From May 13–16, 2025, delegates from thirteen African coffee-producing countries and European importing nations gathered in Kampala, Uganda to evaluate the readiness of the African Coffee Sector for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The EUDR mandates that commodities like coffee must be deforestation-free, legally produced, and fully traceable to be sold on the EU market. While the regulation aims to reduce deforestation and environmental degradation, African coffee–producing countries face challenges in complying with its requirements.
During the conference it became clear that the momentum toward EUDR compliance is steadily increasing across Africa. For example, in Uganda, over 900,000 coffee farmers have been geo-mapped. In Tanzania, a legal framework has been established to support traceability efforts. Countries like Kenya and Côte d’Ivoire are piloting initiatives to map coffee farms and actively engage stakeholders.
Despite these advances, systemic challenges still hinder full compliance with EUDR requirements. Many actors remain unaware of the regulations, and limited access to digital technology and financing poses significant barriers. Furthermore, the lack of secure land tenure complicates the mapping of coffee farms particularly those owned or managed by women and youth, who often face exclusion from land ownership.
In response to these challenges, an urgent need for robust farmer awareness-raising and community outreach was highlighted at the conference. According to participants local leaders and cooperatives should play a key role in promoting awareness and ensuring traceability. Training efforts need to go beyond regulatory compliance to include topics such as sustainable land use, land rights, and digital literacy.
It was also discussed that motivation for registration and compliance can only be created by providing farmers with improved access to finance, better market opportunities, and targeted capacity-building initiatives. These measures could accelerate the transition towards EUDR compliance. For seamless continuity of trade, some participants advocated for a gradual and flexible implementation of the regulation, allowing producers to adapt without losing access to EU markets.
In addition, there is a pressing need to strengthen digital public infrastructure. Across the continent, there is a growing call for harmonized, secure systems that balance traceability with data privacy, while enabling national institutions to manage information in a way that fosters trust and transparency.
One promising proposal is the creation of an African EUDR Learning Community, a platform for sharing experiences, aligning strategies, and supporting countries still early in their compliance journey. Countries that are further along in the compliance process could mentor those that are not, accelerating collective progress.
As the December 2025 deadline is fast approaching African nations are making steady progress towards compliance. What is needed now is coordinated action: increased investment in technology, stronger collaboration between governments and private sector actors, and inclusive approaches that ensure no one is left behind.
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