The future of family farming in the context of the 2030 Agenda
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Book (series)Farms, family farms, farmland distribution and farm labour: What do we know today? 2019
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No results found.A better and more complete understanding of family farms is urgently needed to guide policy makers’ efforts towards achieving a number of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper takes stock of the number of farms worldwide, and their distribution and that of farmland, on the basis of agricultural censuses and survey data. Thus, it shows that there are more than 608 million farms in the world. Rough estimates also indicate that more than 90 percent of these farms are family farms (by our definition) occupying around 70–80 percent of farmland and producing about 80 percent of the world’s food in value terms. We underscore the importance of not referring to family farms and small farms (i.e., those of less than 2 hectares) interchangeably: the latter account for 84 percent of all farms worldwide, but operate only around 12 percent of all agricultural land, and produce roughly 36 percent of the world’s food. The largest 1 percent of farms in the world operate more than 70 percent of the world’s farmland. The stark differences between family farms, in terms of size, their share in farmland distribution, and their patterns across income groups and regions, make clear the importance of properly defining different types of farms and distinguishing their differences when engaging in policy discourse and decision making towards the SDGs. The paper also considers evidence on labour and age provided by the censuses. There is a need to improve agricultural censuses if we want to deepen our understanding of farms. -
DocumentSustainable Agricultural Productivity Growth and Bridging the Gap for Small-Family Farms
Interagency Report to the Mexican G20 Presidency
2017Also available in:
No results found.This report is submitted to the G20 Mexican Presidency by Bioversity, CGIAR Consortium, FAO, IFAD, IFPRI, IICA, OECD, UNCTAD, Coordination team of UN High Level Task Force on the Food Security Crisis, WFP, World Bank and WTO. It responds to Mexico's request for information and advice on practical actions that could be undertaken to sustainably improve agricultural productivity growth, in particular on small family farms. The approach taken reflects the view of the collaborating international org anisations that a successful strategy for sustainable agricultural productivity growth requires significant improvements in the investment climate in many countries, in agricultural innovation systems and farming practices, in the management of natural resources, and in specific policies and efforts to close the productivity gap of small family farms. This report first examines current trends in productivity and its main drivers ― innovation, investment and policy. -
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.
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