Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK Forest Risk Commodities regulations on low-income smallholder farmers in the Global South who are selling into in-scope UK supply chains.

We recognise that action to prevent UK consumption of forest risk commodities driving deforestation should minimise the impacts on low-income smallholder farmers in the Global South.

We will set out our approach to addressing deforestation in the UK’s supply chains in due course.

The UK Government works with smallholder farmers to improve sustainable practices and encourage forest-friendly businesses. For example, the Official Development Assistance funded ‘Investments in Forests and Sustainable Land Use’ programme supports the development of new business models which provide jobs and livelihoods, while protecting and restoring forests.

The UK also funds and co-chairs the Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade Dialogue with a specific working group focused on smallholder support, facilitating government to government dialogue to build collaboration to reduce risks of smallholder exclusion from sustainable supply chains.