Dimitra Enables Certified Coffee Import Under Transformative New EU Deforestation Law (EUDR)

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Mar 07, 2024, 10:00 ET

The groundbreaking achievement comes amidst the European Coffee Federation's call to delay the implementation of regulations, with members such as Nestle SA, Illycaffe SpA, and Olam Food importing more than 2.5 million tons of coffee

BELIZE CITY, Belize, March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Dimitra, a leading blockchain-based operating system for AgTech driving productive, intelligent, and inclusive farming, today announced that it has become one of the first firms to certify a coffee shipment compliant with the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) standard. In collaboration with CACI Satinaki, a Peru-based farming cooperative of smallholder farmers, Dimitra's combination of satellite analysis, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and mobile technology has facilitated a fully certified shipment of coffee under the regulation, that will arrive in Germany in March — with a full traceability record from bean to cup.

Speaking on the news, Jon Trask, CEO of Dimitra, said: "The implementation of the EUDR at the end of this year is a truly seismic moment. The impact of the regulatory change will be felt right across the supply chain, from traders, to operators, to consumers. But most particularly, smallholder farmers are feeling the squeeze and are searching for solutions, so that they can comply with the regulation, continue to access the EU market, and protect their livelihoods. In our collaboration with CACI Satinaki to certify an EUDR-compliant shipment of coffee, Dimitra has shown that we have the technological solutions to assist farmers at this uncertain time."

The EUDR, which will become enforceable on the 30th of December 2024, bans the sale of goods like coffee, soya, and cocoa that are linked to the destruction of forests. The regulation presents a significant challenge for farmers, particularly smallholders, who will only be permitted to sell products in the EU if they can prove that the product has been produced on land that has not been subject to deforestation.

Based on the findings of a survey by the International Coffee Organization, the European Coffee Federation notes that 80% of farmers haven't mapped their land as required by the law. In countries like Honduras and Guatemala where the coffee value chain comprises primarily of poorer, smallholder farmers, 90 percent of Guatemalan and 70 percent of Honduran producers operate less than 2 hectares, and around two-thirds of them live below the national poverty lines — the traceability and information systems required to satisfy the EUDR due diligence process do not exist.

Dimitra, as evidenced by its work with CACI Satinaki, is offering farmers a solution to modernize their practices, comply with regulations, and continue to access the EU market. In particular, they will deploy Dimitra's Connected Coffee Platform and Deforestation Compliance Module. This collaboration between Dimitra and the CACI Satinaki signifies a positive step towards sustainable and technologically empowered agriculture, benefiting farmers, consumers, and the environment.

Michael Scherff, farmer and CACI Satinaki Export Director, added: "We are very satisfied with Dimitra's capability to be present in Peru and communicate with us on a level that allows us to understand how we can communicate to smallholder farmers how to deliver data in the complex world of AI and Blockchain. We also see that Dimitra demonstrates a deep understanding of the difficulties in the sector, particularly with the administration of small cooperatives composed of small coffee farmers and managing the exportation of raw coffee to Europe. For us this was the basis for the fast advancement of preparing the compliance of EUDR. We have yet to encounter a similar approach in any other application that claims to offer EUDR compliance."

Spokespeople available for interview on request

About Dimitra

Dimitra is a blockchain-based operating system for AgTech driving productive, intelligent, and inclusive farming, empowering farmers to make farming smarter through actionable data-driven insights. Dimitra's digital toolkits empower stakeholders to assess and rate farm performance, crop management practices, and land potential. A front runner in technology and agriculture, the Dimitra team has a wealth of experience on the global and local level having worked with and for agriculture government agencies in Brazil, India, Uganda, and Nepal, among others.

SOURCE Dimitra