Kenya’s coffee industry races to meet EU deforestation rules

KENYA – Kenya’s coffee sector has begun preparations to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) through a nationwide geo-mapping and data collection drive.

The Agriculture and Food Authority’s Coffee Directorate opened a two-day sensitization workshop to prepare the multi-agency team that will guide the process across all 33 coffee-growing counties.

The training helped the EUDR Data Collection Team understand how to guide county enumerators, report progress, and follow the Data Protection Act. It also clarified each team member’s role in the exercise.

“The European Union currently takes 55 percent of our coffee exports, which supports over 800,000 households directly. We must ensure Kenya remains compliant and competitive in that market,” outlined the official statement from the Agriculture and Food Authority- Coffee Directorate.

The EU regulation requires exporters to prove that their coffee supply chains are free from deforestation that took place after December 2020. Every consignment must also meet the legal requirements of the country of origin.

The government has committed to cover the cost of the geo-mapping exercise. “Farmers will not pay anything for this data collection. The process is fully funded to ensure no farmer is left out,” the statement added.

Kenya exports coffee mainly to Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and Finland, earning about KSh 90 billion (US$695.52 million) in the last five years. Smallholder farmers contribute nearly 70 percent of national coffee production, making their inclusion in the compliance effort essential.

“The EU market is too important for us to risk. If we do not meet the rules by the December 31, 2025 deadline, the losses for our farmers will be devastating,” said a senior representative from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.

The Multi-Agency Technical Working Group guiding the process brings together the Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Authority, State Department for Agriculture, State Department for Cooperatives, Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Space Agency, Directorate of Resource Surveys and Remote Sensing, Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, and the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

Officials noted that smallholder farmers face challenges with certification costs and digital literacy. However, low-cost tools such as TerraTrac, priced at about US$0.30 per farmer, are already being considered to help bridge the gap.

Beyond compliance, stakeholders believe the process could strengthen Kenya’s coffee sector in the long run.

The sensitization workshop marks the first step in what will be a nationwide exercise. With the December 2025 deadline approaching, officials say the coming months will focus on training, data collection, and ensuring that no coffee-growing county is left behind.

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