“We want to uplift the conditions of “To produce food for the world, for humani- so that they can ty, is one of the noblest have real dignity and Towards stronger occupations. An interna- be proud to be family tional year dedicated to farmers… and that the family farmers profoundly young generation will FAMILY honours our work.” continue to go to family - Francisca Rodriguez of CLOC - La farming, and thereby reduce poverty and increase food security and nutrition.” - Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association, FAO Special Ambassador for the International Year of Family Farming

“Africa can feed itself because we have enough arable land and fresh water. What is lacking is the commitment of our governments to work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders. The voices of food producers are crucial.”

– Elisabeth Atangana of the Pan African Farmers Organization

“We are not seeking subsidies, we are seeking legis- lation that facilitates the lives of small scale farmers and fisherfolk.” - Natalia Laiño of the World Forum of Fisher People I4171E/1/10.14

Voices in the International Year of Family Farming Towards stronger FAMILY FARMS

Voices in the International Year of Family Farming

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE Rome, 2014 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.

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v Foreword

I am the family vi “I am all those sunny mornings full of energy and the pleasure of moving the herd from paddock to paddock…. I want to help create a food system that is fairer, in which farmers live better and eaters eat better.”

Introduction: The International 01 Year of Family Farming The International Year of Family Farming put the Photo: Rose Ogala spotlight on the essential contributions that family farmers make. As a result, we are already seeing

Kenya. 2 greater political commitment to supporting family farmers and creating pro-family farming policies.

Africa 02 Some of the world’s most vulnerable family farmers live in sub-Saharan Africa. The region proposes policies that can ensure Africans are able to feed themselves and contribute to global food security by having a more productive family farming sector that engages men, women and future generations. ebileg Ulgiit Photo: Erden Asia Pacific In the highly diverse Asian and Pacific region,

07 Mongolia. 7 family farmers face unfavourable agricultural policies, population displacement and climate change. The region calls for policies that include the protection of the rights of family farmers, stable food prices and more involvement of family farmers in policy, research and extension.

Europe and Central Asia 12 Family farmers are the biggest investors in agriculture and food production in Europe but they face an ageing rural population and policies that often do not meet their needs. The region recommends measures such as the re-direction of

public investment and knowledge gathering Photo: Ramon Lienhard towards family farmers and the removal of policy constraints.

Switzerland. 12

iii

Latin America and Caribbean 17 The contribution of family farming to development is increasingly being recognized in Latin American policies. To advance further, the region proposes protection of leaders, incentives for farmer organizations, and policies that favour small scale producers. It suggests building on successful initiatives in the region. Photo: Natalia Virginia Lozano Broncales Photo: Natalia Virginia Near East and North Africa

Peru. 17 23 Insecure land tenure, chronic undernourishment, violent conflicts, water scarcity and the impacts of climate change make life very hard for family farmers in this region. Key recommendations include the provision of land titles, greater autonomy for farmer organizations and more inclusive policy making processes.

North America 27 This region, encompassing Mexico, the US and Photo: Issam Zerrok Canada, calls for policies that promote farming among young people, a fairer price for farmers

Morocco. 23 and better access to knowledge and farmland.

Conclusion 29 Recommendations for policy change are strikingly similar across regions. Cross-sectoral approaches and agrarian reform must result in access to natural resources, improved trade and new markets, gender equity, stronger farmer

organizations, farmer-led extension and greater Photo: Natasha Bowens youth involvement. This will ensure that family

USA. 27 farmers can thrive and remain part of the solution.

