The United Nations declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming to recognize the importance of family farms in reducing poverty and improving food security. The objectives were to promote policies supporting sustainable family farming and to increase awareness of family farmers' role in development. Family farms generate food/income, create jobs, and protect the environment/heritage. Challenges include climate change, limited resources/training, and price volatility.

1. SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM
2014-THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR
OF FAMILY FARMING

3. BACKGROUND OF
FAMILY FARMING
2008-An initiative
was launched by
WRF in
collaboration with
350 civil societies
and farmer
organizations to
declare an IYFF.
2010-IFAD’s
president
formally
supported
the call for
IYFF.
2011-The government
of Philippines at the 37th
session of FAO
conference proposed
that the UN declares
2014 as the IYFF.
2011-At the 66th session
of the general assembly
of the UN,IYFF was
formally declared the
international year of
family farming.
2013-Establishment
of an international
steering committee
for the IYFF2014 and
approval of master
plan by FAO.

4. The United Nations declared 2014 the International Year
Of Family Farming (IYFF) to recognize the importance
of family farming in reducing poverty and improving
global food security.

5. The objectives of IYFF are:
 Recognize the importance of smallholder and family farmers for
sustainable development
 Place small-scale farming at the centre of national, regional and
global agricultural, environmental and social policies;
 Elevate the role of smallholder farmers as agents for alleviating rural
poverty and ensuring food security for all; as stewards who manage
and protect natural resources; and as drivers of sustainable
development.

6. Family farming:
 Generates food and income for hundreds of millions of rural
people, including the poor and marginalized
 Creates jobs for women, men and young people, both
within their family farms and in related enterprises along
food and agricultural value chains
 Provides models of adaptability and resilience for more
sustainable food production
 Safeguards and protects environmental assets and natural
resources, biodiversity and cultural heritage.

7.  Climate change and climate variability;
 Limited access to financial resources, inputs,
technology, training, research and advisory
services, and education
 Price volatility (energy, food, etc.) and limited
access to markets.

8.  Support the development of policies that will foster
sustainable family farming
 Increase knowledge and public awareness on the vital
role that family farmers play in the agricultural and
development sectors
 Create synergies for sustainability

9.  Recognize the role and rights of women in family farming
 Strengthen the legitimacy of farmers’ organizations and their
capacity to effectively represent and defend the interests of
family farmers
 Create rural economic opportunities for family farmers that
provide alternatives to migration to urban areas
 Promote local and indigenous knowledge and know-how
 Enhance communication, advocacy and outreach.

10. COUNTRIES
WHERE FAMILY
FARMING IS
PRACTISED

11. The vast majority of farms and ranches in the United States
are family owned and operated. USDA classifies family
farms as “any farm organized as a sole proprietorship,
partnership, or family corporation. Under this definition, the
National Agricultural Statistics Service’s 2007 Census of
Agriculture reported that family farms account for almost
96 percent of the 2,204,792 farms in the United States.

13. In Viet Nam, IFAD-supported projects have strengthened
food security for poor households in mountainous areas.
A project in Ha Giang raised rice productivity from 2 to 5
tons per hectare, while maize increased from over 1 ton to
more than 3 tons per hectare. The percentage of
households suffering from food insecurity decreased from
49 per cent in 2006 to 18 per cent in 2011.

14. In Egypt, IFAD supports a long-term project to improve the incomes
and food security of households in newly settled areas of West
Noubaria. Among other activities, the project has helped establish
farmers’ marketing associations, which for the first time have
made smallholder farmers attractive to large exporters and
processors. It has organized some 36,000 producer households
into marketing associations and provided training. Farm-gate
prices have increased by up to 33 per cent.

15. INDIAOn November 22, family farmers in India launched the
International Year of Family Farming in the presence of
researchers and officials, and with the support of the AME
Foundation and other organizations.
They felt that family farming needs to be supported strongly as
it provides an answer to multiple challenges in India. It was
also mentioned that the basic health and nutritional aspects
of farm families cannot be underestimated.

17. Family farming has been introduced in India already but a lot of
work is yet to be done to encourage it in India. The best option,
according to me, is to promote its advantages in the intensively
agricultured areas of the country to draw the attention of farmers
towards it.
Also, the government should start schemes to benefit the family
farmers and so attracting more and more people towards it.

18.  Economic-Since the family farms have no reserves for
maintaining the land, adding more productive acreage or
investing in equipment and facilities that increase production,
they fall behind in their ability to compete.
 Physical Demands-Family farmers often do all the work
themselves. Their work is strenuous, the days are long and
they have times during the year when there is no time off for
weeks on end. In many cases the children also share the
work load.

19. The international agencies involved in the International Year Of
Family Farming are:
 FAO(Food and Agricultural Organization)
 IFAD(International Fund for Agricultural Development)
 WFP(World Food Program)
 WRF(World Rural Forum)
 WCC(World Consultative Committee)