Africa accounts for 12% of global coffee production, with Ethiopia, Uganda, and Côte d’Ivoire among the leading producers. The sector supports millions of smallholder farmers but faces climate change, deforestation, low productivity, price volatility, and regulatory challenges, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The upcoming event: “EUDR readiness in the African coffee sector – where are we now and what is left to do? » in Uganda convene key stakeholders to address EUDR compliance, sustainability, and market access. Discover what you can expect from the upcoming event and how Dr Gerald Kyalo, Director of Development Services at the Uganda Coffee Development Authority and Commissioner Coffee Production and development- MAAIF sees the coffee sector and its future:
1. Dr Kyalo, before we dive deeper into the topic of sustainable supply chains and talk about the upcoming event: What motivates you personally to contribute to a more sustainable and resilient coffee supply chain in Uganda?
As a leader and regulator in Uganda’s coffee industry, I am motivated by both a sense of responsibility and a long-term vision for the sector. For Uganda, coffee is not just a key export but a lifeline for 3 million Ugandan households. Yet, we face pressing challenges from climate change to land degradation, and market volatility that threaten the very foundation of our coffee-based livelihoods.
What drives me personally is the opportunity to influence and support a transition towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient coffee supply chain. I am committed to ensuring that smallholder farmers who form the backbone of our coffee sector are not left behind, but are empowered with climate smart practices, market access, and fair value for their efforts.
This motivation guides my work daily from policy development and stakeholder engagement to championing initiatives like EUDR preparedness and climate-smart agriculture.
2.The upcoming event in Kampala focuses on the readiness of the African coffee sector for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). How do you assess Uganda’s and other African countries’ preparedness for these new regulations, and what key challenges remain in ensuring compliance?
Uganda, like many African coffee-producing countries, has made commendable strides toward understanding and preparing for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Through multi-stakeholder coordination unit hosted at Café Africa, awareness campaigns, and capacity-building sessions have been conducted, sensitization campaigns held, and preliminary farmer registration for 900,000 coffee farmers and farms successfully completed. The data will help in the development of the National traceability system.
However, some challenges remain on the way, First, the complexity and cost of establishing full traceability to the farm level, especially for smallholder-dominated systems pose a significant barrier.
Second, there is a need for clearer guidance and support mechanisms from both the EU and national governments to align regulatory frameworks and ensure a just transition. We must also address capacity gaps among farmer cooperatives, processors, and local authorities who are central to implementation.
Third, collaboration across the value chain is essential. Ensuring that upstream actors, such as traders and exporters, work in sync with smallholders and local governments will be key to building a transparent and verifiable supply chain.
Despite the challenges, I am optimistic. Uganda has the institutional will under MAAIF, a vibrant stakeholder ecosystem, and a history of adaptive innovation in agriculture. With coordinated action, inclusive dialogue, and sustained investment, I believe both Uganda and other African coffee-producing nations can turn EUDR compliance into an opportunity to strengthen sustainability, improve market access, and elevate the profile of African coffee globally.
3. Smallholder farmers are also affected by EUDR regulations and often face challenges such as access to finance, technology and sustainable farming practices. How is the Uganda Coffee Development Authority supporting smallholder farmers to adopt more sustainable and climate-friendly farming practices to ensure the long-term resilience of the coffee sector?
The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA)-NOW TRANSITIONED INTO MAAIF is actively supporting smallholder farmers in adopting sustainable and climate-friendly farming practices to ensure the long-term resilience of the coffee sector. This is being done through supporting farmer registration and traceability in collaboration with the private sector players. UCDA/MAAIF has launched a nationwide registration of coffee farmers and value chain actors to supplement the partner supported registration of 900,000 farmers. This initiative aims to enhance traceability, aligning Uganda’s coffee industry with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) requirements and securing market access.
UCDA/MAAIF Coffee development department offers training to farmers, focusing on sustainable farming techniques such as soil health preservation and efficient resource management. These practices are vital for improving coffee quality and ensuring long-term productivity in the face of climate change.
4. Data initiatives and traceability will also be an important focus of the event, with discussions on data and test runs for coffee shipments. What measures is Uganda taking to improve traceability in the coffee supply chain, and what role do digital tools and geolocalisation technologies play in this process?
Uganda is actively enhancing traceability within its coffee supply chain to comply with international regulations like the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and to meet growing consumer demands for transparency. Digital tools and geolocation technologies are central to these efforts.
UCDA under MAAIF has taken the following measures;
- Farmer Registration and Profiling
- Implementation of Geolocation and Satellite Technologies to verify that coffee cultivation does not contribute to deforestation, aligning with EUDR requirements.
- Training and Capacity Building by UCDA for value chain actors on sustainable and specialty coffee traceability systems across various agro-ecological zones.
- Collaboration with Partners
5. Sustainable coffee supply chains require strong collaboration between governments, private sector actors, and international organizations. How can partnerships between African coffee-producing countries and global markets be strengthened to promote both economic growth and environmental protection?
Such partnerships could be strengthened by;
- Co-Investment in Sustainable Production by supporting farmers through premiums for sustainably produced coffee, funding for climate-smart agricultural practices, and infrastructure to meet new regulations such as the EUDR. Public-private partnerships can be leveraged to scale these efforts.
- Supporting technology transfer, coupled with farmer-centric training and digital inclusion from development partners and international institutions.
- Fair and Inclusive Trade Frameworks. Smallholder farmers need to be integrated into formal markets and receive a just share of value. Certification bodies, trade platforms, and global buyers should work closely with local institutions to reduce barriers and increase transparency across the value chain.
- Regional and Continental Cooperation. African coffee-producing countries should collaborate more closely—through platforms like the Inter-African Coffee Organisation (IACO)—to harmonize policies, advocate with one voice in international forums, and develop regional traceability and sustainability frameworks.
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