UCDA updates coffee stakeholders on compliance with EU's deforestation-free regulation

The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), in partnership with aBi, met with coffee value chain actors on Wednesday, August 21, to discuss ongoing efforts to comply with the European Union Regulation for Deforestation-free Products (EUDR). This regulation is designed to prevent products linked to deforestation or forest degradation from entering EU supply chains.

The EUDR, which will be applied retrospectively, targets commodities like coffee, cocoa, cattle, palm oil, soy, timber, rubber, and their derivatives. Products planted on deforested land after 2020 will be barred from the EU market. Dr. Gerald Kyalo, UCDA’s Director of Development Services, explained, “The regulation requires that exporters of commodities such as coffee, cocoa, and their derivatives submit specific documents to export to the EU market. Coffee planted on deforested land after December 2020 will not access the EU market.”

To meet the compliance deadline of December 2024, UCDA is collaborating with various partners, including the International Trade Centre (ITC), aBi Development, Uganda Coffee Federation, Café Africa, UNDP, exporters, traders, farmers, and relevant government ministries and agencies. These collaborations aim to ensure industry-wide compliance with the EUDR.

“We commend the partners who have committed time and funds towards the design and implementation of the National Action Plan for compliance with the EUDR and Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D). This plan was developed through a collaborative effort that involved the private sector, public institutions, and civil society organisations. We appreciate the members of the task force co-chaired by UCDA, which has spearheaded this initiative,” Dr. Kyalo noted.

Since the plan's validation in March this year, multiple meetings have been held, including sessions to mobilise funding for its implementation. The Government of Uganda has allocated Shs13.9 billion in the 2024/25 budget to establish a National Traceability System. Additional support from aBi and UNDP will focus on creating a coordination unit for the EUDR compliance process, launching a stakeholders’ awareness campaign, and registering farmers.

Moses Nyabila, CEO of aBi Development Ltd, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to the coffee sector, stating, “Our target is to have 1 million farmers registered and geo-located by the end of the year. We want to ensure that farmers continue to trade and the quality of the coffee reflects in the price they get from buyers.”

During the meeting, UCDA also celebrated the exceptional coffee export performance in July 2024, with exports amounting to 821,593 60kg bags valued at US$ 210.48 million, marking the highest export figure in Uganda’s history. Over the last twelve months (August 2023-July 2024), coffee exports totalled 6.3 million 60kg bags, generating US$ 1.25 billion, solidifying coffee’s position as one of Uganda's top foreign exchange earners.