Photo: © FAO/Ecenaz Yüzbaşıoğlu

Ankara – Agriculture is facing increasing pressure from growing populations, climate change and natural resource degradation. In order to feed the world sustainably, it is essential to position family farmers at the forefront of agri-food systems transformation.

Family farms account for about 70–80 percent of the arable land worldwide and produce over 80 percent of the world’s food in value terms. More than 90 percent of the world’s 570 million farms are family-run businesses. The situation in Türkiye reflects this global trend.

In recognition of the importance of family farming in agri-food systems, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ankara University Development Studies Application and Research Centre (AKÇAM) conducted a study on family farming, with the support the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, as part of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming (UNDFF).

Entitled “A Perspective on the Future of Family Farming in Türkiye”, the study, which began this year, organized local workshops in Antalya, Erzurum, Nevşehir and Samsun to identify the challenges faced by family farms and to develop sustainable and inclusive solutions. The workshops aimed to identify the situation and conditions of family farms in Türkiye, and to this end, engaged with family farmers, farmer organizations, and relevant national and international stakeholders from agriculture and rural development sectors including NGOs, and public and private sector representatives.

On 10 July 2023, a national workshop was organized in Ankara with the participation of relevant experts and key stakeholders to review the above-mentioned local workshops and discuss the main national trends in the future of family farming.

At the opening session of the national workshop, Viorel Gutu, FAO Representative in Türkiye and Subregional Coordinator for Central Asia, noted that family farming has received significant global attention since 2014, the UN International Year of Family Farming (IYFF). Emphasizing that family farmers are the backbone of rural economies, Gutu explained that through this valuable study, FAO and AKÇAM are contributing to the global response to challenges facing family farming, ensuring they remain high on the national development agenda.

After this opening speech, Prof. Orhan Çelik, Vice Rector of Ankara University, underlined the importance of inter-institutional cooperation for the development of family farming in Türkiye. Çelik also confirmed that Ankara University will continue to support initiatives and programmes related to family farming.

Taking the floor next, Burhan Demirok, Director-General for Agricultural Reform of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, explained that agriculture in Türkiye is based on fragmented plots of land and small-scale family-run farms. Accordingly, the traditional and cultural structure of the country and strong rural–urban linkages favour the development of family farming. Demirok also underlined the challenges and benefits of family farming, which need to be considered when delivering agricultural supports.

Following the opening session, Bülent Gülçubuk, Director of AKÇAM, made a keynote presentation entitled, “The Importance and Key Dynamics of Family Farming in Türkiye”. The national workshop continued with a panel session moderated by Ayşegül Selışık, FAO Türkiye Assistant Representative, on the “Future of Family Farming in Türkiye”. Participants, including a young family farmer from Ankara, discussed ways to develop family farming in the country. The session ended with a survey comprising 14 questions on perceptions of family farming.

The afternoon sessions of the national workshop were dedicated to discussing the findings of the local workshops. The sessions discussed diverse topics related to family farming including but not limited to demography, environment, production, marketing, organization and the sustainability of financial resources. All participants agreed that the role of women and youth in the future of family farming is critical to revitalizing rural life.

Based on the above-mentioned local workshops and in light of information received from the national workshop, a final report entitled “A Perspective on the Future of Family Farming in Türkiye” will be prepared to support decision-makers and practitioners in the agricultural sector. Technical cooperation between FAO and AKÇAM has proved highly productive and will function as a model for further projects and joint actions. In this context, this study will pave the way for a national action plan for family farming in the context of UNDFF.

This national action plan will benefit from a policy framework published in the Global Action Plan of the UNDFF under the work of the Joint Secretariat, led by FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Through this plan, the UNDFF provides detailed guidance for the international community on collective, coherent and comprehensive actions that can be taken to support family farmers.