China’s 230 million smallholder farmers form the backbone of the rural economy, yet many continue to face poverty, shrinking incomes, and mounting environmental pressures. Despite significant investment in agriculture, over-reliance on chemical inputs has degraded land and reduced productivity, leaving farmers vulnerable in an increasingly competitive food market.
The Yellow River Golden Triangle (YRGT), spanning Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan, is now at the centre of a bold effort to change this. Home to over 17 million people, most of them smallholder farmers, the region is being positioned as a testing ground for inclusive and sustainable rural regeneration. The approach brings together cooperatives, city-level enterprises, investors and civil society to create a full farm-to-table value chain under the banner of “Green and Healthy Food.”
At its core, the model envisions multifunctional cooperatives working alongside Shangshan Enterprises, supported by Regional Technology Centres and a Participatory Guarantee System for certification. With an initial investment of RMB 500 million, the initiative aims to improve farmer incomes, retain young talent, promote sustainable farming technologies, and establish the YRGT as a regional engine of green growth.
The report covers:
- The current challenges faced by China’s smallholder farmers and the impact of land degradation.
- The vision for sustainable agriculture and rural regeneration in the Yellow River Golden Triangle.
- How multifunctional cooperatives and Shangshan Enterprises can create a full farm-to-table value chain.
- The role of Regional Technology Centres in spreading sustainable farming practices.
- The Participatory Guarantee System and Green and Healthy Food Seal as tools for quality assurance.
- Financial projections and investment strategies to scale the model.
- Opportunities to lift farmer incomes, retain young talent, and build rural-urban market connections.
- Insights from the leadership programme and fieldwork with local cooperatives and technology partners.
This report presents a blueprint for linking sustainable food production with rural prosperity, offering lessons for agricultural transformation across China.