THE WORLD AFTER COVID-19: A SUSTAINABLE MADAGASCAR

Madagascar’s francophone Salon RSE et des IDD (Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Initiatives Exhibition) will be a virtual event in 2020, running from 22–23 October, with continuing access over the following 10 days. The theme of this fifth edition of the exhibition is “The world after Covid-19: A sustainable Madagascar”, with a focus on stakeholder resilience and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the context of the health crisis. You can meet COLEACP via our virtual stand during and after the exhibition, and we will be taking part in a number of webinars/debates – with times and registration details to follow soon.

The exhibition, for all those working to address environmental and societal issues in Madagascar, aims to facilitate meetings and exchanges between actors, experts and the general public. The exhibition offers a space for reflection and sharing innovations, new approaches, good practices and lessons learned in terms of CSR. It offers both a source of inspiration for organisations wishing to get started, and an opportunity for sharing and communication for experts and those already involved.

AFGEAN AND NBCC: CLOSING THE GAP

On Friday 9 October COLEACP’s General Delegate Jeremy Knops made a presentation to a webinar organised by the Nigerian Belgian Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) and the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers & Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN): “Closing the gap between farmers and buyers and creating access to financial support”. Thirteen speakers represented diverse organisations in the agri-food and export sectors – as well as AFGEAN, the African Development Bank (AfDB), Antwerp Chamber of Commerce, DHL Aviation, Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), FCMB (First City Monument Bank Ltd), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Port of Antwerp, and SIFAX Group.

FARM/COLEACP SECOND WORKING GROUP ON CONTRACT FARMING

COLEACP and the FARM Foundation are leading a group of experts on contract farming, bringing together representatives from research, the public and private sectors and development partners. The aim of the working group is to discuss the challenges of contract farming, to gain a better understanding of the different contractual models applied by companies and to promote the exchange of good practices. COLEACP and FARM are currently documenting four case studies in different regions of Africa (two of which will be published in December 2020), and are leading a sub-working group on the sharing of value along the value chain. At the most recent working group meeting in October, a COLEACP member, Jane Maina, CEO of Vert Limited Kenya, which specialises in the export of fresh vegetables and processed fruit products to the European and regional markets, gave a much appreciated presentation on its business model which is 100% dependent on products from small farmers and a strong relationship of trust with them. The FARM Foundation is a think tank whose mission is to promote high-performance, sustainable agriculture and agri-food chains around the world that are respectful of both producers and consumers.