CALA Celebrates 4th Cohort Graduation in Accra & Expands Leadership Program to Francophone Africa
The Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture (CALA), an initiative of AGRA in partnership with the African Management Institute (AMI), has marked a major milestone with the graduation of its fourth cohort of senior leaders in Accra, Ghana.
Accra, Ghana – December 3, 2025 — The two-day ceremony, held December 2–3, brought together government officials, private sector representatives, farmer organizations, development partners, and young leaders to celebrate progress in strengthening leadership across Africa’s food systems.
The cohort, drawn from eight countries in East, West, and Southern Africa, completed CALA’s 16‑month Advanced Leadership Program.
Participants implemented Action Learning Projects (ALPs) aligned with national priorities, tackling issues such as post-harvest loss, food processing, youth and women inclusion, digital extension, policy influence, and resilience in food systems.
A notable feature of this year’s graduates is the strong representation of leaders under 35, underscoring CALA’s commitment to youth leadership. With Africa’s food economy projected to exceed USD 1 trillion by 2030, empowering young leaders is seen as critical to driving transformation.
“Many of the most promising solutions in agriculture today are coming from young Africans,” said Lilian Githinji, Senior Specialist at AGRA and CALA Lead.
“Our responsibility is to equip them and support their implementation with the right partnerships.” He added
During the ceremony, CALA announced the expansion of its Advanced Leadership Program to four Francophone countries — Togo, Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso — beginning in early 2026. The move reflects rising demand for collaborative leadership capacity and the need to harmonize efforts across regions and languages.
CALA emphasizes that systemic change in African agriculture depends not only on tools but on leaders and institutions capable of mobilizing collaboration and accountability. The success of the fourth cohort demonstrates that transformation is possible when African leaders are equipped to drive it.
Read more on the CALA’s Fourth Cohort
