We equip
500 members across 50 countries. Thousands of partners through our programmes and projects. 50,000 people trained through our e-learning programmes. From the ground to strategy, we equip those who keep food chains running.
The statement
Our conviction in one sentence
You cannot sustainably transform a food system without making it economically viable. Everything else — social justice, climate resilience, nutrition for all — does not hold without this foundation.
→ That is why we have existed since 1973.
→ That is why we are accelerating now.
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.
Our approach is grounded in the field and co-built with local actors. It combines technical expertise, long-term support, networking and advocacy to bring out solutions that are appropriate, ambitious, affordable and able to be taken up locally.
Key figures
50+
years — founded in 1973
100+
staff across 5 offices
05
Paris · Brussels · Lomé · Nairobi · Santo Domingo
140+
countries of intervention
500
members across 50 countries
240+
technical and institutional partners — and thousands more through our programmes and projects
1200
A network of experts available for assignments
50k
learners trained through our e-learning programmes
Paris · HQ
Brussels
Nairobi
Lomé
Santo Domingo
Our identity in three words
A community
An international movement of economic actors engaged in the sustainable transformation of food value chains. Members, staff, experts, partners: together, we form a community that learns, shares and acts.
A knowledge centre
Over fifty years of accumulated technical expertise, ground-level data, tried-and-tested methods, training programmes and digital platforms. This knowledge we produce, organise and share for the benefit of food ecosystems.
A purpose
The sustainable transformation of food value chains rests on their economic viability. Without viable, inclusive and competitive economic models, social and environmental progress cannot take root in the long term.
Our vision & mission
A world where food systems feed populations, sustain those who keep them running, and regenerate the environment — where it matters most.
To contribute to the sustainable transformation of food value chains, particularly horticultural ones, by strengthening the economic viability, resilience and social and environmental impact of the businesses, organisations and people that make them up.
What drives us
Formulated participatively ten years ago, they still guide our decisions, our relationships, and the way we work — every day, across our five offices and with our partners.
01 ·
Performance
We measure what we do. We deliver on what we say.
02 ·
Commitment
Every day, we carry COLEAD's mission. With rigour, with conviction.
03 ·
Continuous improvement
We are constantly looking to do better. We question our practices, we listen to feedback, we adjust.
04 ·
Difference
We dare to think differently. Out of the box, grounded in the field, sometimes against the grain. It is one of our strengths.
05 ·
Humanity
Behind every value chain, women and men. We act with respect for people and their singularity. United in diversity.
Our ambition
COLEAD: the movement turning sustainable food-systems transformation into reality where it matters most.
This ambition is carried by our 2030 strategy for the next five years. It marks a structuring evolution: moving from a project-delivery organisation to an international movement, capable of multiplying collective impact alongside all those who keep food systems running.
Where we are going
Cap 2030.
Our strategy
at the 2030 horizon.
Our 2030 strategy translates our ambition into clear orientations, concrete priorities and measurable milestones. The result of an in-depth participatory process conducted over nearly two years with all our stakeholders, this roadmap is not a break, but a structuring step to adapt COLEAD's role, organisation and levers of action to the challenges of 2030.
Five years to scale up. From 2026 to 2030.
-
01
2000
MSMEs supported
-
02
€250 million
in investments mobilised
-
03
100 million
farmers better integrated and better paid
-
04
1 billion
consumers with better access to healthy food
-
05
1000
members in 50 countries — 85% outside Europe
-
06
20
global strategic alliances
Cap 2030 · Our strategy
Three strategic orientations.
01
Economic positioning
Asserting a "glocal economic identity" in the service of sustainable transformation.
COLEAD asserts its positioning as an economic actor of sustainable development. Its conviction: social and environmental progress can only take root in viable, inclusive and competitive economic models. Our action combines value chains, markets and finance, intervening in a complementary way at the micro level (producers and MSMEs), the meso level (economic and institutional ecosystems) and the macro level (policy, regulatory and normative frameworks).
02
Resource platform
Building a resource platform that produces, capitalises and disseminates knowledge and know-how.
