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Sustainable Futures

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

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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 Paramin's aromatic plants to international markets

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 working directly with local farmers across the Paramin region of Trinidad and Tobago. These partnerships support sustainable sourcing of herbs while providing income opportunities for farming communities.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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New EU rules on MOAH: a topic mobilising the global agri-food sector

In June, COLEAD, through AGRINFO, held two webinar sessions on the "New EU rules on maximum levels for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH)", which brought together 1,134 participants from 87 countries. Veerle Vanheusden (European Commission) set out the content of the upcoming Regulation on MOAH, and food quality expert Claus-Michael Brieber (Food QSafety First) provided advice on strategies to mitigate the risk of MOAH contamination. What is it about?MOAH are contaminants derived from mineral oils that can find their way into food through multiple sources (lubricants, printing inks, packaging materials, harvesting and processing operations). In its 2023 scientific opinion, EFSA confirmed that food containing MOAH can damage DNA in cells and may cause cancer. The upcoming Regulation sets for the first time maximum levels (MLs) for MOAH in certain foods. Most MLs will apply from 1 January 2027, but for some MLs a later application date is foreseen.Which products and what implications?The new MLs concern a wide range of products: oilseeds and oil fruits, animal and vegetable fats and oils, tree nuts, pulses, cereals, milk, dairy products, cocoa beans, cocoa products, spices, dried herbs, dry tea and herbal infusions, food supplements, food additives, foods for infants and young children and for compound and processed food containing these ingredients. No maximum levels are set for fresh foods, such as fruits, vegetables meet and seafood. There is currently not sufficient data available to set maximum levels for processed foods, but EU competent authorities are recommended to investigate together with food operators foods that are found to exceed “indicative levels” that the Commission has recommended. All sectors are therefore advised to check for the presence of MOAH in their supply chains. Suppliers face two particular challenges. Firstly, MOAH contamination can come from multiple sources including the environment, agricultural machinery, food processing and packaging. Secondly, identifying sources of MOAH will require significant analysis of food, but there is currently limited laboratory capacity for testing MOAH outside the EU.Further information The webinar presentations, together with recordings in English, French and Spanish, are available on the AGRINFO Webinars page: https://agrinfo.eu/webinars/. French and Spanish translations of the presentations will be published shortly, along with a questions-and-answers document compiling the questions raised during the two sessions.This activity is supported by the AGRINFO programme, implemented by COLEAD and funded by the European Union (EU). This publication receives financial support from the European Union. 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.

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OFRUTTI in Senegal: post-training support strengthens financial management

Founded in 2021, OFRUTTI processes locally grown Senegalese fruit into high-value products for both domestic and international markets, helping to reduce post-harvest losses while increasing producers' incomes. The company has recently benefited from post-training technical assistance to translate the knowledge acquired through the Accounting and Financial Management training into practical business practices. Delivered under the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, this tailored support strengthened OFRUTTI's financial management tools and provided the company with a clear roadmap to prepare for its future growth and development projects.

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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
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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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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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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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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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