By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Stakeholders received the report of an EU-funded study analyzing the readiness of cocoa and other value chains to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation, EUDR.

The EUDR, introduced on June 29, 2023, aims to limit the impact of the EU market on global deforestation, forest degradation and biodiversity loss, promote deforestation-free supply chains, reduce EU contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and to protecting human rights and human rights. of indigenous people the peoples.

Products covered by the EUDR include cocoa as well as palm oil, livestock, soy, coffee, wood, rubber and their derivatives (beef, furniture and chocolate are also listed). With the EU attracting 67 percent of Nigeria’s cocoa exports, preparedness in this sector is particularly critical.

Speaking at the event in Abuja, Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said the EU aims to develop a strategy that protects both environment and mitigates the effects of climate change. “In cocoa farming, a lot of virgin land is cleared and farmers use these forested lands for cultivation. This is why the EUDR is important to discourage deforestation, but also why the EU is here to support local farmers through improved agro-ecological techniques and productivity improvements,” he said .

The workshop also presented the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D), a new legislative instrument applying to all value chains and requiring that, while carrying out economic activities, companies minimize negative environmental and social impacts.

Explaining the importance of CS3D, Massimo De Luca added: “From water to child labor, companies must assess the risks associated with their operations and measures to address them, including compliance with national and international standards.

Represented by Ajayi Olutobaba, Deputy Director, Cocoa Sector/Member, National Cocoa Management Committee, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, welcomed the EU partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Safety and the introduction of the EUDR.

“The EU’s partnership with the Ministry on the crucial issue of EUDR and the need to conduct due diligence assessments in relevant value chains is a welcome development,” he said.

“Given the importance of EUDR and the need to ensure due diligence assessments in Nigeria’s cocoa sector to ensure deforestation-free supply chains for cocoa and other agricultural products, I I recently inaugurated the National EUDR Working Group, comprising all relevant stakeholders in the affected value. channels,” he announced.

“The national working group, which I chair, aims to develop a unified national approach to meeting EU deadlines. We have already started our operations and hope to achieve our goals as quickly as possible.

In his presentation, Javier Sánchez, key expert commissioned by the European Commission, highlighted that while the EUDR presents short-term challenges for producing countries, it offers important opportunities in the medium term.

“EUDR should not be seen as a disadvantage to Nigeria. This is an opportunity to improve environmental sustainability, create sustainable value chains and strengthen compliance with national regulations throughout the value chain,” he said.

Sánchez stressed that compliance with the EUDR strengthens the role of small producers in international value chains by promoting transparency, thus allowing consumers to know the origin of cocoa, coffee and other products.

“The private sector, particularly EU-based importers, is the key actor responsible for implementing the EUDR. They will face significant sanctions in the event of non-compliance. Due to the structure of the value chain, they will also look to upstream actors, in particular cooperatives and intermediaries, who have information on the origin of products, to ensure compliance with the EUDR.

“While the government cannot replace the role of the private sector, it can facilitate compliance by developing tools and ensuring that the regulations that private sector actors must follow are known,” he added. .