Cocoa & Coffee festival: Cameroonian farmers better prepared to adapt to new EU regulation on deforestation
Partners of the European Union (EU) Sustainable Cocoa Programme (SCP) seized the opportunity of the Cocoa & Coffee festival organized in Yaoundé from 10 to 12 April to raise awareness among Cameroonian cocoa and coffee farmers on how to comply with the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
SCP stand at the Cocoa & Coffee festival in Cameroon.
©FAO Cameroon
Partners of the European Union (EU) Sustainable Cocoa Programme (SCP) seized the opportunity of the Cocoa & Coffee festival organized in Yaoundé from 10 to 12 April to raise awareness among Cameroonian cocoa and coffee farmers on how to comply with the requirements of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The Sustainable Cocoa Programme supports sustainable production in three leading African cocoa producing countries: Cameroon, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. One of the programmes priorities is to support countries to adapt their cocoa supply chains to the EUDR requirements.
In close collaboration with the EU Delegation in Yaoundé, SCP partners participated in the Cocoa and Coffee festival organized by Cameroon’s Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council (CICC), with the support of the Ministry of Trade. The SCP exhibition stand was visited by over 1500 attendees during the three days of the festival to learn about the EUDR and its implications for the cocoa and the coffee sectors (in terms of traceability and deforestation-free and legal production requirements). The stand also presented initiatives implemented by Cameroon to prepare for the EUDR and showcased how the EU and its partners are supporting Cameroon’s transition to sustainable cocoa.
On Friday 11 April, an SCP side-event presented the new EUDR requirements for agricultural supply chains and gathered over 500 cocoa and coffee producers and representatives of cooperatives. 300 young producers from all parts of the country were able to attend thanks to FAO’s support. Cameroon cocoa sector actors presented the country’s actions to adapt its cocoa supply chain to the new regulation. The participants received answers to the question: What is the EUDR and how can I adapt my practices to produce sustainable cocoa or coffee that meets EUDR requirements? Prominent key actors were present, including representatives of the International Cocoa Organization and the EU, public and private sectors, civil society organizations, etc.
SCP side-event presenting the new EUDR requirements for agricultural supply chains © FAO Cameroon
What does the EUDR mean for producers?
The regulation states that cocoa and coffee sold on the EU market must be deforestation-free, traceable and legally produced. It will come into effect in December 2025. The operators who place the product on the EU market are responsible for gathering the information to prove that the cocoa and coffee sent to Europe meets its requirements.
In this context, producers are advised not to create new plantations in the forest, expand their plantations in already cultivated areas and fallow land, and invest and follow good practices to increase yields in existing plots.
For Steve Peedell, Head of Environment and Agriculture sector of the EU Delegation in Yaoundé, “This was a very timely and useful session. The entry into force of the EUDR is almost upon us. Together with our partners, we are working hard to accompany the producers of Cameroon to be ready for it. Amongst the many producers gathered here today, we heard a clear and consistent support for the principles of the regulation and a strong endorsement of our shared vision of a sustainable and equitable cocoa sector in Cameroon. And we also heard their genuine concerns and concrete questions – practical, day-to-day issues that must be addressed to maintain that support”.
Athman Mravili, FAO a.i Representative in Cameroon and FAO Coordinator for Central Africa said: “Cameroon’s cocoa producers need to demonstrate that their cocoa thrives within sustainable agroforestry systems rather than through deforestation. The Sustainable Cocoa Programme equips stakeholders with state-of-the-art land use maps to monitor compliance with the EUDR. This mapping effort was presented to the participants, as it helps them map their land use, trace their production, and comply with EU standards.
During the conference, Omer Maledy, Executive Secretary of the CICC, stated: “Taking into account the geolocation data collected by the CICC, the Cocoa and Coffee Subsectors Development Fund and private operators, we can say that Cameroon is ready for this requirement”.
Ghislain Fomou, technical expert in cocoa and forestry at the European Forest Institute, said: “The producers were very engaged and asked pertinent questions. This confirms that they have fully understood the requirements of the regulation and now know what is expected of them. The next step is to expand these information sessions in the localities to reach as many producers as possible. This will be done over the coming weeks by GIZ and CICC.”
The EU Sustainable Cocoa Programme (SCP) is a collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the European Forest Institute (EFI). The initiative is supporting cocoa-producing countries - Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Cameroon - to enhance the economic, social and environmental sustainability of cocoa value chains through policy support, technical assistance and initiatives addressing farmer incomes, deforestation and child labour.