The transformation carried by our 2030 strategy requires a robust and agile organisation, able to adapt to rapidly evolving contexts. COLEAD is consolidating and modernising its organisational foundation: integrated information systems, data-driven management, professionalised monitoring and evaluation, strengthened quality assurance, controlled integration of digital tools and artificial intelligence. The development of skills — internally and within our expert networks — is a central pillar.
03
International movement
Becoming the movement of an economic community engaged locally and internationally.
By 2030, COLEAD is moving from a project-delivery organisation to an international movement of actors engaged in sustainable food value chains. This evolution rests on structured alliances, a strengthened role as a « glocal » connector (both global and local), open governance based on subsidiarity, and a multipolar model that better distributes value, agency and initiative.
Seven transformational priorities.
Seven cross-cutting priorities guide the design, strategic choices and evaluation of all COLEAD interventions. They are not additional pillars of action, but a common filter ensuring coherence, responsibility and credibility.
01
Economic inclusion and leadership of women and youth
No sustainable transformation without a fair transformation.
02
Climate resilience and environmental sustainability of value chains
Preserving what makes production possible — today and tomorrow.
03
More equitable value sharing and inclusion of vulnerable actors
Economic equity as a condition of sustainability.
04
Digital transformation and innovation in the service of impact
Digital as a lever of efficiency, without widening the divide.
05
Nutrition and equitable access to healthy diets
Safe, healthy, diverse and accessible food.
06
Local ownership, coherence and sustainability of transformations
Close to local realities, within a shared strategic framework.
07
Quality, integrity and coherence of action in complex contexts
Owning our choices, keeping our word, reporting back.
Nine transformational workstreams.
Our 2030 strategy takes shape through nine priority workstreams — the main operational levers of the strategy.
WS1
Establishes identity
WS2
Sets the operational backbone
WS3
Triggers investment
WS4
Structures alliances
WS5
Establishes the movement
WS6
Equips the organisation
WS7
Influences
WS8
Innovates and disseminates
WS9
Ensures continuity over time
A 2026–2030 trajectory.
The strategic plan unfolds in three phases.
2026
We build the foundations: clarity, architecture, steering capacity, priority alliances.
2027–2029
These foundations become evidence and leverage effects: transformation demonstrators, investment mechanisms, structured influence, mobilised community.
2030
We scale up: dissemination, adoption, triggered investment, a visible multipolar movement.
Sustainable grow
COLEAD — the Committee Linking Entrepreneurship-Agriculture -Development works towards the sustainable transformation of food value chains, particularly horticultural ones, in countries and regions where development needs are greatest.
COLEAD
Concretely
What we do
We connect
Farmers, businesses, professional organisations, technical, financial and institutional partners — over 240 partners and a network of 1,200 experts. We help bring together worlds that all too rarely speak to each other.
We carry a voice
Locally and on the international stage. When decisions are made about the future of food systems, we are in the room. And we speak from the ground.
Areas of expertise.
On the ground and online, COLEAD delivers technical assistance, ISO 21001-certified professional training and advisory services — structured around seven competences across three divisions.
Division 01
Facilitate market access
- Regulations & standards Market-access intelligence and advocacy for coherent development policies.
- Research & innovation Knowledge, skills and technology brokering for the sustainable transition.
- Market intelligence Economic intelligence and commercial development to capture opportunities.
Division 02
Strengthen value chains
- Technical assistance Coordinated delivery of public- and private-sector projects.
- Training (ISO 21001) SPS compliance, business management, adaptation to climate change.
Division 03
Leverage impact
- Networks & alliances Trusted, durable partnerships across public, private, research and civil society.
- Access to finance Investment-readiness for MSMEs and collaborations with aligned investors.
The association
An association founded in 1973
by operators from Africa-Europe trade.
COLEAD is an international not-for-profit association under French law (loi 1901). This section sets out the essentials of its legal framework, its governance and how to join. The full Statutes are available for download.
Legal framework
Founded in 1973, COLEAD is an association governed by the French law of 1 July 1901, not-for-profit, of unlimited duration. Its registered office is established in Chevilly-Larue (Rungis market area), in the Paris region. Its statutory purpose: to contribute to the sustainable transformation of food value chains, particularly horticultural ones, with priority given to countries and regions where development needs are greatest.
