What is the future for family farming? This was the question posed in a technical discussion bringing together family farmers, representatives of governments, researchers, and experts from FAO and IFAD held at FAO headquarters in January.

The “Future of Family Farming” meeting was held within the framework of the UN Decade of Family Farming 2019 - 2028 (UNDFF), which is in its fifth year of implementation. The first in a series of seminars, discussions and events that are planned throughout 2024, the meeting set the tone for an important year for the topic of family farming, as the Decade reaches its halfway point – paving the way towards the UNDFF Mid-Term Forum, which is set to take place in Rome during the week of the World Food Forum in October.

January’s event was attended by more than 200 participants. The discussion, provocatively kicked off by the question why is family farming persisting? questioned the narrative that sees family farming destined to disappear, and addressed the multiple ways in which family farmers are indeed the foundation of viable agrifood systems that can offer new economic opportunities, attractive employment and effective rural services.

FAO Deputy Director-General Maurizio Martina underlined, “We need to implement specific policies that support and benefit them, creating incentives not only for today but also for future generations of family farmers. As FAO, we have to provide increased policy support for countries to do this work.”

The panellists explored the issue from different angles, bringing statistical evidence about past and recent trends and real-life testimonies about family farming, while highlighting important aspects on the relevance of family farmers and the support they need to drive agrifood systems transformation.

Discussion at the meeting made manifest that small-scale family farms are not disappearing, but are transforming and evolving in line with the evolution of agrifood systems. This adaptation has enabled them to keep providing approximately 70% of food supply in low- and middle-income countries and play multiple roles, such as the provision of ecosystem services, creation of job opportunities and preservation of traditional agrifood systems.

As stressed by Jo Puri, Associate Vice President for Strategy and Knowledge at IFAD, “family farmers are key agents of change in achieving the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, and are critical to food security and nutrition, providing 80% of the food consumed in a large part of the developing world”.

However, they are confronted today with unprecedented challenges, and need innovative policies, which consider the needs of present and future generations while expanding the agency, inclusion, economic capacity and diversity of family farmers in the transformation towards sustainable agrifood systems.

You can listen to the full discussion by watching the event recording here: http://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/6442/icode/

The next Future of Family Farming discussion will take place on the 14 May and will focus on family farming and the environmental agenda. For more information on Family Farming, contact [email protected].