Agriculture Ministry Moves to Safeguard Coffee Exports with Nationwide Farmer Registration
Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, launched the registration of coffee farmers to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation. The regulation requires traceability to ensure that coffee exported to the EU is not linked to deforestation, with the Uganda Coffee Development Authority overseeing the process. Italy, Germany, and Spain remain Uganda’s top coffee export destinations.
On Tuesday 1st October, 2024, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, Minister of Agriculture, officially launched the nationwide registration of coffee farmers. This initiative aims to ensure Uganda’s continued access to the European Union (EU) market for coffee exports.
During a press conference held at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, Minister Tumwebaze emphasized that the registration process is a requirement set forth by the EU for countries exporting coffee. The EU, Uganda’s largest coffee export destination, has implemented stringent regulations aimed at ensuring deforestation-free products as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect biodiversity.
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) mandates that coffee exported to the EU must not be sourced from farms established through deforestation. The registration of coffee farmers is a key step in complying with this regulation.
The Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) will oversee the registration of all actors in the coffee value chain across the country, free of charge. According to Dr. Gerald Kyalo, UCDA’s Director of Development Services, the EUDR requires traceability to prove that no deforestation has occurred in the production of coffee exported to the EU.
“The law (EUDR) mandates that each kilogram of coffee exported to the EU must be traceable back to the individual producer,” Dr. Kyalo stated.
In addition to coffee, the EUDR also applies to other commodities, including cattle, cocoa, oil palm, rubber, soy, and wood, requiring companies trading in these products to demonstrate that they do not originate from deforested areas or contribute to forest degradation.
As of June 2024, Italy remained Uganda’s largest market for coffee exports, accounting for 41.96% of total exports, as detailed in the July 2024 report on Uganda’s economic performance. Germany and Spain also featured as significant markets, with shares of 10.55% and 5.40%, respectively.