How we operate
COLEAD's governance is built around four complementary bodies.
General Assembly
The sovereign body. It brings together the members' representatives and validates the strategic orientations.
Board of Directors
Elected for four years with balanced representation between European and non-European members, it proposes the strategy and steers its implementation.
The Bureau
Presidency, Vice-Presidency, General Secretariat, Treasurership — the intermediary governance body.
General Delegation
Led by the General Management, it is the operational and executive arm of the association.
Becoming a member
The Statutes provide for two categories of members.
Active members
Businesses and organisations operating in food value chains (based outside Europe, or European entities sourcing food products originating outside Europe), and professional organisations in the sector, regardless of location. They hold voting rights at the General Assembly and may put forward candidates to the Board of Directors.
Associate members
Businesses and organisations whose activity is related to food value chains (logistics, inputs, finance, certification, advisory…) and support organisations (research, training, finance, standardisation). They take part in General Assemblies in an advisory capacity.
The membership application is submitted to the General Delegation. The decision to approve is taken by the Board of Directors. An annual subscription may apply depending on the membership category.
The COLEAD community
An international community.
Women and men engaged in transforming food systems, organised around complementary circles that act together — from the ground to strategy.
500 members · 50 countries
Our members
Businesses, cooperatives, professional and support organisations active in food value chains — the living foundation of the association.
240+ partners
Our partners
Funders, international organisations, research institutes, NGOs and umbrella professional organisations — the condition for leverage and scale.
Our commitments
Seven priorities, one compass.
Seven transformational priorities shape all of our action. They are not add-ons to our workstreams — they cut across them: a common filter for the design, choices and evaluation of everything we do. Together they sketch a transformation that is inclusive, resilient, equitable, digital and responsible.
Economic inclusion and leadership of women and youth
No sustainable transformation without a fair transformation.
The sustainable transformation of value chains cannot happen without the greater participation of women and youth as fully recognised economic actors. We ensure that our interventions strengthen their access to economic opportunities, their entrepreneurial, innovation and investment capacity, and their participation in decision-making and governance spaces in food chains.
Climate resilience and environmental sustainability of value chains
Preserving what makes production possible — today and tomorrow.
Food value chains are on the front line of the impacts of climate change and ecological transitions. Environmental sustainability is a structuring imperative. We systematically integrate climate adaptation, the reduction of environmental impacts, the promotion of sustainable and resilient practices, and consistency with the transition trajectories of markets and public policies.
More equitable value sharing and inclusion of vulnerable actors
Economic equity as a condition of sustainability.
The economic transformation we seek must go hand in hand with improving the conditions under which value is created and shared along food chains. We contribute to better remuneration and recognition of farmers, more balanced commercial relationships, the creation of decent jobs, and the lasting inclusion of businesses and vulnerable actors in market trajectories.
Digital transformation and innovation in the service of impact
Digital as a lever of efficiency, without widening the divide.
The sustainable transformation of value chains requires a greater capacity to mobilise digital tools as levers of efficiency, knowledge sharing, transparency and scaling. We integrate digital tools and artificial intelligence to strengthen access to services and markets, improve the quality of monitoring, accelerate the dissemination of practices, and support a multipolar model based on reliable data — without widening access gaps or excluding the most vulnerable actors.
Nutrition and equitable access to healthy diets
Safe, healthy, diverse and accessible food.
The sustainable transformation of food value chains cannot be separated from their impact on nutrition, health and the resilience of populations. We integrate nutrition as a cross-cutting priority by strengthening nutritionally relevant value chains, improving the quality and safety of products, reducing food losses and supporting models that foster access to nutritious food.
Local ownership, coherence and sustainability of transformations
Close to local realities, within a shared strategic framework.
Our 2030 strategy rests on a « glocal » ambition: acting as close as possible to local realities while contributing to broader transformation frameworks. We ensure that the transformations under way are owned by national and regional actors, carried by strengthened local ecosystems, sustainable beyond projects, and consistent with a shared strategic framework.
Quality, integrity and coherence of action in complex contexts
Owning our choices, keeping our word, reporting back.
