Family Farming: Status and Strategies

Abstract

Family Farming is a means of organizing agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral and aquaculture production which is managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on non-wage family labor, including both women’s and men’s (FAO 2014). Both in developing and developed countries, family farming is the predominant form of agriculture in the food production sector. The world’s 500 million smallholder family farms produce four-fifths of the food in developing countries (UN 2014). The women and men engaged in family farming produce 70% of world’s food, and generate food and income for hundreds of millions of rural people, both within the family farms and in related enterprises. Family farming has diverse dimensions in terms of food production, income generation, equity, entrepreneurship and environment and is the predominant form of agriculture in the food sector. Family farms provide for preservation and sustainable use of natural resources, that distinguishes them from large scale specialized farming. The diverse agricultural activities of family farms promote environmental sustainability, conserve biodiversity and contribute to healthier and balanced diets. Realizing the important contributions that family farming is making towards food security and cradicating poverty, the year 2014 has been declared as the ‘International Year of Family Farming’ (IYFF) at the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.