RYCAD’s 2026–2030 strategy for food system resilience

AFS Newsletter - Article by

Yasser Ali
Rural Youth Cooperative for Agricultural Development – Yemen
yasserali.po@rycad.coop | LinkedIn

Agricultural and food systems in RYCAD’s 2026–2030 strategy: A youth-led cooperative model for resilience and sustainable development in Yemen

In the heart of Yemen’s rural landscapes, where terraced fields have sustained civilizations for centuries, agriculture remains the backbone of livelihoods and the foundation of food security. Yet, the sector has faced profound challenges over the past decades: protracted conflict, climate variability, declining water resources, and the erosion of cooperative structures that once ensured resilience and solidarity. Against this backdrop, the Rural Youth Cooperative for Agricultural Development (RYCAD Yemen) has emerged not only as a pioneer in youth-led cooperative revival but also as a visionary institution articulating a comprehensive 2026–2030 Strategy to transform agricultural and food systems in Yemen.

This strategy does not present agriculture in isolation; rather, it situates farming within broader systemic linkages—value chains, climate resilience, community empowerment, and sustainable markets—while aligning with global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN Decade on Family Farming (2019–2028), and the Paris Climate Agreement. It is a roadmap where youth, women, and smallholder farmers are not passive beneficiaries but central agents of change.

A systemic vision: Agriculture beyond the farm

Globally, agriculture contributes nearly 4% of world GDP, but in low-income, agrarian economies such as Yemen, the sector accounts for more than 20% of GDP and employs nearly half of the labour force. Yet, despite its importance, Yemen remains highly dependent on imports for over 90% of its staple food needs, leaving the country vulnerable to external shocks, currency fluctuations, and geopolitical instability.

RYCAD’s strategy recognizes that addressing Yemen’s food security cannot be achieved through productivity alone. Instead, it embraces a food systems perspective, which views agriculture as interconnected with nutrition, health, environment, markets, and governance. For RYCAD, the transformation of food systems is about resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability.

The strategy’s foundation is built upon five interlinked pillars:

• Resilient farming systems grounded in agroecology and climate-smart agriculture.
• Inclusive cooperative structures that empower youth and women.
• Sustainable value chains linking producers to national and international markets.
• Local ownership and solidarity mechanisms to ensure long-term viability.
• Local ownership and solidarity mechanisms to ensure long-term viability.

Reviving the cooperative spirit in Yemen

Historically, agricultural cooperatives played a decisive role in rural Yemen, providing smallholder farmers with access to credit, inputs, and marketing channels. However, decades of neglect and fragmentation weakened the cooperative movement, leaving many farmers isolated in facing market and climate challenges.

RYCAD has emerged as the first youth-led agricultural cooperative in Yemen to regain international cooperative identity recognition from the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA). This achievement is more than symbolic—it signals a renaissance of cooperative values rooted in self-help, democracy, equity, and solidarity.

In its 2026–2030 Strategy, RYCAD envisions cooperatives as platforms for collective resilience. By pooling resources, knowledge, and risks, cooperatives become engines for social and economic empowerment. Moreover, the cooperative approach resonates with Yemeni traditions of asabiyya (social solidarity) and waqf-based community support, thereby grounding innovation in cultural authenticity.

Building resilient agricultural systems

Climate change is not a distant threat for Yemen—it is an immediate reality. Average annual rainfall has declined by 40% over the last three decades, groundwater depletion is accelerating, and extreme weather events are disrupting fragile farming systems. Studies estimate that agricultural productivity could fall by up to 30% by 2050 if adaptation measures are not pursued urgently.

RYCAD’s strategy places climate resilience at its core, emphasizing the transition toward resilient farming systems (RFS). The model combines traditional knowledge of terraced farming with modern techniques in rainwater harvesting, drought-resistant crops, integrated pest management, and solar-powered irrigation. Farmers are not merely recipients of aid; they are trained to become adaptive innovators, capable of responding to shocks.

