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DocumentWhat do we really know about the number and distribution of farms and family farms worldwide?
Background paper for The State of Food and Agriculture 2014
2014Also available in:
No results found.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. -
BookletFAO's work on Family Farming
Preparing for the Decade of Family Farming (2019–2028) to achieve the SDGs
2018Family 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. -
Book (stand-alone)Towards Stronger Family Farms
Voices in the International Year of Family Farming
2014With more than 500 million family farms in the world out of 570 million farms, family farming is the predominant mode of agricultural production in the world. Family farms produce about 80 percent of the world’s food in value terms, and collectively they are the largest source of employment worldwide. The United Nations General Assembly declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) in order to raise the profile of family farming in the agricultural, environmental and social polic ies in national agendas. Six Regional Dialogues on Family Farming held in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East and North Africa, North America, and Sub-Saharan Africa helped pinpoint the challenges facing family farmers in each region. All FAO Regional Conferences further discussed the main issues facing family farming at regional level. The Regional Conferences were preceded by Civil Society Consultations that broadly debated family farming and made concrete recommendations to governments, FAO and other organizations. The resounding goal of this process is to bring about strong political commitment in support of family farmers. The fruits of this journey are captured in this publication. Together, these key moments weave together a narrative of the challenges and opportunities for family farming at regional level. FAO is grateful to ILEIA for its support in producing this publication to synthesize the outcomes of the dialogues. The publication is not a comprehensi ve account of every action of the IYFF but rather a portrayal of many important voices and experiences gathered throughout major points of the Year, which demonstrate the important steps we have taken together and where we must go in the future in terms of supporting family farmers.
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