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Regional Technical Platform for Family Farming

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Given the great pressure faced by agri-food systems as a result of climatic, demographic and economic changes in recent decades, one of the greatest challenges lies in ensuring food security for the population. At the local level, it is observed that intermediate and small cities are growing, incorporating rural areas into their food basins where family farmers develop their livelihoods, producing food, providing services and generating economic opportunities within agri-food systems.


Family farming plays a key role in ensuring access to local, authentic, fresh, healthy and seasonal products in an efficient, timely, inclusive and sustainable way, however, marketing remains one of the main challenges faced by the sector. Given this, it is necessary to generate public policies that promote the participation of family agriculture in the food supply of the territories, both for urban and rural consumers, which allows strengthening the connection between producers and consumers, contributing to the creation of more sustainable and resilient food systems.

Family farmers have the potential to adapt quickly to the new demands of global markets, as well as to inject income into rural economies, which allows for greater dynamization of territories. Therefore, it is essential to provide them with the necessary support to overcome the usual entry barriers they face in their commercial insertion. Public policies should focus on facilitating the integration of family farmers into local and global agri-food chains, through the development of infrastructures, services and capacities that allow them to take advantage of the opportunities offered by these new markets. It is also essential to promote marketing mechanisms that recognize and incorporate the dynamics and roles of local actors, digital technologies and the demands and needs of family farming.