Cultivating
Sustainable Futures
News
FIT FOR MARKET PROGRAMME IN ACTION : RADVILLE FARMS LIMITED
As part of its Fit for Market programme, Coleacp’s expert Ernest Muzukutwa is supporting Radville Farms Limited in setting up an internal training unit. Radville supplies COLEACP board member Wealmore with fruit and vegetables (mango, green beans, chilli, butternut and mini corn). Radville Farms Limited requested COLEACP support to improve the efficiency of its internal training. The result will be an internal training system that meets current and future training needs effectively and sustainably. Once the new unit has been developed, COLEACP will work with Radville Farms to build up the skills of the trainers.
News
THE OUTCOME OF THE UK GENERAL ELECTION
The return of a Conservative Party-led government with a clear parliamentary majority now means the revised Withdrawal Agreement should receive Parliamentary ratification, with the agreed transition period entering into effect until at least 1st January 2021, while negotiations for a new comprehensive UK/EU free trade area agreement are completed. While any immediate prospect of a ‘No-Deal Brexit’ has therefore been averted until at least 1st January 2021, it remains a possibility given the commitments made during the General Election campaign to ensuring the agreed transition period is not extended beyond 31st December 2020. This is problematical since concluding a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU within 12 months would be unprecedented. There is as a consequence widespread scepticism over the prospect of concluding a comprehensive free trade agreement by the end of 2020. In this context any refusal of the Conservative government to request an extension of the transition period until 1st January 2023 would give rise to a ’No-Deal Brexit’ in which the UK would leave the EU without an agreed alternative trade framework being in place, with UK/EU trade relations, therefore, reverting to most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment. This would prove highly disruptive of trade flows across the EU27/UK border including for ACP horticultural exports serving the UK market via ports of landing in EU27 member states and ACP horticultural exports landed in mainland Europe and using the UK ‘land bridge’ to serve markets in the Republic of Ireland. This would also put considerable strains on UK border clearance services, with potential adverse consequences for the flow of ACP horticultural exports through certain non EU27/UK points of entry to the UK market. The return of a majority Conservative Party government, however, means the UK will now leave the EU customs union and single market at some point (1st January 2021 or 1st January 2023 or whenever an EU/UK free trade area agreement has been successfully negotiated). This means ACP horticultural exporters will need to take the necessary steps to prepare for a ‘Hard Brexit’, to minimise the adverse effects on ACP horticultural exports arising from the logistical, administrative and market changes which the UK’s departure from the EU customs union and single market will give rise to.
News
ITSHEEQI AGRO FIELD TRAINING
Following group training in Zimbabwe on Coleacp ’s Field Training Workshop method, all the companies that took part have been implementing what they learned. Here, Itsheeqi Agro, a company specialising in the production of sweet potatoes and gooseberries for export, conducted a training session under the supervision of the expert trainer. The employees suggested they needed to upgrade the packhouse as the p.
News
JAKANA FOODS-UGANDA
Jakana Foods, an ugandan company that amongst others produces organic dried fruits and juices from mango, pineapple, banana and jack fruit, participated in Coleacp’s HACCP training in Uganda and is aiming for certification next year. To implement the HACCP system, the company will get technical assistance through MoU signed with COLEACP.
News
FIT FOR MARKET SPS PROGRAMME IN UGANDA
During its mission to Uganda, Coleacp also participated at the elaboration of a national work plan to strengthen the SPS control system in #Uganda, as part of COLEACP's Fit for Market SPS programme.
News
COLLECTIVE TRAINING ON RISK ASSESSMENT WITH A FOCUS ON HACCP PRINCIPLES
As part of its Fit For Market programme, Coleacp organised a collective training in Kampala on “Risk assessment with a focus on HACCP principles”. The training aimed to update and strengthen middle managers’ technical skills on the principles of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) and also to train quality and traceability managers in horticultural companies to know, identify and control health risks. Participants have earned the basic principles of risk analysis; the control measures for each stage of production; the use of HACCP in the area of food safety; the HACCP principles, phases and steps.
News
COP 25 - YOUNG PEOPLE IN CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC AFRICA MAKING THEIR VOICE HEARD
Young people played a leading role in protests at #COP25 over the weekend, and on Monday they appeared at the conference to put pressure on negotiators to come up with a plan for reducing greenhouse gases and the impacts of climate breakdown. In ACP countries, young people, although far from Madrid, are making their voices heard - like Uganda (Friday For Future) and Kenya (Climate Strike Kenya) to name a few. Young people worldwide are taking the lead on the climate crisis. COLEACP supports young people in this way.
News
COLEACP IN THE SPOTLIGHT AT THE SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE IN KENYA
During the opening of the Presidential dialogue at the ACP Business Summit ahead of the 9th Summit of ACP Heads of State and Government -- in the presence of His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, President of the Republic of Kenya State House Kenya and Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman, United Bank for Africa and founder, Tonyelumelufoundation, Dr Patrick Ignatius Gomes, Secretary-General of the ACP Group of States, paid tribute to the results achieved since 2001 for the Kenyan horticultural industry through Coleacp 's intra-ACP programme management.Among the indicators of good management of ACP programmes and their impact, we can highlight: horticultural exports as a factor of modernising agriculture; adding value at source; job creation; inclusiveness; sustainability; south-south expertise; and market diversification.
