The government of Kenya through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Authority has issued an update on the European Union Deforestation Regulations (EUDR) compliance by Kenya. In a press release on October 9, 2024, by the Authority, in addressing the EU, the Government of Kenya reassures all coffee growers, value chain actors, operators, and buyers that Kenya is on track to meet the EUDR compliance deadline.
The European Union Parliament passed legislative measures on May 3, 2023, aimed at reducing EU-driven deforestation and forest degradation.
“The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) mandates that certain commodities, including coffee, linked to deforestation must not be placed on or exported to the EU market after December 30, 2024,” the statement cited.
Further, the Authority stated, “The EU accounts for 55% of Kenya’s coffee exports, making compliance with these regulations essential to the success of Kenya’s coffee subsector.”
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Compliance Measures Being Taken by Govt
In light of the EU regulations, Kenya has highlighted various compliance measures it is taking towards reassuring the coffee grower’s steady export.
The outlined measures include:
- Cabinet Memo: A cabinet memo is being prepared to keep the cabinet informed on Kenya’s progress towards EUDR compliance.
- Multi-Agency Technical Committee: A committee of experts has been formed to evaluate Kenya’s readiness and develop a comprehensive compliance framework.
- Ground-truthing tests: have been conducted to assess the current status of compliance.
- EU Technical support: has been requested and approved by the European Commission (EU) to verify compliance.
Although there have been unconfirmed reports suggesting a potential extension of the EUDR compliance deadline to December 2025, the Government remains steadfast in adhering to its current schedule. In addition, the Authority emphasized that early compliance is critical to securing Kenya’s position in the EU market and maintaining trust with our trading partners.
On the other hand, the Ministry stressed the need for compliance with the Data Protection Act 2019.
Moreover, the Authority issued a warning to unauthorized entities prohibiting them from collecting, analyzing, or storing grower information under the guise of assisting with compliance.
Furthermore, the Ministry clarified that the Due Diligence Statement, as required by the EUDR, will be issued by the competent government agencies. Meanwhile, all grower data will be securely managed under the Kenya Integrated Agricultural Management Information System (KIAMIS) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
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EUDR Laws to Kenyan Farmers
The Kenyan coffee exporters have about three months to prove that their crops are not grown on deforested land. Coffee exporters who would like to continue supplying their coffee to the EU must comply with the new regulations.
The EU will only buy coffee whose sellers have proven it was not grown on land that was deforested after December 31, 2020. This is in accordance with the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), set to kick off on January 25, 2025.
Notably, the EU is the largest buyer of Kenya’s coffee, and it is therefore crucial for coffee farmers to retain this market. The EUDR was introduced to promote the consumption of deforestation-free products and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
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