Our 2030 strategy unfolds in environments marked by growing economic, political, climate and social tensions, calling for complex trade-offs. We carry out our action with responsibility, integrity and coherence, explicitly owning the choices made, the priorities retained and the necessary trade-offs, in line with our values.
An organisation-wide quality approach
Quality is a constant requirement at COLEAD. Our quality management system was first designed for training — earning us ISO 21001 certification, the international standard for education and training organisations. Building on that experience, we are now extending this quality approach progressively across all departments, with the aim of structuring quality, in time, across every area of COLEAD’s work.
At the heart of this approach lies one of our values: continuous improvement. Far more than a set of procedures, it is a company culture — a way of working that commits us to assess, learn and progress continually, for the benefit of the people and organisations we support.
Our sustainability commitment
We work to transform food systems so that they nourish populations, sustain those who make them work, and regenerate the environment — where it is needed most.
Our conviction is simple: a food system cannot be sustainably transformed unless it is economically viable. Social justice, climate resilience and nutrition for all rest on that foundation. Sustainability runs through every level of our action — from producers to value chains and public policy — and through the seven cross-cutting priorities of COLEAD 2030: inclusion of women and youth, climate and environmental resilience, equitable value sharing, digital and innovation, nutrition and healthy food, local ownership, and quality and integrity.
As a private-sector not-for-profit association, COLEAD assesses and acts on sustainability through a charter, a self-assessment system, and capacity-building resources. Each member and partner is invited to commit to running their operations sustainably by adhering to its principles.
Our gender equality plan
Gender equality is at the heart of COLEAD’s strategic vision for 2030. COLEAD systematically integrates a gender perspective across all its programmes and interventions to promote more inclusive, innovative, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems. This approach seeks to ensure that women and men have equal opportunities to contribute to agricultural development, access resources, participate in decision-making, and benefit from the economic and social gains generated by the sector. To turn this commitment into action, COLEAD relies on a dedicated gender strategy and an institutional statement affirming its commitment to equal rights, equal opportunities, and the full participation of all.
Read our gender equality statement of intent.
To access the full COLEAD Gender Strategy document, or for any questions regarding COLEAD’s gender approach, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Our History
Where we come from
Fifty years of transforming food value chains. Five periods, one trajectory.
COLEAD's history is that of an organisation that has been able to evolve while remaining faithful to its initial mission: lastingly supporting those who produce, process and trade food in countries and regions where development needs are greatest.
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1973 — A birth in Africa-Europe trade
A handful of economic operators from the international fruit and vegetable trade between Africa and Europe found COLEAD, a non-profit association under French law (loi 1901). The initial aim: to organise a dialogue between horticultural operators and their European counterparts on quality, market access and production development .
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1973-2000 — Technical service at the heart of ACP-EU agreeme
COLEAD operates as a technical service collaborating with DG 8 of the European Commission. Core business: the horticultural sector and ACP-EU trade. The first technical support programmes are gradually rolled out in West and East Africa.
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2000-2015 — Manager of all-ACP programmes
COLEAD becomes manager of all-ACP programmes for the European Commission — PIP (Pesticides Initiative Programme), then EDES. The scope expands to the agri-food sector in ACP countries. With the rise of food safety requirements (SPS) and private standards (GlobalGAP, private environmental and social standards…), COLEAD extends its field of intervention.
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Since 2015 — Network and toolbox serving the SDGs
COLEAD becomes a network and a toolbox serving the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The scope expands to the agri-food sector across all low- and middle-income countries, with a historic anchor in Africa and a growing presence in the Caribbean and other regions partnering with the European Union.
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2026-2030 — Cap 2030, an international movement
We are launching our new strategy, the result of a participatory process conducted in 2025 with all our stakeholders. The aim: to become an international movement transforming food systems. Three orientations, seven priorities, nine workstreams, a progressive trajectory — to multiply collective impact by 2030.
Annual reports
Accounts of our activities & results.
Every year, COLEAD publishes an activity report on its programmes, results, governance and accounts.
Act together
Join
the community.
Become a member, become a partner, join our expert network, support our programmes.