Empowering smallholders to comply with regulations targeting forest risk commodities

The clearance and degradation of forests for the production of agricultural commodities is recognized as unsustainable. There are several initiatives targeting these practices, including the recent introduction of regulations in producer, processing and consumer countries. This background study is part of a programme of work within RECOFTC to assess the potentially adverse impact of regulations, such as the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation, on smallholders. The study provides a summary of challenges and opportunities facing smallholders in the region in the context of regulatory mechanisms that address the impacts of the production and trade of agricultural commodities on forests. These include interlinked issues around access to finance and markets, data management, regulatory compliance and traceability.