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It has been a very busy start to 2026 and that is the message I am hearing from everyone. It continues to be a period of instability which brings challenges and also opportunities.
Time flies when we are busy but how can 10 years go so fast! This picture gives us an idea of what we looked like back then as we started the process of creating an international standard (and shared language) on what it means to be a professional farmer organization.
Alan Johnson (front row in this picture) was AMEA’s chair for 8 years and shared his thoughts recently: “AMEA is a great example of the power and value of networks and alliances. AMEA’s founding members shared a belief that we needed a less fragmented and more coherent system to provide effective support to agri-SMEs, cooperatives, and farmer organizations. By working together, one of our most significant “slow wins” was to develop and support an international standard for a “professional farmer organization” – which after many years we now have as ISO 18716:2024”
We thank the people who had this vision, formed AMEA and led AMEA in its’ early stages Alan Johnson, Alex Serrano, Jan Jacob Verboom, Lucas Simons, Maaike Fleur, Roos Persegeile, William Sparks.
AMEA’s approach evolved over 10 years as we adapted based on learning from our members and partners. As a result we found a viable strategy to connect our Global Network to a growing set of inter-connected Local Networks. These local networks have taken ISO 18716 further and contributed to the development of BDS Standards/Guidelines. In our 10th year it is therefore fitting that AMEA supported Uganda to become the first country in the world to approve a BDS Standard (learn more here: BDS Standards launch). This Standard reinforces the need for services to SMEs to be informed by a comprehensive (ISO 18716) diagnostic.
There are similar initiatives in Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania. Kenya and Ghana are also reinvigorated by the Kenya BDS Vision initiative led by Peter Nduati (https://www.kenyabdsvision.org/) and the Ghana BDS Multi-Stakeholder Platform which was launched by the Chamber of Agribusiness (Ghana BDS MSP).
However now is not the time to be self-congratulatory. We must take advantage of this window of opportunity to transform BDS market systems. Join us now in our Working Groups and Local Networks. Use the BDS Standard / ISO18716 to improve your work and influence financiers to reward programs that demonstrate commitment to meeting quality standards. You can learn more here: https://amea-global.com/standards/
Casey Harrison, the current AMEA Chair sees this work as providing the springboard for greater impact:
“AMEA’s first ten years helped raise the bar for professional and consistent support to agri-SMEs, cooperatives, and farmer organizations. The next ten years should use ISO 18716 as a foundation for building stronger pipelines of investable rural enterprises. This matters because better standards can reduce the fragmented and inefficient use of public funds and private finance, while helping governments direct support in ways that better serve their people. A professional BDS market will also enable rural businesses to navigate the risks and opportunities as climate change bites deeper. Environmental sustainability must become part of how they grow, compete, attract finance, and build a more profitable future.”
Upcoming events where you can be part of AMEA’s work:
Thank you to everyone in our community for all your support over the past 10 years and we hope to see you at one of our upcoming events.
Warm regards,
The AMEA Team