The world celebrates ''The International Year of Family Farming (IYFF)'' in 2014 under the UN

The 2014 International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly to take place in the year 2014. The celebration aims to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farming by focusing world attention on its significant role in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas.

Goal of the The International Year

The goal of the 2014 IYFF is to reposition family farming at the centre of agricultural, environmental and social policies in the national agendas by identifying gaps and opportunities to promote a shift towards a more equal and balanced development.  The 2014 IYFF will promote broad discussion and cooperation at the national, regional and global levels to increase awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by smallholders and help identify efficient ways to support family farmers.

Objectives and Lines of Action

There are four key objectives of the International Year. They aim to

1. Support the development of policies conducive to sustainable family farming,
2. Increase knowledge, communication and public awareness,
3. Attain better understanding of family farming needs, potential and constraints and ensure technical support, and
4. Create synergies for sustainability.

The IYFF will focus on three global lines of action that will be implemented in the context of the national processes and agreements, in collaboration with relevant partners. There will be the promotion of dialogue in policy decision-making processes, the identification, documentation and sharing lessons learned and successful experiences of existing pro-family farming policies at national and/or other levels to capitalize relevant knowledge on family farming, as well as a communication, advocacy and outreach through a powerful and effective advocacy campaign that will be produced in coordination with partner institutions.

                                                                                                                                             Photo: FAO, 2014.

Why Is Family Farming so Important?

Family and small-scale farming are inextricably linked to world food security.

Family farming preserves traditional food products, while contributing to a balanced diet and safeguarding the world’s agro-biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Family farming represents an opportunity to boost local economies, especially when combined with specific policies aimed at social protection and well-being of communities.

Read more about the 2014 International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) at the FAO website here http://www.fao.org/family-farming-2014/en/