Building Resilient and Traceable Fairtrade Supply Chains

As the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) comes into effect, ensuring traceability and sustainability in agricultural supply chains has become vital. For Fairtrade farmers organizations across Asia and the Pacific, EUDR compliance is a crucial step in maintaining access to EU markets and reinforcing their commitment to sustainable, deforestation-free production. The regulation represents both a challenge and an opportunity — a challenge to meet new traceability requirements, and an opportunity to strengthen sustainability, transparency, and market access.

To support this transition, Fairtrade NAPP (Network of Asia & Pacific Producers), with the funding support of Fairtrade Germany and Max Havelaar Switzerland, has been implementing a regional project on ‘Deforestation Regulations & Compliance’ to enhance EUDR readiness among smallholder coffee and cocoa farmers' organizations.

49 farmer organisations from nine countries — Indonesia, Laos, India, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Timor Leste, Myanmar, China, and Thailand — are being supported through this initiative.

Supporting Producers Through Geospatial Mapping and Capacity Building

A key component of EUDR compliance is the requirement for geolocation data of farm plots to ensure traceability and verify that no deforestation has occurred after December 2020. To address this, Fairtrade NAPP has been supporting and providing regular on field and virtial training to farmers' organizations in mapping their plots using GPS devices, mobile applications, or Google Maps. This geospatial data is essential to ensure compliance, conduct deforestation risk assessments, and maintain transparent supply chains.

The project’s core objectives include:

• Ensuring compliance with EUDR through accurate data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Conducting geospatial analysis using Geographic Information system tools to develop and implement geofencing strategies.
• Developing dashboards and visualizations to improve data transparency and monitoring.

This initiative aligns with Fairtrade’s global commitment to environmental sustainability, transparency, and the empowerment of smallholder farmers.

Progress So Far with Mapping for Compliance

As of October 2025, 28 Farmers Organizations (57%) from 06 countries (India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, China and Timor Leste) have completed their geospatial mapping and submitted their data on FairInsight, Fairtrade’s internal digital platform for data management and analysis.

Mapping activities are ongoing for other producer organisations expected to complete their submission in the coming months.

Empowering Smallholders for a Sustainable Future

This initiative extends far beyond regulatory compliance — it is about empowering Fairtrade coffee and cocoa producers with the digital tools, skills, and knowledge they need to thrive in a rapidly changing global market. By integrating geospatial technologies into their operations, producers are strengthening supply chain transparency, demonstrating their commitment to sustainable and deforestation-free production, and ensuring continued access to premium Fairtrade markets.

Through this collaborative effort, Fairtrade NAPP is supporting producer organizations to develop accurate geospatial data systems that enhance their capacity for data-driven decision-making, environmental stewardship, and long-term resilience.

This regional initiative stands as a strong example of how partnerships, innovation, and capacity building can enable smallholder farmers across Asia and the Pacific to lead the transition toward deforestation-free, traceable, and sustainable coffee and cocoa supply chains — ensuring they remain key players in the evolving global trade landscape.