Growing People

Cultivating
Sustainable Futures

Transforming agriculture and food systems sustainably, with the driving forces who bring them to life

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140+ countries covered
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2030
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250M€ in investments leveraged
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COLEAD News

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New Board of Directors and Executive Committee elected at COLEAD Annual General Assembly

At its Annual General Assembly held on 25 June 2026, COLEAD members elected the association's new Board of Directors and Executive Committee.Board of DirectorsGabriel OUIDI (OCAB, Côte d'Ivoire)Hans-Willem VAN DER WAAL (AgroFair Europe, Netherlands)Jacqueline SAUZIER (Chambre d'Agriculture de Maurice, Mauritius)Jean-Marie SOP (UNAPAC, Cameroon)Karim DOSTMOHAMED (Frigoken – Spieken EPZ, Kenya)Leena MALDE (Wealmoor, United Kingdom)Maren PETERS (Tradin Organic Agriculture, Netherlands)Moctar FOFANA (AOM, Mali)Thomas HILDENBRAND (SIPEF, Belgium)Vincent OMER-DECUGIS (SIIM / Omer-Decugis & Cie, France)Executive CommitteePresident: Jean-Marie SOPVice-President: Leena MALDETreasurer: Vincent OMER-DECUGISSecretary General: Karim DOSTMOHAMEDThe General Assembly also paid tribute to Stephen Mintah, thanking him for his outstanding commitment and leadership as President over the past thirteen years.COLEAD warmly congratulates all newly elected members of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee and wishes them every success in implementing the COLEAD 2030 Strategy, working with members and partners to advance sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems.

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Laila Achieng, Connecting Kenyan farmers to global markets

With over 18 years of experience in logistics, international trade, and agribusiness, Laila Achieng has built businesses driven by a central question: how can African farmers access global markets more effectively and competitively? She is the Chief Executive Officer of CNS Nutrifoods and Trio Link Logistics Limited, two Kenyan enterprises strengthening Africa’s agrifood value chains.At CNS Nutrifoods, Laila leads the export of premium Kenyan products such as avocados, cashew nuts, vegetables, and herbs. The company works closely with farmers, focusing on quality, traceability, and responsible sourcing to meet international market requirements and unlock higher-value opportunities.Beyond fresh produce exports, CNS Nutrifoods is gradually moving toward value addition, processing, and shelf-life improvement. This approach aims to reduce post-harvest losses and increase returns along the value chain, ensuring that growth benefits producers as well as the business.Logistics is a core pillar of Laila’s work. Through Trio Link Logistics Limited, she supports exporters in navigating international trade by providing export readiness, compliance support, and supply chain coordination. The company increasingly integrates digital tools, data analytics, and AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency and transparency.By combining agribusiness and logistics, Laila has developed a complementary business model that addresses key challenges faced by African SMEs, including fragmented supply chains and high transaction costs. Her work reflects a strong commitment to African-led solutions built on partnerships, robust systems, and market-driven strategies.An alumna of Harvard CORe and USIU Africa’s MBA programme, Laila Achieng exemplifies how locally rooted enterprises can create sustainable value while positioning African agriculture as a credible player in global food markets.Laila Achieng shared her entrepreneurial journey during Innovation Session N°25, organised by PAFO and COLEAD which explored how foresight can equip african agrifood entrepreneurs to anticipate key changes, climate impacts, demographic pressures, digital transitions, safety requirements and respond proactively.Join the Climate resilience conversation on the Agrinnovators Forum.This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.

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Nigel Jordan, co-founder and CEO of Twigs Naturals: From a Family Garden to a National Brand

Nigel Jordan is a Trinidad and Tobago–based entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of Twigs Naturals, a company producing natural teas, seasonings, and essential oils.The idea behind the business began in 2014 when Nigel and his son experimented with herbs from their family garden to create tea bags for a school project. The results encouraged further exploration of local ingredients, leading Nigel to develop early herbal tea prototypes that were well received within his community. Despite initial skepticism about the commercial viability of locally made herbal teas, he continued refining the concept.Nigel brings over 20 years of experience in telecoms and web application development, including e-services and e-commerce systems. This background influenced his structured, systems-based approach to building the business, particularly in production management and operations.In 2016, he formalised the venture as Twigs Naturals. To strengthen his expertise, Nigel participated in the Business Hatchery Programme at the Caribbean Industrial Research Institute (CARIRI) and became a certified tea specialist through the Specialty Tea Institute in the United States. A key part of his approach has been sourcing herbs from local farmers across Trinidad and Tobago. Although the company's first raw materials came from Paramin, it quickly expanded its sourcing across the country, reinforcing its brand's focus on representing the authentic taste of the islands. The company produces a range of 100% natural teas, blended infusions, dried seasonings, and essential oils. Production follows HACCP, GMP, and PCQI standards, with an emphasis on consistency, food safety, and quality control. It also uses recyclable packaging and composts organic waste as part of its environmental practices.Nigel also leveraged external support to strengthen the business. Through COLEAD's Fit For Market+ Programme, Twigs Naturals benefited from online trainings on Sustainable Energy Management, Managing Gender Dynamics in the Workplace, and Labour Conditions as well as post-training support on food fraud and food defence.For Nigel Jordan, a simple idea rooted in local resources can evolve into a structured business that supports farmers, promotes sustainability, and brings Caribbean products to international markets.Nigel Jordan presented his enterprise during the Caribbean Agrifood Business Session n°2, organised by IICA and COLEAD, and aimed at showcasing the innovations and successes of Caribbean farmer-led businesses and small and medium enterprises. You can access the business profile of Twigs Naturals here.This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union. This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.

