22 November 2013, Rome - The UN General Assembly declared 2014 the International Year of Family Farming today in New York City, as part of a global campaign to reinforce awareness and support for family farmers. This move to focus on family farmers for the international year was driven by strong advocacy from civil society, mainly the World Rural Forum which played a fundamental role. Family farming is a priority for FAO, which sees the contributions of these important agricultural producers as critical to the fight against hunger and malnutrition. Small farmers serve as pillars for the world’s agricultural production system, yet their contributions and needs fail to get the recognition and support that they need. This international years begs the questions: What are the issues affecting small scale and family farmers and what are the implications of not addressing these issues?