Kenya is accelerating efforts to meet tough new European Union regulations that could reshape global agricultural trade, with the country’s lucrative coffee sector under particular scrutiny.

The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), adopted in 2023, requires exporters to prove that agricultural products sold in the EU were not produced on land cleared of forests after 31 December 2020. Coffee is among seven commodities targeted by the law, alongside cocoa, soy, beef, palm oil, rubber, and wood. Exporters must provide verifiable data tracing supply chains back to individual farms.

For Kenya, where coffee is both a cultural emblem and a vital source of foreign exchange, the stakes are high. According to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), about 95 percent of Kenyan coffee is exported, and more than half of it goes to Europe—principally Belgium, Germany, Sweden, and Finland. Over the past five years, the EU market alone accounted for 122,699 metric tons of clean coffee valued at USD 695.7 million (around KES 90 billion). Failure to comply with the EUDR could therefore jeopardize a major share of the country’s export revenue.

Mapping the Farms

To secure compliance, the government has committed to achieving full traceability of coffee by 30 December 2025, the EU deadline. Central to this effort is a nationwide geo-mapping exercise, which uses satellite imagery to verify the exact location of coffee farms and ensure they have not encroached on protected forests.

Principal Agricultural Officer for Food Security at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Tasisio Odongo, told reporters that more than 30 percent of Kenya’s coffee-growing area has already been mapped since the initiative began in July. So far, 16 of the 33 coffee-producing counties are covered.

“The remaining counties will be mapped before the December 2025 deadline,” Odongo said. “This process will not only ensure compliance with international regulations but also strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Kenya’s coffee sector.”

Odongo leads the multi-agency EUDR Data Committee, which is spearheading the mapping exercise in regions such as Subukia, Bahati, and Rongai in Nakuru County. The committee brings together the State Department of Agriculture, the State Department for Cooperatives, the Kenya Forest Service, the Kenya Space Agency, the Directorate of Survey and Remote Sensing, and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization, all coordinated by the Agriculture and Food Authority.

Smallholders at the Center

Coffee farming in Kenya is dominated by smallholder growers, who account for about 70 percent of national output. Their participation is therefore critical to ensuring that the mapping exercise succeeds.

Odongo underscored their role, noting that compliance is not just about meeting export requirements but also about securing livelihoods in rural communities. Coffee is grown across 33 counties, many of which rely on the crop as a backbone of their local economies.

“We cannot succeed without the involvement of farmers,” he said. “They are at the heart of Kenya’s coffee story, and their contribution will determine whether we meet the EU’s standards.”

Challenges and Opportunities

While the EU regulation poses logistical challenges..particularly in gathering data from thousands of small farms..it may also open new opportunities. Verified traceability could boost Kenya’s reputation as a producer of high-quality, sustainable coffee and provide access to premium markets where consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental impact.

Experts argue that beyond compliance, the mapping initiative could help modernize Kenya’s agricultural sector by improving data accuracy, enhancing monitoring of land use, and potentially attracting climate-related financing.

A Tight Deadline

Still, time is short. With just over two years before the deadline, the government faces the task of mapping millions of coffee trees while ensuring that farmers understand the requirements. Officials have urged stakeholders and members of the public seeking clarification on the regulation to contact the EUDR Data Committee.

As global demand for sustainable agriculture intensifies, Kenya’s success or failure in meeting the EU’s deforestation rules could set a precedent for other African exporters. For now, the country is racing against the clock to prove that its coffee..renowned worldwide for its quality..can also meet the world’s rising environmental standards.