Sustainable Natural Rubber Forum 2026 highlights smallholder inclusion, digital traceability, climate action and EUDR readiness as priorities for the global rubber sector.
The Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) has outlined a long-term vision for a more resilient, digitally connected and sustainable natural rubber industry following its Sustainable Natural Rubber Forum 2026, held in Kochi, India, on August 19. Hosted by the Rubber Board of India, the forum brought together around 120 stakeholders from producing countries, tyre companies, smallholder organisations and international partners.
Held under the theme “Aligning Priorities for Resilient Supply Chain,” the forum focused on several major challenges facing the natural rubber sector, including climate change, supply-chain traceability, regulatory requirements such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and increasing demand for verified sustainable materials.
A major conclusion was that smallholder farmers must remain at the centre of sustainability strategies. Smallholders account for an estimated 85–90% of global natural rubber production, making their participation essential to any industry-wide sustainability programme. Speakers emphasised that compliance systems should strengthen farmer livelihoods rather than create additional burdens.
Digital traceability emerged as another major priority. Thailand is using farmer registration, geolocation mapping and digital platforms to prepare its rubber supply chain for EUDR requirements. India presented its Bharat Sustainable Natural Rubber (BSNR) platform, which has already mapped more than 56,000 hectares, with an objective of reaching 150,000 hectares by March 2027. Cambodia is also developing a national traceability system covering a growing base of registered rubber producers and plantations.
The forum also examined opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of natural rubber. Apollo Tyres highlighted the importance of addressing upstream emissions, noting that Scope 3 emissions account for more than 80% of the tyre industry’s total carbon footprint. Another presentation explored regenerative rubber landscapes, showing how rubber cultivation on degraded land could have substantially lower emissions than plantations established on recently deforested land.
Public-private collaboration was presented as an important mechanism for creating measurable results. The INROAD Project, involving the Indian government and four tyre companies, was highlighted for its work with more than 200,000 tribal smallholders. The initiative has distributed 83 million rubber plants and established 300 new nurseries in northeast India.
The forum also showcased practical digital solutions, including the Wemo traceability application developed by the European Forest Institute. Its offline capability is designed to help smallholders in remote areas participate in traceability systems and meet evolving sustainability requirements.
Looking toward 2030, ANRPC members and industry leaders envisioned a natural rubber sector with a digitally connected supply chain, improved smallholder livelihoods, industry-wide sustainability standards and greater recognition of natural rubber as a climate-positive material with carbon-credit potential.
The discussions underline a broader transformation taking place across the natural rubber and tyre industries. Sustainability is increasingly moving beyond plantation-level practices toward full supply-chain transparency, measurable carbon performance and responsible sourcing. ANRPC’s vision is to align these requirements while improving the economic resilience of rubber-producing communities.
For rubber producers, processors and tyre manufacturers, the forum signals that traceability, climate action and farmer inclusion will become increasingly important competitive factors. The sector’s future will depend on collaboration between governments, growers, processors, tyre companies and technology providers to build a more transparent and resilient natural rubber value chain.