responsible for producing a large share of the food consumed in Africa. They provide employment, offer opportunities for job creation and very importantly, contribute to food and nutrition security of local consumers and communities. Therefore, ensuring safe and quality food is essential. Despite many technical and financial challenges, many MSMEs have succeeded, through perseverance… +Catch up on the PAFO-COLEACP Innovation Session n°4
- 28/05/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, News
The Innovations Series, co-organised by the Pan-African Farmers’ Organization (PAFO) and COLEACP, showcases innovations and successes of African farmer-led businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The fourth Session focused on “Sustainable food systems: the key role of SMEs and businesses” and was followed live by more than 450 participants on Thursday 20 May. Four inspiring entrepreneurs presented how their successful businesses contribute to creating sustainable food systems: Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu is the founder and CEO of ColdHubs Limited, a social… +