Smallholder farmer

Why does it matter?

Smallholders are the first mile of many global supply chains. They grow much of the world’s cocoa and coffee and a large share of natural rubber, often on plots of a few hectares, sometimes under customary tenure. Regulations such as the EUDR and the CSDDD require data that smallholders generate but rarely control.

What are the specific challenges?

• Informal tenure: land rights may be customary or undocumented.
• Many small plots: mapping costs per tonne are higher than for estates.
• Aggregation: sales through intermediaries and cooperatives, sometimes in cash.
• Connectivity and literacy: tools must work offline and in local languages.
• Income: many earn below a living income, which drives other risks such as child labour.
• Market exclusion risk: buyers may drop suppliers whose data is incomplete.

How can compliance include smallholders?

Programmes that work tend to register farmers once and reuse data, map plots with farmers present, explain what data is used for and obtain consent, and return value, such as advice, services or better prices.

Common pitfalls

• Treating smallholders as a risk category rather than skilled professionals and partners.
• Repeated, uncoordinated data collection by each buyer.

Farmer1st is built around farmers: they control their data and gain access to services through the farmer app.