Kenya’s government is expediting efforts to geo-map its vast network of coffee farms, a critical step to secure future access to the lucrative European Union market. The initiative, led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, is a direct response to the EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), which take effect for large companies on December 30, 2025.
The EUDR requires importers to prove their commodities, including coffee, are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation since December 31, 2020. With the EU accounting for 55% of Kenya’s clean coffee exports—totaling 122,699 metric tonnes—compliance is paramount. Key importers like Belgium, Germany, Finland, and Sweden stand to be impacted.
The country’s Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) reported that approximately 30% of the nation’s coffee land, spanning 32,688 hectares across 16 of 33 counties, has been geo-mapped using satellite imagery. The agency anticipates completing the mapping of the remaining 109,384 hectares within two months to meet the deadline. The AFA’s focus on the country’s 70% smallholder producers underscores the scale of the task and the potential disruption to the supply chain if not completed in time. Small and micro enterprises have a slightly longer grace period, with the rules applying to them from June 30, 2026.
