Gov’t starts registration of coffee farmers ahead of EU deadline

Government through the Ministry of Agriculture has officially launched the registration exercise for coffee farmers around the country  ahead of the December, 30 deadline.

Addressing journalists on Tuesday, the Minister for Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze  explained that in December 2022, the European Parliament approved the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aimed at ensuring that supply chains remain free from products contributing to deforestation and forest degradation.

He said the regulation targets seven commodities and their derived products including  cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, soya, wood, and rubber whether imported or produced within the EU.

“These commodities will be prohibited from entering the EU market if they are produced on land cleared of forest for agricultural purposes after December, 30 2020.  Noting that EU represents a primary export market for Ugandan coffee, with over 60% exported to the EU market including Italy, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands, and that the deadline for compliance to EUDR is 30th December 2024, the ministry, UCDA, private sector players in the coffee value chain and development partners have prioritized registration of coffee value chain actors so as to enable traceability of our coffee and prove that our source farms have not contributed to deforestation. It is also to prove that our coffee farming is environmentally friendly and sustainable,” Tumwebaze said.

He said the EUDR requires that all products exported or imported to the EU market are deforestation-free; the production of coffee was done on land that was not subject to deforestation or forest degradation after 30th December 2020.

He said the guidelines are require that coffee for export is  accompanied by a due diligence statement; containing geolocation data adhering to traceability standards that enable buyers to trace each batch of coffee back to its designated land plot.

The minister explained that the  newly enacted National Coffee Act, 2021 had already provided for establishment of a national register for coffee value chain actors.

Need for registration

Tumwebaze said the registration of coffee value chain actors is an essential precursor to the creation of a National Traceability System.

“Such measures are vital for supporting our coffee farmers, enhancing sustainability, improving market access, and ensuring compliance with both local legislation and international regulations.”

“ I would like to emphasize that this registration process is being conducted free of charge by the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) and partners and it is not to serve any other purpose apart from enabling the development of the value chain and access to global markets. When farmers are profiled/registered, extension outreaches and information dissemination become easy. “