Amazon Coffee Producers Lead in Deforestation-Free Production
In the Ecuadorian Amazon, nearly 400 coffee farmers have adopted a deforestation-free production model since 2019, combining traceability, geospatial monitoring, and certification to stay ahead of the European Union’s upcoming deforestation regulation (EUDR). The initiative, known as the Deforestation-Free Coffee Initiative, operates across 23 areas in the region and has already exported 172.5 metric tons of coffee between 2022 and 2025. In 2025 alone, exports matched the combined total of the previous three years, highlighting rapid growth in sustainable coffee trade.
The EUDR and its Impact on Coffee Trade
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), approved in 2023, aims to prevent products linked to deforestation from entering the EU market. It originally took effect in December 2024 but has been postponed twice, now set for December 2025 for large operators and traders, with micro and small enterprises given until June 2027 to comply. The regulation requires companies to provide geographic proof that commodities like coffee are not grown on land deforested after 2020. Ecuador, which lost approximately 1.2 million hectares of forest cover over the past four decades, faces significant pressure to adapt. According to data from MapBiomas, the entire Amazon lost more than 88 million hectares of forest between 1985 and 2023, an area roughly three times the size of Ecuador. The EUDR targets seven commodities, including coffee.
How the Initiative Works
The Deforestation-Free Coffee Initiative, supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ecuadorian government, and Italian coffee company Lavazza, uses satellite imagery, traceability systems, and independent verification to monitor coffee production. Farmers like Victoria Alverca Peña, a co-founder of the APECAP association in Zamora Chinchipe province, grow coffee alongside cacao, timber, fruit trees, and short-cycle crops such as corn, cassava, and plantains. This agroforestry approach enhances food security and productivity while preserving forest cover. Currently, 373 producers participate, cultivating nearly 5,000 hectares, of which more than 1,200 hectares of natural forest remain conserved.
Economic Benefits and Market Access
The initiative has opened access to international markets, with about 90% of the coffee exported to Europe, primarily France, Germany, and Italy. Early exports to Italy totaled 17 metric tons, later doubling to 34 metric tons. By the end of 2025, cumulative exports reached 172.5 metric tons, worth $1.7 million. Between 2020 and 2024, more than 100 producers and technicians participated in barista and international market workshops to meet quality standards. Farmers receive premium prices for deforestation-free coffee, creating stable income and reducing vulnerability to price volatility. The project also introduced field notebooks for farm management, helping producers track harvests, pruning, and costs.
Challenges in Scaling Up
Despite its success, experts note challenges in scaling the model. Lisandro Inakake, project manager at Imaflora, said many initiatives remain pilot projects and struggle to consolidate. Beto Mesquita, director of sustainable landscapes at Conservation International, emphasized the need for public policies and technical assistance to expand such efforts. The Ecuadorian government launched a nationwide program in 2025 to register and georeference over 100,000 coffee and cacao producers across 24 provinces to meet EUDR traceability requirements. The UNDP’s Juan Merino stated that the project aims to transform into a scalable platform, incorporating new producers while maintaining forest conservation goals. The initiative’s average annual deforestation rate in the intervention area was 3.44% between 2016 and 2022.