Fairtrade International has debuted Plot Insights, a new digital system designed to help cocoa and coffee cooperatives manage, analyze, and securely share geolocation data in preparation for growing due diligence requirements, including the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The EUDR requires companies to ensure their products are deforestation free before entering the European market, and is scheduled to take effect starting on December 30, 2026 (and June 30, 2027 in the case of micro and small enterprises).

The launch reportedly marks a major step towards a secure, consent-based approach to geolocation data management, enabling cooperatives to retain ownership and control over their data, and streamline the sharing of that data with trade partners. Geolocation data of every plot that supplies seven products coming into the EU—including cocoa—will be required for importers’ due diligence obligations under the EUDR.  

"Farmers are having to adopt new digital tools and map farm plots, which is an expensive burden in order to continue to be viable suppliers to the European market,” says Brenda Mariana Huerta García, senior advisor, climate and environment, Fairtrade International. “With Plot Insights, Fairtrade cocoa cooperatives have a free platform to check their geolocation data quality, receive deforestation risk analysis from Satelligence, and share data with their buyers, all built with cooperatives’ businesses in mind and to support our environmental goals to prevent deforestation.”   

Through Plot Insights, cooperatives can upload geolocation data to receive immediate feedback and visualization on any data errors, provided by nature tech firm Satelligence. Fairtrade’s partnership with Satelligence began in 2023 to support its certified organizations in monitoring the risk of deforestation, providing them with data on deforestation alerts in and around cocoa plots and identifying plots located within or near protected areas. Satelligence analysis is now embedded in Plot Insights, making the analysis significantly more accessible and tangible for cooperatives, Fairtrade says.

With their deforestation risk analysis, cooperatives can take the additional steps required by Fairtrade Standards, including developing a risk mitigation plan. This includes following up on deforestation alerts or planning education and ongoing monitoring for plots that are near protected areas, for instance. 

Plot Insights will also allow cooperatives to share geolocation data with European exporters and importers, starting in October through Fairtrace, Fairtrade’s sales transaction platform. Cooperatives will be able to select plots and attach the relevant geolocation data—automatically converted into a format aligned with EU requirements—to a sales contract created between the cooperative, exporter, and importer. The importer can download and use the data as part of their due diligence process and attach it to the due diligence statement required for import.

Fairtrade’s three regional producer networks—Fairtrade Africa, Network of Asia & Pacific Producers (NAPP), and Latin American and Caribbean Coordinator of Small Producers and Fair Trade Workers (CLAC)—are currently supporting more than 800 Fairtrade certified coffee and cocoa cooperatives in adopting Plot Insights and preparing for EUDR implementation at the end of this year.  

Plot Insights is hosted within Unify, a new centralized location for the Fairtrade digital ecosystem, bringing together various individual systems into one place, with a single point of entry. Fairtrade certified producer organizations are the first stakeholders to gain access to Unify, with additional systems and functionalities expected to be introduced over the coming year. Fairtrade plans to expand access to certified traders, retailers, and brands sourcing Fairtrade products and ingredients. 

Related: Fairtrade International debuts 2025 Annual Report