Family Farming - Family Farming Campaign

What is FF?

“Family Farming (which includes all family-based agricultural activities) is a means of organizing agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral and aquaculture production which is managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labor, including both women’s and men’s. The family and the farm are linked, co-evolve and combine economic, environmental, social and cultural functions”

(Conceptual definition by the International Steering Committee for the 2014 IYFF. FAO, 2013).

Furthermore, family farmers carry out a highly important socioeconomic, environmental and cultural function and therefore affect sustainable development, people and the planet.

Family Farming…

creates employment within and beyond farms themselves

helps to expand rural economies

prevents depopulation and supports the area

conserves and restores biodiversity and ecosystems

utilises production methods that can help to reduce or avert the risks of climate change.

and ensures the transfer of knowledge and traditions from generation to generation

Family farming in figures

Family farming produce more than 80% of the food in the world

Family farms manage around 70-80% of farmland worldwide

More than 90% of farms are run by an individual or a family

WOMEN provide almost 50% % of farm labor, but they only hold 15% of farmland

Family farming in the 2030 Agenda

Family farming performs a key role in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), 10 are directly related to family farming (Family Farming in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. WRF, 2017).

In other words, family farming can contribute to the accomplishment of most of the SDS, provided that the measures which support its activities (access to land, water, infrastructure, markets, and financial services) are appropriately handled, paying special attention to the youth and to women.

Slide 1

SDG 2- End hunger

This addresses food, how it is cultivated, produced, consumed, exchanged, transported, stored and marketed, highlighting the fundamental connection between people and the planet, and the pathway to sustainable food security for humanity.

Slide 4

SDGs 6 and 7 - Ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation and access to affordable, reliable, sustainable modern energy for all

Agriculture is the largest consumer of water (70% of water abstractions) and requires a substantial amount of energy for its full development. The IYFF 2014 confirmed the effectiveness of family farming in sustainable food production and this must be reflected in the policies that underpin this type of production.

Slide 5

SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
SDG 15- Promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

If there is adequate investment in the improvement of rural infrastructures, including communications, transport, energy storage, waste efficiency and waste recycling throughout the value chain etc., family farming will have a leading role in the reduction of the high levels of post-harvest losses and food waste.