Tuesday, July 29, 2014, Jamaica- With the United Nations’ designation of 2014 as the International year of Family Farming (IYFF), the local arm of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will be  highlighting the importance of family farmers (more commonly known as small or subsistence farmers) at the Denbigh Agricultural show on August 1-3, 2014.

According to the FAO representative in Jamaica, Dr. Jerome Thomas, FAO’s booth at Denbigh 2014 will highlight the very important role that family farmers/small farmers play in feeding and developing the nation.

“This year has been declared International Year of Family Farming under the theme: ‘Feeding the world, caring for the earth’ in a bid to raise the profile of family farming and smallholder farming by focusing attention on its significant role in the fight for eradication of hunger and poverty and the vast potential to preserve natural resources.  Here in Jamaica, there are over 168,000 registered small farmers and they have contributed significantly to national development.  So in this International Year of Family Farming we want to get to a place where broad discussion and cooperation around the challenges faced by small farmers will help us to identify efficient ways to support family farmers” he noted.

In recognizing the hard work of the men and women who continue to feed the nation by producing crops, livestock and fisheries products the FAO will highlight the many ways in which family farmers contribute to national development, while focusing on the key objectives of the International Year celebration, namely:

• Supporting the development of agricultural, environmental and social policies conducive to sustainable farming;
• Increasing knowledge, communication and Public awareness;
• Attaining a better understanding of family farmer’s needs, potential and constraints while encouraging technical support and creating synergies for sustainability.

At a global level, several countries across the world have been hosting varied IYFF activities to hail the role of family farmers in reducing hunger and sustaining development. Back in November 2013 at the launch of the International Year of Family Farming, FAO’s Director-General José Graziano da Silva stressed the huge productive potential of family farmers, noting, "By choosing to celebrate this year, we recognize that family farmers are leading figures in responding to the double urgency the world faces today: improving food security and preserving the natural resources, in line with the Millennium Development Goals, with the debate on the post-2015 development agenda and the Zero Hunger Challenge”

Family/Small Farmers and members of the public are therefore encouraged to stop by the FAO’s booth to learn more on the very important role our family farmers play.