Training of trainers material on the EU Deforestation Regulation
This training material of the “Training of trainers on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)” was designed to equip professionals from the agricultural sector on relevant information about the EUDR and its requirements to smallholder farmers and SME stakeholders in producing countries, earning their living with the commodities covered by the EUDR (cattle/leather, timber, coffee, cocoa, natural rubber, palm oil, soy). With the material experienced trainers, such as extensionists, cooperative leaders, multipliers, private sector actors, aggregators or similar professionals, have a solid basis to effectively communicate clear key messages and practical considerations on the EUDR to smallholder farmers and SME’s producing various commodities.
The material serves, moreover, to qualify future trainers as preparation for conducting high quality trainings for a broader range of actors in different supply chains with the methodology and contents provided.
The material consists of a guidebook that includes the methodology, practical exercises, relevant definitions and a step-by-step training guide. The slide deck can be used as additional information, especially when qualifying future trainers. It can be found under the link to the (external) website.
What the material entails?
The guidebook explains why on-site trainings are important and provides key information and methodological approaches on the EUDR, including definitions, requirements, and benefits for SMEs and smallholders who supply companies operating in the EU. The trainings are specifically designed for smallholder farmers and SMEs. Each session comes with a clear methodology, including an overview, a sample agenda and facilitation plan, a step-by-step guide/ material, and a checklist to help prepare the training.
The annex also includes useful details about the EUDR, such as obligations, geolocation, labor and land rights. It provides extra training materials like questionnaires to measure progress, a mapping exercise for the EUDR, guidance on planning and running the training, and tools to collect reliable data.
This guidebook makes the trainings easy to follow and practical, helping participants gain the knowledge and tools they need to understand and apply EUDR requirements successfully
Why are trainings on the EUDR needed?
About 90% of global deforestation is caused by the expansion of agriculture. Humans transform ecosystems to grow more food, feed, fibres and bioenergy, some for domestic production, some for exports. Therefore, the EU has adopted the European Deforestation Regulation. According to the regulation, companies that place relevant products on the EU market, produce or export them from there must ensure through a due diligence statement that they are produced legally and without deforestation or forest degradation after 2020. The new EU regulation can therefore affect countries that export relevant commodities and derived products such as cattle, coffee, cocoa, soy, natural rubber, palm oil, and timber to the EU market.
Feedback from different stakeholders shows that the awareness about the EUDR and its implications for supply chain actors on the ground varies and is currently still limited. To deliver on the potential and actively prepare themselves for the European deforestation regulation, actors in the agricultural and forest sectors (public, private, civil society) need a solid understanding of the EUDR content relevant on the ground, and its potential benefits and implications for smallholders and SMEs in the targeted commodities. The training herein presented offers practical tools to further support supply chain actors’ capacities, especially SMEs and smallholders towards implementing the EUDR. Two training modules – one targeting SMEs and one targeting smallholders – have been designed and then tested in Thailand with pilot audiences. The material was developed based on feedback from pilot trainings and diverse stakeholders from the government and private sectors on the ground and reflects the status quo of knowledge on the EUDR and accompanying documents as of March 2025.