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Strengthening youth agricultural entrepreneurship through business plan development support for SUGECO in Tanzania

In Tanzania, the youth-led cooperative SUGECO received post-training support from COLEAD, under the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, to transform an initial draft business plan into a robust, investment-ready document. The outcome: a five-year plan, a detailed market study and financial tools to launch a spice business creating employment opportunities for young people.

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The Gambia – SPRING Programme: first achievements and new approaches to support Gambian horticulture

Officially launched on 14 April 2026, the SPRING programme (Sustainable Production for Resilient and Inclusive New Generations) is now entering its operational phase in The Gambia. Funded by the European Union with a budget of of €18.9 million and implemented by COLEAD over the 2025-2030 period, SPRING aims to strengthen the contribution of the Gambian horticultural sector to economic growth, food security, food safety and nutrition, by accelerating a resilient, market-driven and people-centred agroecological transition — particularly for women and young people.

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COLEAD — COmmittee Linking for Entrepreneurship, Agriculture and Development — works towards the sustainable transformation of food value chains, particularly horticultural ones, in countries and regions where development needs are greatest.

An international not-for-profit association founded in 1973, COLEAD brings together farmers, businesses, professional organisations, technical partners and public institutions around one conviction: the sustainable transformation of food systems rests on the economic viability of food value chains, the essential condition for their social and environmental sustainability.

COLEAD is ISO 21001 certified. This certification is a management system standard designed specifically for educational organisations. It covers vocational training in sustainable agriculture and demonstrates COLEAD’s commitment to developing skills and expertise in this field through education, learning and research.

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Series · Portraits

Those who
cultivate the future.

A curated selection of agrinnovators around the world — women and men transforming their value chains, territories, and communities.

Discover the portraits →
27portraits published
Do you know Bonolo Monthe, CEO of Maungo Craft in Botswana
Do you know Bonolo Monthe, CEO of M… BW
Do you know Norbert MONKAM, CEO of AGRO PME in Cameroon
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 Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu inspires us and you
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 Yvonne Otieno inspires us and you
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 Dr Evelyn Maureen Acquaye inspires us and you
GH
 In memory of Guilhem Picker: a visionary for sustainable agricultural development
CM
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Our action

Closely aligned with those who are transforming the food sector.

Historically rooted in Africa and the Caribbean with partner countries of the European Union, COLEAD now operates on a global scale, on the ground and through its digital tools.

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Knowledge hub

Access trusted resources to improve performance, competitiveness and sustainability.

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Training platform

50,000 registered users · open access

Our e-learning platform offers self-paced courses and group sessions on food safety (SPS), sustainable agricultural practices, business management and many other topics. Whether you want to build your skills on …

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Resources Library

Technical library and publications

Open-access resource centre · continuously updated

Our online resource centre gives access to a wide range of technical content: market studies, sector profiles, regulatory guidelines for market access, training tools and much more. Continuously updated by …

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Regulations and standards (AGRINFO)

The latest on EU AGRI-Food policies impacting low- and middle-income countries

Through the AGRINFO programme, we continuously monitor the regulatory developments of the European Union that affect operators in low- and middle-income countries. Regulatory intelligence essential to anticipate change and prepare …

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Resources Analytics

Market information

Interactive dashboards · volumes, values, SPS notifications

Our interactive dashboards enable our partners to monitor market trends in volume and value, as well as SPS notifications and interceptions, across most agri-food value chains.

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Crop Protection Database and good practices

Database by crop and active substance · compliant with EU MRLs and Codex

Our database supports Integrated Pest Management (IPM) by helping farmers control pests and diseases while minimising negative impacts on people and the environment. Searches can be made by crop and …

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Agrinnovators

Business hub — Agrinnovators

Networking platform · business profiles · agri-food sessions

Agrinnovators brings together all information on the agri-food sessions we organise with regional organisations: programmes, speakers, business profiles, impact stories and key topics (agroecology, circular economy, climate resilience, markets and …

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