New EU anti-deforestation rules challenge Ethiopia's coffee trade. Producers face strict origin requirements, impacting small-scale farmers.

Addis Ababa

Ethiopian coffee farmers are under pressure due to new European Union regulations that require proof of origin for every consignment of coffee, as part of anti-deforestation efforts. While the EU is a major market for Ethiopian coffee, producers say the regulations are difficult to meet without adequate financial support, especially for small-scale farmers.

Efforts are underway to map and register farms to comply with the rules, but with millions of smallholders in Ethiopia, the process is challenging. The EU has stated it is committed to providing support, but has not extended the compliance deadline, leaving many farmers concerned about their future access to the European market.

Ethiopian coffee farmers struggle with costly EU origin regulations

New European regulations are leaving a bitter taste for many of Ethiopia's coffee producers. A third of their output goes to the EU. But that doesn't affect the quality of the coffee. New anti-deforestation regulations set by Brussels demand proof of origin of every consignment. Producers have little choice but to comply. The concept is good, the timing is bad, the financial support is bad. Not bad, it's the worst. You implement the law and make us not to access the European market, which is a punishment, like a sanction. But look at China, supporting the Chinese companies financially in order to grow the business, to buy African coffees. Look what the European Union does. Nothing, not only nothing, increases the burden to us. Small farmers have been offered training to understand how they can grow coffee more sustainably. We are now planting shade trees to support our coffee plants and protect the environment. We are no longer cutting down trees, we are using them sustainably. EU coffee consumption is responsible for almost half of global coffee-related deforestation, according to a French government report. Now being able to trace the origin of these beans is a potentially powerful new tool in promoting sustainable agriculture, but it puts a heavy burden on millions of smaller farmers in developing countries who have contributed the least to climate change. We register farmers. To comply with the EU, an army of certification officers are mapping coffee farms across the country. It's been challenging because at first some farmers weren't aware why this is necessary. We have now completed 75% of the mapping. I'm aiming to log 5,000 farms by the end of the year. But there are at least 4 million small-scale coffee farmers in Ethiopia. In a statement, the European Commission said it was committed to providing all necessary support, adding that co-ops and governments should offer support too. From January 1st, larger producers will have to prove the origin of their beans. Smaller producers have an extra six months. The EU says it has no plans to extend that deadline.

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