Press Release: AGRA’s Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture Opens Application Window for Third Cohort of Advanced Leadership Programme

4th May 2023 by AGRA

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Nairobi, Kenya – AGRA has announced the opening of applications for the third cohort of the Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture (CALA)’s Advanced Leadership Programme, designed for rising stars(upcoming technical leaders) and established executives from across Africa’s agriculture sector in government, the private sector, and civil society. The Advanced Leadership programme is the continent’s premier leadership programme, tailored to support developing leaders in advancing agriculture transformation across the continent through the improved capacity to lead the implementation of country agriculture flagship programmes and national agriculture priority programmes. The programme’s application window, which is open from May 2nd to June 9, 2023, will see 40 top applicants from eight focus countries – Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda – join the prestigious programme. 

“We are continuing to change and adapt to the changing context and drive food systems transformations; this is one of the ways that CALA remains unique,” said AGRA Vice President of Policy and State Capability, Dr. Apollos Nwafor at the programme’s recently held leadership forum.

The Centre’s highly selective Advanced Leadership Programme is a 16-month collaborative, hands-on, and tailored experience for senior and rising leaders in Africa’s agriculture sector. An AGRA-led initiative, the programme is delivered in collaboration with implementing partners,  the African Management Institute (AMI), CALA’s lead implementation and learning partner, and USAID’s Policy LINK. 

“When the CALA programme started, the objective was really clear- to drive transformation in food systems through improved leadership. It’s been great to witness transformation happen through the delegates’ learning journey.”- Rebecca Harrison, CEO and Co-founder of the African Management Institute spoke on the impact of the Advanced Leadership Programme so far.

The third cohort follows the successful implementation of the second cohort and the graduation of the inaugural cohort, which  are the centre’s first alumni network. The first and second cohorts produced a highly prestigious delegate pool, selected from a combined 2000+ applicants, with an average representation of 45% participants from governments, 30% from the private sector, and 25% from civil society organizations. The participation of women leaders is also of note, accounting for nearly half of the inaugural cohort and 40% of the second cohort. Recruitment of the third cohort will focus on achieving similar outcomes.

During the programme, cohort members will access key offerings that will be delivered synchronously and asynchronously, including executive and group coaching, virtual learning lessons, and Leadership Forums with experts from across the continent and globe. Participants will also have access to CALA’s comprehensive library of online leadership courses and derive lessons and best practices from case studies of ‘game-changers’ spurring agricultural transformation in Africa and the global south. By the end of the programme, within CALA’s unique Action Learning Project format, participants will have delivered on a collaborative keystone project working with peers from their country cohort to deliver on a key sector transformation project. The projects will be linked to each of the participants’ job objectives and country agriculture transformation objectives.

For more information or to apply visit: https://cala.agra.org/programme/cala-advanced-leadership-programme/

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About CALA

The Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture (CALA), an AGRA-led initiative, supports sector leaders to deliver on top national priorities in African agriculture and nutrition security. These leaders represent a wide range of key actors from across government, private sector and civil society. CALA was conceptualized by AGRA and is implemented in collaboration with the African Management Institute (AMI) and USAID’s Policy LINK, with funding from the German Development Cooperation through the KfW Development Bank.

For more information visit: http://cala.agra.org

About AGRA

Established in 2006, AGRA is an African-led and Africa-based institution that puts smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy by transforming agriculture from a solitary struggle to survive into farming as a business that thrives. Together with our partners, we are working to sustainably grow Africa’s food systems.

AGRA strengthens seed systems, develops, and promotes sustainable farming practices, helps unlock trade and markets, and supports governments who lead their countries’ development. We work with farmers to adapt to climate change, increase soil health, and protect the environment.  AGRA believes deeply in the urgency of reducing the inequality that women face in agriculture and unlocking the power and innovation of youth.

About the African Management Institute (AMI)

AMI enables ambitious businesses and leaders across Africa to thrive through practical tools and training. We equip leaders with tools to build their businesses, help companies train their teams, and run work readiness programmes for young people starting their careers. AMI’s programmes combine online and mobile tools with in-person workshops and on-the-job practice and support. AMI has directly trained over 35,000 people in over 39 countries. AMI has offices in Nairobi, Kenya, Kigali, Rwanda; and Johannesburg, South Africa.

About Policy LINK

Policy LINK is a global Feed the Future program that strengthens the leadership capacity of public, private, and civil society actors and fosters collective action among them for better policy systems. Feed the Future is America’s global hunger and food security initiative, led by USAID.