Renowned for its unique flavors, Yemeni coffee has a long history as the country’s biggest cash crop. Although the coffee industry acts as an important contributer to rural livelihoods, export potential has been limited in recent years due to lack of marketing experience with the international specialty coffee market. Additionally, low-producing coffee trees in need of replacement, seasonal pests, and disease have led to a decline in production. To address these issues, the USAID Economic Recovery and Livelihoods program has supported the country’s coffee farmers, producers, and traders to harness Yemeni coffee’s economic potential.

USAID worked with local coffee processors and traders to provide technical assistance at the company level. This supported the development of buyer-seller relationships, improved the capacity of coffee traders to address market constraints, and equipped managers, traders, and decision makers with cutting edge tools and techniques to implement comprehensive market outreach plans. USAID experts have provided training sessions to large numbers of coffee producers on best production practices, postharvest handling, and coffee nursery production to ensure healthy seedlings replace old trees. USAID support has also focused on promoting pest management practices, and utilizing organic means to control insects and diseases. Sessions have also included practical knowledge on composting techniques and proper utilization of farm waste to improve soil fertility and low-cost techniques for increasing water retention. 

Additionally, USAID has facilitated market linkages between Yemeni traders and sellers and buyers from a range of countries including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Turkey, South Korea, the United States, the UK, Germany, and Jordan. This engagement highlights the regional and global recognition of Yemeni coffee products and underscores the growing confidence in the quality of Yemeni coffee among international buyers. By positioning coffee products to reach upscale specialty markets, USAID has significantly improved Yemeni coffee’s value proposition and created a foundation for sustainable growth for coffee producers and other key value chain participants.

USAID experts have provided formal technical training and practical field school sessions to over 800 coffee producers, including 152 women. Over the last two years, Yemeni coffee producers partnering with USAID have successfully negotiated sales agreements with prominent coffee traders and distributors valued at $3.8 million, marking a significant increase in market linkages and a substantial boost in trade activities. USAID support to Yemen’s coffee industry improves the resilience of the country’s coffee farmers and sustains Yemen’s prominent position in the international coffee industry.