News digest: Agri-food markets, production and trade
- 06/12/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Avocados, Cameroon, Caribbean, Citrus fruits, Coffee, Fiji, Kenya, Mangoes, News, Nigeria, Pacific, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda
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Agri-food Africa Rwanda: Rwanda plans to double its lending to agriculture Rwanda plans to double its lending to the agricultural sector from 5.2 to 10.4% by 2024. The goal is to modernise agriculture, which now accounts for one-third of Rwanda’s GDP. Small farms can rarely access financial services due to high interest rates (18-24% per year). Access to these loans will enable farmers to invest in new means of production and thus secure the food supply for a country whose… +Updated guidance on the new EU Organic Regulation
- 29/11/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Caribbean, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, News, Nigeria, Pacific, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe
The new EU Organic Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/848), originally intended to apply from 1 January 2021, was postponed to 1 January 2022 to allow for completion of the secondary legislation due to Covid-19, among other reasons. In the meantime, several new delegated and implementing acts have been issued during 2021. At the time of writing, 18 items of secondary legislation have been published, and a further eight are in the adoption process. These latest changes are included in COLEACP’s “Update… +News digest: Agri-food markets and production
- 20/09/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Apples, Avocados, Bananas, Berries, Caribbean, Cherries, Citrus fruits, Ginger, Mangoes, News, Onions, Pacific, Papayas, Pineapples, Tomatoes, Watermelons
AFRICA Réunion Island vanilla gets EU Protected Geographical Indication Vanilla from Réunion Island has just been registered by the European Commission in the register of Protected Geographical Indications (PGI). Its reputation is based on its unique aromatic bouquet, the result of the plant’s perfect acclimatisation on the volcanic slopes of the east of the island and the know-how developed by the people of Reunion. Source: Commodafrica, 30 August 2021 Opportunities for Ethiopian avocados “Ethiopia has huge potential in avocados” says… +Zimbabwe: Pineapple smallholders achieve organic certification
- 10/09/2021
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: Africa, News, Zimbabwe
“The Trust is excited, ZimTrade is thrilled, GreenStone Foods is over the moon whilst COLEACP is looking at building on this success to help the Trust grow. What a journey!” William Zirebwa, COLEACP National Relay Zimbabwe In August 2021, 45 smallholder pineapple farmers in Rusitu Valley, Chipinge, members of the Rusitu Valley Fruit Growers and Marketing Trust (RVFGMT), received a major boost when they achieved organic certification of their pineapples by Ecocert (The Herald, 27 August). The attainment of… +IFOAM Survey on Pesticide Residues
- 03/08/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Caribbean, News, Pacific
Dear Partners COLEACP is contacting you with details and links to a survey on pesticide residues in organic products that is being conducted by IFOAM Organic Europe and FiBL. Their work addresses an issue that, as you know, creates serious challenges for the organic sector. The results will benefit the sector as a whole and we strongly urge you to take part. Background IFOAM Organic Europe and FiBL are currently working on the project: ‘Developing Organic: Pesticide use and contamination’… +Togo: young people honoured at closing of “Incubator for technical managers” project
- 29/07/2021
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News, Togo
The closing event of the “incubator for technical managers” project, implemented in Togo from June 2020 to February 2021, took place on 10 June 2021. The project was set up by COLEACP in collaboration with Togolese companies in the framework of the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) Togo Project. Other partners who were involved in the occasion included the European Union Delegation, the German development agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ), the Plant Protection Directorate (DPV) of Togo… +Mali: Mango exporter ETS Yaffa & Frères benefits from a business loan
- 19/07/2021
- Posted by: Gaetan Dermien
- Category: Africa, Mali, Mangoes
The ABC Fund (Agri-Business Capital) recently provided loans to three African agri-businesses to support their working capital needs and expansion, enabling higher rural employment and securing market access for farmers in their respective sectors (African Farming, 3 June). Image source : ETS Yaffa et Frères One of the successful companies is COLEACP member Etablissement Yaffa & Frères, one of the largest local fresh mango exporters in Mali. Yaffa has been a member of COLEACP since 2007, and over the past… +Understanding the new EU Organic Regulation
- 24/06/2021
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: Apples, Avocados, Bananas, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Capsicum, Cassava, Chillies, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic Of The Congo, Ethnic vegetables, French beans, Ginger, Guinea, Lettuces, Madagascar, Mali, Mangoes, Mangosteens, News, Okra, Onions, Papayas, Passion fruit, Pears, Pepper, Plantains, Rwanda, Senegal, Shallots, Spinach, Sweet potatoes, Togo, Tomatoes
COLEACP organised an online workshop on 15 June to present the changes and potential impacts of the new European Union (EU) Organic Regulation 2018/848, which will enter into force in January 2022. The workshop brought together 80 participants, COLEACP partners involved in the production and export of organic fruit and vegetables. They were given a presentation by Michel Reynaud, Board Member of IFOAM Organics Europe and Vice President of Ecocert, who reviewed the main changes of the new regulation that… +Support for setting up organic pineapple production at TROPICAUX
- 06/05/2021
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: Guinea, News
COLEACP has been supporting the setup of organic pineapple production at the TROPICAUX company in Guinea. This activity has two objectives – to provide training and accompany TROPICAUX in the implementation of its pineapple plots according to the organic agriculture reference system; and to reinforce the capacities of a Guinean expert in pineapple production. There are several elements involved: diagnosis of the plots envisaged by the company; providing training for managers on the technical itinerary for organic pineapple; and working… +Nigeria – DANGOTE engaged in progressive training sessions
- 12/02/2021
- Posted by: Sandra Borma
- Category: News, Nigeria
COLEACP’s Field Training Workshop method – training for Dangote Farms At the end of January, COLEACP facilitated training on crop protection, safe use of pesticides and the Field Training Worksohp method for Dangote Farms Limited in Nigeria. The company grows tomatoes with over 5,000 smallholders in the area around Kano, processing the crop into tomato paste for the domestic market. The extension staff who took part in the training are planning to make use of the skills they acquired to… +