The seven members of International Coffee Partners (ICP) have called for a delay in the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), to give smallholder coffee farmers more time and resources to comply.
They also called on the European Union (EU) to implement a transition phase, citing the need for these farmers to build the technical capacity and knowledge for a smooth transition.
ICP members Delta Cafés of Portugal, Franck of Croatia, Joh. Johannson of Norway, Lavazza of Italy, Löfbergs of Sweden, Neumann Kaffee Gruppe of Germany, and Tchibo of Germany affirmed their general support for the objectives of the EUDR, stating that awareness of the issue must be raised in the producing countries, production areas must be protected, and investments must be made in reforestation.
However, they highlighted that the situation of smallholder coffee farmers must be considered as they require suitable data provision systems, an appropriate transition period, and additional financial resources to comply with the new law.
According to ICP’s press release, the EUDR, which requires producers to provide detailed geodata by the end of 2024, will have the adverse effect of excluding smallholder coffee farmers from EU markets.
These farmers will potentially be excluded not because they grow their coffee on deforested land, but because they lack the necessary data.
ICP also pointed out that the EUDR risks reducing smallholders’ incomes and market shares, thus increasing their vulnerability to poverty and impeding their potential transition to a more sustainable agriculture. These farmers could then potentially shift their sales to countries outside the EU, which will run counter to the EUDR’s goal of reducing the risk of deforestation.
To support their call, ICP quoted a readiness assessment conducted in Uganda, which revealed the country’s coffee producers are not yet prepared to comply with the EUDR.
According to the press release, the nature of Uganda’s coffee supply chain makes it difficult to track the origin of coffee beans, with only about 10 per cent of Ugandan coffee producers currently having their coffee traced.
To meet the requirements of the EUDR, Ugandan farmers will need to develop an effective traceability system which will likely require years of planning, refining, and the improvement of skills. A significant initial investment is also required, and maintaining such a system will require financial resources each year.
According to ICP, the EUDR verification process must be simple enough and accessible for smallholder coffee farmers to comply with. Even then, these farmers will require time, technical capacity, and knowledge to adjust to the new requirements.
