KAMPALA, May 8, 2026 — In an effort to fully comply with the requirements of the European Union Deforestation Regulation [EUDR], the Uganda Coffee Farmers Alliance [UCFA] and the National Coffee Research Institute [NaCORI] have introduced an integrated system designed to capture detailed data on smallholder farmers, a challenge that previously forced the EU to extend earlier compliance deadlines.
Several African countries, particularly those involved in coffee, cocoa and rubber production, were unable to meet the December 31, 2025 deadline due to inadequate infrastructure for collecting data and monitoring smallholder farms in rural areas.
Working with NaCORI, the UCFA has now established a digital system aimed at supporting farmer registration, real-time monitoring, data protection and strict traceability standards, all intended to improve efficiency, compliance and profitability for smallholder farmers.
The digitally driven system is expected to trace every coffee lot from farm to final buyer, enabling Uganda’s coffee exports to be verified as deforestation-free and traceable to individual farms, a significant breakthrough in a sector where coffee has traditionally been aggregated through middlemen.
UCFA Managing Director Anthony Mugoya said the success of the digital coffee platform largely depends on farmers’ trust.
“We must be mindful of the farmer and the rights of the farmer. Farmers’ privacy rights are a key consideration. The Uganda Data Protection and Privacy Act of 2019 aligns closely with the European General Data Protection Regulation in terms of protecting personal information,” Mugoya explained.
He added that the law requires farmers to be fully informed before their data is registered, while also guaranteeing them the right to access, correct or even erase their information.
Farmers can also restrict access to their data or transfer it from one buyer to another, ensuring that their profiles remain portable within the supply chain.
The breakthrough comes at a critical time as the EUDR demands that imported coffee meets strict traceability standards.
In Uganda, coffee remains the backbone of the rural economy and is estimated to provide a livelihood for more than 35 percent of the rural population.
Agriculture sector analysts note that while the regulation is expected to improve farmer profitability and address challenges linked to broader economic stability, it could also disrupt existing coffee production and supply chains during the transition period.
The EU regulations are intended to ensure that products consumed within the bloc do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide.
By promoting the consumption of deforestation-free products and reducing the EU’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation, EUDR aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The regulation forms a key part of the European Commission’s broader strategy to combat deforestation.
Combined with cooperation initiatives, financial support, and improved access to data and monitoring systems, the EUDR is expected to reduce the EU’s global environmental footprint while supporting the transition to sustainable, deforestation-free value chains worldwide.
https://thecooperator.news/eu-endorses-another-one-year-delay-for-eudr-implementation/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
