On 14 August, the following event took place in the canton of Chone, in the province of Manabí (Ecuador): an Awareness-Raising Forum on the European Union Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) and the Register of Cocoa Operators in the GUIA system of the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad). The event brought together more than 250 producers, organisations, export companies, collection centres, technical experts and institutions to learn about the main provisions of the EUDR Regulation, how the GUIA system works, and the importance of georeferencing for compliance with European regulations.
The day ended with the certificates presented to 7 trainers and 253 implementers from Chone, trained in EUDR, traceability, georeferencing, good agricultural and commercial practices, as well as in the use of Agrocalidad’s GUIA system.
This training session and the forum form part of the project Trainer of Trainers II, a joint initiative by Agrocalidad and the AL-INVEST Verde programme, funded by the European Union, with technical support from Trias. Its aim is to strengthen the traceability of Ecuadorian cocoa by registering operators in the GUIA system and georeferencing plots. To this end, 85 trainers and 1,885 implementers have been trained nationwide, who will support producers and organisations throughout this process.
From 30 December 2026, the EUDR Regulation will come into force to large and medium-sized operators. From 30 June 2027, it will also apply to micro and small enterprises. The regulation stipulates that products such as cocoa, coffee, oil palm, timber, soya, rubber and cattle may only be traded within the European Union if they do not originate from land that has been deforested after 31 December 2020. To ensure compliance, amongst other requirements, the EUDR mandates the geolocation of plots of land and information enabling products to be traced throughout the supply chain.
As part of the process of bringing Ecuador’s cocoa value chain into line with the EUDR, the registration of producers in Agrocalidad’s GUIA system enables the georeferencing of their crops through the recording of the polygons representing production areas. This information is a key element in strengthening traceability and facilitating compliance with requirements relating to the absence of deforestation.
About AL-INVEST Verde
AL-INVEST Verde is a European Union (EU) programme whose main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America by supporting the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy. Through Component 2, led by FIAP in consortium with IILA, the programme provides assistance for strengthening public policies and multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainable agricultural and value chains, environmental and labour standards, as well as sustainable trade and economic policy and regulatory frameworks.