The UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 aims to shed new light on what it means to be a family farmer in a rapidly changing world and highlights more than ever before the important role they play in eradicating hunger and shaping our future of food. Family farming offers a unique opportunity to ensure food security, improve livelihoods, better manage natural resources, protect the environment and achieve sustainable development, particularly in rural areas. Thanks to their wisdom and care for the earth, family farmers are the agents of change we need to achieve Zero Hunger, a more balanced and resilient planet, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

KEY Messages

Family farming preserves traditional food products, while contributing to a balanced diet and safeguarding the world’s agro-biodiversity and sustainable use of natural resources.

Through the transformation of products, the generation of services and infrastructures, family farming creates real economic opportunities not only for the farmers of the territory but for the whole community.

Increasing family farmers’ access to infrastructure, technology, communication and tailored innovations is critical to the future of food systems and can attract youth to the sector. This positively affects rural-urban mobility, particularly for younger generations.

Family farming supports diversified food systems that promote sustainable integration between urban and rural areas. With innovative market solutions, urban dwellers can enjoy healthy, nutritious and safe food.

Youth is the future of family farming. Maintaining interest in farming as a profession is vital to future food security and agricultural development. Young farmers are the bridge between traditional, local knowledge and innovative ideas.

Family farming can make food systems more sustainable. Policies should support them in reducing food loss and in sustainably and efficiently managing natural resources.

Recognizing rural women as equal, as well as increasing their access to land and other productive resources, investment, loans, training and information will highly contribute to sustainable development.

By blending traditional knowledge with adequate technical know-how, family farming promotes food systems that are more resilient to climate change.

Family farming offers a unique opportunity to ensure food security, improve livelihoods, better manage natural resource, protect the environment and achieve sustainable development, particularly in rural areas.

Activities and Events

Find out about all the activities and events of the UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028.

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Get inspired. Get involved. Whether you are a farmer, a producers' organization, a governmental entity, an NGO, a company, a research institution or an individual determined to make a change, join th UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028.

KEY FACTS

Family farms produce more than

80% of the food

in the world

90% of fishers

operate on a small-scale

Family farms occupy around

70–80% of farmland

worldwide

Women hold only 15%

of farmland, while they provide
almost 50% of farm labor

More than

90% of farms

are run by an individual or a family
who rely primarily on family labor

33% of forests

are managed by indigenous peoples
and local communities

There are more than

600M farms

in the world.

Global Action Plan

The Decade of Family Farming provides an extraordinary opportunity for the United Nations to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in an inclusive, collaborative and coherent way.

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A GLOBAL ACTION PLAN TO WORK TOGETHER FOR COMMON GOALS

Through a Global Action Plan, the UNDFF provides detailed guidance for the international community on collective, coherent and comprehensive actions that can be taken to support family farmers. Designed around seven mutually reinforcing pillars of work, the Global Action Plan recommends a series of interconnected actions from the local to the global level.