Team Europe Initiative sur les Chaînes de Valeur sans Déforestation

The report “EUDR Readiness in the African Coffee Sector” presents the outcomes of a four-day conference held in Kampala, Uganda, from 13–16 May 2025, bringing together over 100 stakeholders from 17 African coffee-producing countries and European importing nations. Organised under the Team Europe Initiative on deforestation-free value chains, the event assessed Africa’s preparedness for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will require coffee entering the EU market to be deforestation-free, legally produced, and fully traceable. Participants discussed regulatory requirements, digital traceability tools, financing mechanisms, and market opportunities, alongside challenges such as limited farmer awareness, high costs of data collection, inadequate infrastructure, and land tenure issues. Field visits to coffee farms and processing facilities showcased current practices and gaps in compliance. The report concludes with recommendations for a coordinated, inclusive, and phased approach to EUDR implementation, emphasising local engagement, incentives for farmer registration, stronger digital infrastructure, gender and youth inclusion, and the creation of an African EUDR learning community to foster knowledge exchange and capacity building.