The European Union Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) creates a dual scenario for Amazonian cocoa and coffee: it can strengthen traceability, legality and territorial sustainability; but it may also deepen gender, territorial and economic inequalities if its requirements are not adapted to Amazonian contexts.
Structural gaps—land tenure, technological and institutional capacities, and women’s care and labour burdens—are the main factors shaping inclusive or exclusionary compliance outcomes. Women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, Afro-Ecuadorian and Montubio communities face differentiated risks.
There are key opportunities to transform these value chains into more equitable models, including social and cultural traceability, the strengthening of local organizations, valuing community knowledge and strengthening institutional coordination to ensure that no one is left behind during the transition.
