Coffee agroforestry promises a path to EUDR compliance, but challenges remain

Over the last two decades, about 130,000 hectares, or 3,210,000 acres, of forest have been lost annually for coffee cultivation. Pressure on areas suitable for coffee growing, usually forest-rich habitats, is estimated to increase, as coffee production is expected to triple by 2050 to meet growing demand. Part of that demand is represented by the European Union market, which consumes about one-third of this global commodity. In an effort to reduce its impact on forests, the EU recently approved a regulation aimed at preventing coffee and other agricultural products linked to deforestation from being sold in its common market. Known as the EUDR, the regulation requires companies to demonstrate that such products didn’t originate from deforested land after Dec. 31, 2020, and that they were produced in compliance with environmental and human rights laws in the country of origin. Although the EUDR’s applicability date has been postponed to December 2025 (and to June 2026 for micro- and small enterprises), some companies in the coffee sector, particularly the largest ones, have begun preparing to meet its requirements. Among them are Nespresso and commodity trader Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC). Source: European Commission (2021). While noncompliance could lead to significant profit losses, including a potential ban from the EU market, both Nespresso and LDC have expressed support for the EUDR regulation, citing their company-wide commitments to eliminating deforestation from their respective supply chains. “We continuously work to ensure a deforestation-free supply-chain,” Nespresso, part of Switzerland-based Nestlé Group, told Mongabay via email. “Forests are…This article was originally published on Mongabay