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Farms, family farms, farmland distribution and farm labour: What do we know today?












Lowder, S.K., Sánchez, M.V. & Bertini, R. 2019. Farms, family farms, farmland distribution and farm labour: What do we know today? FAO Agricultural Development Economics Working Paper 19-08. Rome, FAO.




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    The agricultural economics literature provides various estimates of the number of farms and small farms in the world. This paper is an effort to provide a more complete and up to date as well as carefully documented estimate of the total number of farms in the world, as well as by region and level of income. It uses data from numerous rounds of the World Census of Agriculture, the only dataset available which allows the user to gain a complete picture of the total number of farms globally and at the country level. The paper provides estimates of the number of family farms, the number of farms by size as well as the distibution of farmland by farm size. These estimates find that: there are at least 570 million farms worldwide, of which more than 500 million can be considered family farms. Most of the world’s farms are very small, with more than 475 million farms being less than 2 hectares in size. Although the vast majority of the world’s farms are smaller than 2 hectares, they operat e only a small share of the world’s farmland. Farmland distribution would seem quite unequal at the global level, but it is less so in low- and lower-middle-income countries as well as in some regional groups. These estimates have serious limitations and the collection of more up-to-date agricultural census data, including data on farmland distribution is essential to our having a more representative picture of the number of farms, the number of family farms and farm size as well as farmland dis tribution worldwide.
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    Family farming is by far the most prevalent form of agriculture both in developed and developing countries, represents the largest source of employment worldwide, and is much more than a mode of food production, it is also a way of life. In 2014, the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF 2014) focused world’s attention on family farmers’ important role in alleviating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, sustainably managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and fostering sustainable development. In 2017, the International Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 was proclaimed, as a framework for countries to develop public policies and investments to support family farmers, and thus contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including eradicating rural poverty in all its forms and dimensions. This publication highlights some of FAO’s key messages and FAO’s work on family farming at regional and national level, showing the positive developments since the IYFF 2014 and underlining specific levers and processes to scale up throughout the upcoming Decade.
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    The Outcomes of the International Year of Family Farming 2014 (IYFF) 2014. Annex 1 2015
    The IYFF-2014 has reached the global aim to raise the profile and awareness on the important contribution that Family Farming can play in providing food security and nutrition and eradicating poverty in the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

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