Ecuador hosted the closing event of the ".Dialogues on sustainable cocoa".organised by AL-INVEST Verde, in collaboration with the German Cooperation-GIZ Ecuador and the Delegation of the European Union in Ecuador. On 1 October, the event was held in Quito, Ecuador. "Integrated solutions for sustainable cocoa for the European market".The second and third of October, workshops were organised in Tena, in the province of Napo, and on 2 and 3 October in Tena, in the province of Napo. Both activities were attended by more than one hundred participants from more than ten countries in Latin America and Europe, including authorities, international experts, key representatives of the public sector, private sector and associations, among others.
During the event, the challenges and opportunities for the implementation of the European Union Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) in the cocoa value chain, with a focus on the sustainability and the requirements for compliance with these regulations.
The inauguration was presided over by Sonsoles García, Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries of Ecuador; Jekaterina Dorodnova, Ambassador of the European Union in Ecuador; Jens Peter Lütkenherm, Ambassador of Germany in Ecuador; Marco Oviedo, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG); and Gabriela Sommerfeld, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility.
During her speech, the Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries, Sonsoles Garciaindicated that "Ecuador is committed to sustainable cocoa production".He called for small producers not to be squeezed out of the market.
For its part, the Ambassador of the European Union to Ecuador, Jekaterina DorodnovaHe recalled that the country is the third largest cocoa producer in the world and that a third of its exports are destined for the European Union. "The importance of cocoa for Ecuador is very great."he underlined. He stressed the importance of the EUDR as an opportunity to access the European market and, in particular, "a real opportunity for small producers".
Then, the German Ambassador to Ecuador, Jens Peter LütkenhermThe German government, he said, was committed to exchanging strategies for tackling the EUDR and reiterated the German government's commitment to the Ecuadorian government in order to "to implement initiatives that strengthen sustainability"..
In this respect, the deputy minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), Marco OviedoHe recalled that a sustainable future for Ecuadorian cocoa is being built and insisted that the EUDR is a challenge, "but also a great opportunity to demonstrate what we are capable of, that in Ecuador we are very committed to sustainability in every sense of the word.
Finally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Gabriela SommerfeldHe pointed out that the EU is "one of Ecuador's most important partners", its first supplier of organic products. He assured that the country "is committed to meeting European standards".and social, environmental and economic sustainability criteria.
After the inauguration, the following speakers took the floor competent authorities in Spain, Germany and ItalyThey spoke about the process of adaptation of each country to the European Deforestation Free Regulation and how its effective implementation will be carried out.
The event continued with the presentation "Challenges of the cocoa chain for EUDR compliance" by Frédéric Baron, expert on deforestation-free value chains at the European Forest Institute (EFI).
The panel "Public sector: processes of adaptation to the EUDR" brought together institutional representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.This was followed by a dialogue on "Small producers: challenges for the fulfilment of the EUDR", with Fredy Cabello, General Manager of UNOCACE, and Ute Sontag, coordinator of the Sustainable Agriculture for Forest Ecosystems Project of the SAFE Programme of the German Cooperation GIZ (Ecuador).
The event ended with the panel "Private sector: requirements for suppliers".Anna Paula Losi, from the National Association of Producers of the Cocoa Processing Industries of Brazil; Luis Eduardo López Romero, technical manager of the National Federation of Cocoa Growers of Colombia; Cristian Noboa, from the Cacao Ecuador 2023 Coalition of Ecuador; Antonio Arbe, from the Chamber of Coffee and Cocoa of Peru; and Francisco Miranda, LATAM director of Cocoa Sourcing at MARS.
Work tables
Following the event in Quito, on 2 and 3 October, working groups were held in the city of Tena on the following topics traceability, organisational strengthening and deforestation- and soil-free approach. Divided into groups, the participants analysed these EUDR requirements and presented the challenges and opportunities for the region in plenary session.
In addition, two visits were made. The first visit was to the collection centre of the Kallari Association of small producers, where the participants were able to learn about their traceability and management model to comply with the EUDR Due Diligence process.
The second of the outings was to an Amazonian Chakra, where it was possible to visit a cocoa plantation in an agroforestry system and learn about the characteristics of the Chakra. During the visit, images were captured by a drone that flew over the farm to get a detailed view of the Chakra next to a forest. In this way, a practical exercise was carried out on the definition of "forest" contemplated in the EUDR and ancestral production systems.
Dialogues on sustainable cocoa
The cycle "Dialogues on sustainable cocoa"The project was developed over the course of 2024 and consisted of three virtual meetings. They have addressed different EUDR requirements, such as the need for products to be free of deforestation, traceability and legality.
The EUDR will require operators introducing, marketing or exporting certain products - including cocoa and its derivatives - to EU markets to submit a due diligence declaration demonstrating that the products comply with the relevant legislation of the country of production and come from land that has not experienced deforestation after 31 December 2020. Hence the importance of this cycle, which has culminated in a face-to-face meeting in Ecuador where, over three days, there has been an opportunity to share good practices and progress in this regard.
About AL-INVEST Verde
AL-INVEST Verde is a programme funded by the European Union (EU). Its main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America by supporting the transition towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy. Through Component 2, led by FIIAPP in consortium with IILAThe programme provides assistance for strengthening public policy 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.
