KAMPALA, September 5, 2024 – The Uganda Coffee Development Authority [ UCDA ] has urged the media in the country to intensify the discussion regarding new European Union [EU] regulation concerning the export of agricultural commodities like coffee to the bloc.
Uganda has up to December 31, 2024, to align with the EU Deforestation Regulation [EUDR] so it can continue exporting its coffee to EU member countries.
The EUDR requires coffee exporters to prove that their product is produced from land where no deforestation has occurred at least since 2020.
Meeting the journalists at Hotel Africana in Kampala, UCDA Extension Manager, Robert Nangatsa reported that efforts to engage stakeholders and raise awareness about EUDR are underway, although media participation is still scanty.
Nangatsa pointed out the nationwide registration drive for coffee farmers which aims at streamlining exports and ensuring compliance with the new regulation.
“The EU market is crucial for Uganda’s coffee industry, accounting for approximately 60 percent of our exports. It is imperative that we comply with the EUDR to maintain access to this market,” said Nangatsa.
In the new arrangement, farmers will be required to submit detailed land-use maps and due diligence statements to prove deforestation-free production, including geographic coordinates of production plots.
The initiative will also implement the National Coffee Act, 2021, which ephasises traceability in the coffee sector.
Innovations like a geospatial monitoring and evaluation system has been developed by the authority to facilitate the registration of farmers and all other players in the coffee value chain
“These tools will empower all players in the coffee production chain and the exporters to adhere to EUDR regulations and ensure the sustainability of our coffee sector,” Nangatsa added.
“We urge all stakeholders to support the implementation of a comprehensive traceability system,” Nangatsa said.
The authority has established a unit that would be charged with the responsibility to oversee the implementation of the process, working with the different partners including ministries, departments and agencies.
The UCDA Director for Development Services Dr Gerald Kyalo pointed out the need to have an efficient traceability and access system to the European Union market.
“The regulation requires that we show evidence that our coffee doesn’t contribute to deforestation. We need to trace our coffee back to the farmer and have a register of all farmers, gardens, and coordinates,” hes aid
On his part, Samson Emong of the National EUDR Task Force presented a comprehensive plan to achieve the required compliance, which includes measures to enhance transparency in the coffee supply and production chain, promote sustainable agricultural practices and extend support to the smallholder farmers.
Emong underscored accurate reportage on the progress of the campaign to avoid risking the Country’s coffee industry.
Uganda exports a significant amount of its coffee into the European Union with Italy, German, Belgium and UK among the most importers of the product.
Through the National EUDR Task Force, UCDA has established a robust framework to support transition, including capacity-building, awareness campaigns, and partnerships with key stakeholders.
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