News
EU PLANT HEALTH REGULATION 2016/2031
On 14th December 2019, a new EU plant health regulation ((EU) 2016/2031) comes into operation bringing rigorous new rules to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and diseases in the EU.Countries exporting fruit and vegetables to the EU must take action to ensure that all consignments are in compliance. The new Official Control Regulations describe actions to be taken by competent authorities of EU Member States on imported produce.The most critical points to note at the present time are: A phytosanitary certificate is required for all fruits and vegetables (with five exceptions: pineapple, coconut, durian, banana, date); In the phytosanitary certificate, an Additional Declaration must be completed that includes the full wording of the relevant specific requirement; High-risk commodities: require a full risk assessment by European authorities (EFSA) to decide if they can be imported, and under what conditions. Momordica has already been listed as high risk and cannot be exported to Europe after 14th December unless a risk assessment for the exporting country has been completed by EFSA. Note that these new procedures must be applied to all produce arriving in Europe on or after 14th December.In addition to new plant health rules, the EU Official Controls Regulation ((EU) 2017/625) brings in stricter documentary and physical checks on arrival in Europe; the competent authorities of EU Member States must now inspect a minimum of 1% of all consignments with a phytosanitary certificate, this percentage can increase up to 100% in case of high risk of interception.All of these changes have important implications for national inspection services in exporting countries. In future, inspections at the point of export must be done very thoroughly. If pests are found on arrival in Europe, especially regulated pests, the EU authorities are likely to take action that has serious consequences for export sectors.If you require further information, please contact COLEACP at network@coleacp.org (link sends e-mail).
News
BREXIT READINESS ASSESSMENT
In order to assist members, partners and beneficiaries perform a comprehensive Brexit readiness assessment, COLEACP has compiled a series of elements intended to better appreciate potential implications of Brexit on current business models, with a specific focus on whether main impacted supply chains are sufficiently resilient to continue functioning in a post-Brexit environment. The following news is structured in three main sections.It is strongly recommended to move from Context to Main issues and implications prior to dive into Impacted supply chains.CONTEXT: this section presents briefly background information on the Brexit process, and potential Brexit options that are still on the tableMAIN CHALLENGES AND IMPLICATIONS: this section briefly explores some of the main issues and implications going along with a hard Brexit and/or a “no deal” Brexit, especially regarding triangular supply chains, tariffs and non-tariffs issues and contractual concernsIMPACTED SUPPLY CHAINS: this section focuses on the main issues to be addressed for triangular and non-triangular supply chains, as well as a checklist of actions/questions to be considered. Triangular supply chains stand for goods which are either landed first in a EU27 member state before forwarding to the UK and neighbouring EU27 countries or which are being landed in the UK for forwarding to an EU27 member.
News
THE OUTCOME OF THE UK GENERAL ELECTION
The return of a Conservative Party-led government with a clear parliamentary majority now means the revised Withdrawal Agreement should receive Parliamentary ratification, with the agreed transition period entering into effect until at least 1st January 2021, while negotiations for a new comprehensive UK/EU free trade area agreement are completed. While any immediate prospect of a ‘No-Deal Brexit’ has therefore been averted until at least 1st January 2021, it remains a possibility given the commitments made during the General Election campaign to ensuring the agreed transition period is not extended beyond 31st December 2020.This is problematical since concluding a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU within 12 months would be unprecedented. There is as a consequence widespread scepticism over the prospect of concluding a comprehensive free trade agreement by the end of 2020.In this context any refusal of the Conservative government to request an extension of the transition period until 1st January 2023 would give rise to a ’No-Deal Brexit’ in which the UK would leave the EU without an agreed alternative trade framework being in place, with UK/EU trade relations, therefore, reverting to most-favored-nation (MFN) treatment.This would prove highly disruptive of trade flows across the EU27/UK border including for ACP horticultural exports serving the UK market via ports of landing in EU27 member states and ACP horticultural exports landed in mainland Europe and using the UK ‘land bridge’ to serve markets in the Republic of Ireland.This would also put considerable strains on UK border clearance services, with potential adverse consequences for the flow of ACP horticultural exports through certain non EU27/UK points of entry to the UK market.The return of a majority Conservative Party government, however, means the UK will now leave the EU customs union and single market at some point (1st January 2021 or 1st January 2023 or whenever an EU/UK free trade area agreement has been successfully negotiated).This means ACP horticultural exporters will need to take the necessary steps to prepare for a ‘Hard Brexit’, to minimise the adverse effects on ACP horticultural exports arising from the logistical, administrative and market changes which the UK’s departure from the EU customs union and single market will give rise to.BREXIT READINESS ASSESSMENT
News
9TH ACP SUMMIT OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT
The 9th Summit of ACP Heads of State in Nairobi focuses on the theme "A transformed ACP : Committed to Multilateralism”. The president of State House Kenya is taking this opportunity to highlight a few priorities : • The number 1 resource available to ACP countries is people! "Growing people" though capacity building must be at the heart of any strategy. • Industrialisation of agriculture to open new markets, integration of small farmers into national and regional markets, adding value at source -- are the main ways to ensure inclusive growth. • Supporting entrepreneurship and growth of MSMEs, accounting for 80% of the jobs in Kenya. Business skills training, market access and access to finance, especially for youth and women. • Need to improve the regulatory and institutional frameworks to promote MSMEs and enable them to grow into larger companies. Increasing competitiveness through transparency. • Frameworks to facilitate innovation and technology uptake. Young people are ready for the digital revolution. We need tech startups and technological hubs. Tech and finance are linking up to offer new solutions. • Private sector-led industrialisation and the critical role of MSMEs in supporting an enabling environment through public-private partnerships. • Need to diversify products and services, including creative and cultural industries (the orange economy). He adds: “we need to look at each other’s economies and trade among one another".