2014 was designated the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) at the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly. 

The implementation of the IYFF is being coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with the objective of raising the profi le of family farming. The IYFF will focus world attention on the role of family farms in alleviating hunger and poverty, providing food security and improving livelihoods, while protecting the environment and biodiversity. 

This report is a synopsis of the conference Family Farming: A dialogue towards more sustainable and resilient farming in Europe and the world organised by the European Commission on 29 November 2013. 

The conference provided the platform for a comprehensive debate on family farming in Europe and beyond. It engaged different stakeholders and showcased the multifaceted character of family farms irrespective of their structure, management or socio-economic conditions. 

The conference’s discussion and outcomes also feed into the FAO European Regional Conference on 2-4 April in Bucharest, Romania, and other IYFF events and debates during 2014.