One of the flagship approaches is the “Resilient Farmer Model”, which will serve as both a training platform and a scalable model across rural Yemen. By 2030, RYCAD aims to train at least 25,000 smallholder farmers, with a minimum of 40% women and 50% youth participation, ensuring gender and generational inclusivity.

Women and youth at the centre of transformation

Demographic realities underscore why investing in youth and women is non-negotiable. Yemen’s population is overwhelmingly young: 60% under the age of 25. Women constitute 70% of the rural labour force, yet their contribution remains undervalued and underrepresented in decision-making structures.

RYCAD’s cooperative model breaks this cycle by institutionalizing inclusion. Women are not merely targeted as beneficiaries but are trained as cooperative leaders, agripreneurs, and value chain managers. Youth, traditionally seen as unemployed or marginalized, are positioned as innovators, digital farmers, and cooperative organizers.

Through leadership incubators and capacity-building programs, the strategy envisions creating a cadre of 5,000 rural youth leaders by 2030 who will champion climate action, sustainable agriculture, and cooperative governance. This not only strengthens food systems but also addresses Yemen’s pressing challenge of youth unemployment, which currently hovers above 50%.

Building Value Chains and Market Access

One of the major bottlenecks for Yemeni farmers lies not in production but in market integration. Smallholders often sell at low prices to intermediaries, losing value that could otherwise transform rural incomes. Meanwhile, Yemen’s agricultural exports—coffee, honey, and fruits—remain underexploited despite their international reputation for quality.

RYCAD’s strategy emphasizes building inclusive value chains that integrate farmers from production to processing, branding, and marketing. Partnerships with the private sector are central to this vision. For instance, by collaborating with coffee exporters and retailers, Yemeni coffee—renowned for being the origin of the global coffee culture—can regain its global market share.

Moreover, digital platforms will be leveraged for e-commerce and traceability systems, ensuring that farmers’ products reach broader markets with fair returns. The goal is to increase cooperative farmers’ incomes by 30% by 2030, while positioning Yemeni products in regional and international value chains.

Financing resilience: The solidarity fund

Sustainability requires financial mechanisms that are locally owned. To this end, RYCAD is pioneering the establishment of a Solidarity Fund, which pools resources from cooperative members, diaspora contributions, and development partners.

The Fund will serve as a buffer during shocks—whether climate-induced crop failure or market disruptions—ensuring continuity of cooperative activities. More importantly, it represents a model of community-driven finance, reducing dependency on external aid and fostering self-reliance.

Knowledge systems and south-south cooperation

Transformation requires knowledge. RYCAD’s strategy integrates research, documentation, and learning into its core functions. By establishing Rural Innovation Hubs, RYCAD will link farmers with researchers, extension agents, and digital platforms, ensuring that best practices are continuously disseminated.

RYCAD also positions itself as a hub for South-South cooperation, connecting Yemeni farmers and cooperatives with peers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America who face similar challenges. The cooperative movement, by nature, thrives on horizontal exchanges of experience, and RYCAD seeks to institutionalize such networks.

Toward 2030: A new rural horizon for Yemen

The challenges facing Yemen’s agricultural sector are undeniably complex, but the vision articulated by RYCAD demonstrates that resilience is not only possible—it is achievable when grounded in cooperation, inclusivity, and innovation.

By 2030, if the strategy’s targets are met, Yemen could witness a transformed rural landscape where:

• 25,000 farmers are trained in climate-smart agriculture.
• Rural youth unemployment declines through cooperative-led agribusiness.
• Women hold leadership roles across agricultural cooperatives.
• Household incomes increase by 30%, enhancing food security.
• Cooperatives regain their role as engines of solidarity and resilience.

In a world increasingly vulnerable to climate shocks and food crises, Yemen’s story - through RYCAD - offers not just a national model but a global lesson: that when youth, women, and farmers unite under cooperative principles, they can reimagine food systems and restore hope to even the most fragile contexts.