UN agency lunch platform to help small farmers in Ghana, other developing nations meet EU deforestation rules

The UN’s International Trade Centre (ITC) is launching an online platform, the Deforestation-Free Trade Gateway, to assist small farmers in developing countries with meeting new EU deforestation rules.

These regulations, which could exclude small-scale farmers unable to prove compliance, have already impacted exports. The European Commission proposed delaying the rules until 2026, allowing time for countries to prepare.

The platform will streamline data collection and compliance verification. A pilot will begin in Latin America, with global expansion in November.

ITC is also collaborating with the EU and countries like Ghana, Malaysia, and Brazil on support measures for affected farmers.