This publication draws from reports FAO Regional Conferences are an Edited by Cover photo: Taken in Nicaragua and notes from a series of events in the official bi-annual forum where minis- Janneke Bruil (ILEIA) by Julie Lunde Lillesæter. International Year of Family Farming: ters of agriculture and high officials of Member States from the same geo- With contributions from: Back cover photo: Taken in Regional Dialogues on Family graphic region meet to elaborate on Hakim Baliraine, Leonardo van den Argentina by Paula Taraborelli. Farming were organized by the Food challenges and priority matters related Berg, Warren Borda, Harmony Folz, and Agriculture Organization in col- to food and agriculture, to enhance Hanny van Geel, Teresa Gianella, Produced by ILEIA, Centre laboration with the World Rural Forum, regional policy coherence. Family Eduardo Giesen, Nick Pasiecznik, for Learning on Sustainable the International Cooperative Alliance farming was on the agenda of each Francesco Maria Pierri, Teobaldo Agriculture, in collaboration and the World Farmers Organization to Regional Conference in 2014. Pinzas, Brendan Rice and Edith van with and printed by increase the understanding of the Walsum. Food and Agriculture family farming context in each region, Read more about the International Organization of the and identify challenges, opportunities Year of Family Farming at Layout United Nations. and policy priorities to support family www.fao.org/family-farming-2014 Twin Media bv, Culemborg, farming and eradicate hunger. the Netherlands Rome, 2014

Civil society consultations are orga- Photos nized in conjunction with FAO Re- All photos in the publication gional Conferences to ensure engage- were entries in the 2014 photo ment in FAO regional policy discus- competition ‘Family farmers: sions and decision making by civil feeding the world, caring for society, social movements and produc- the earth’ organized by the ers’ organizations that give organiza- AgriCultures Network and the tional, economic, and social clout to World Rural Forum. smallholder farmers, pastoralists and those who rely on fishing and forestry ivfor their livelihoods. Foreword

With more than 500 million family farms poor market access, insecure land tenure in the world out of 570 million farms, and policies that do not respond to the family farming is the predominant mode needs of family farmers. Women and of agricultural production in the world. youth are particularly affected by these Family farms produce about 80 percent challenges. of the world’s food in value terms, and collectively they are the largest source We have learned that targeted agricultural of employment worldwide. The United policies should be developed that Nations General Assembly declared 2014 respond to the specific needs of family the International Year of Family Farming farmers, region by region. They must (IYFF) in order to raise the profile of family respect their way of life, because family farming in the agricultural, environmental farming is much more than a mode of and social policies in national agendas. food production, it’s also a way of life. The resounding goal of this process is to As the agency tasked with implementing bring about strong political commitment the 2014 IYFF, FAO set in motion an in support of family farmers. extensive policy dialogue process with its Member Countries, relevant agencies of The fruits of this journey are captured the United Nations, international family in this publication. Together, these key farmers’ organizations and networks, moments weave together a narrative civil society organizations, academia and of the challenges and opportunities for research organizations, the private sector family farming at regional level. FAO as well as other non-state actors, in order is grateful to ILEIA for its support in to achieve these goals. producing this publication to synthesize the outcomes of the dialogues. The Six Regional Dialogues on Family publication is not a comprehensive Farming held in Asia, Europe, Latin account of every action of the IYFF but America and the Caribbean, Near East rather a portrayal of many important and North Africa, North America, and voices and experiences gathered Sub-Saharan Africa helped pinpoint throughout major points of the Year, which the challenges facing family farmers demonstrate the important steps we have in each region. All FAO Regional taken together and where we must go in Conferences further discussed the main the future in terms of supporting family issues facing family farming at regional farmers. level. The Regional Conferences were preceded by Civil Society Consultations that broadly debated family farming and made concrete recommendations to governments, FAO and other organizations.

Family farmers are a large and extremely diverse group. Despite this diversity, the dialogues concluded that they have a Marcela Villarreal great deal in common in terms of the Director challenges they face. These include the Office for Partnerships, Advocacy and globalization of the food sector, climate Capacity Development change, lack of suitable financial services, FAO

v

I am the family farm

I am all those sunny mornings full of energy and the On market days, I know how to be present even in pleasure of moving the herd from paddock to the heart of cities. In fact, I intend to make more paddock. and more allies among city dwellers, to sell organic food, promote food sovereignty and the importance In the spring in Québec, I am a holiday for thousands of diversified models and crops. I want to help create of , who renew the tradition of “sugaring off,” a food system that is fairer, in which farmers live the smell of the maple sap boiling and the sugary better and eaters eat better. dampness that sticks to the skin. I am dynamism and honesty, hard work and And how many other odors can be associated with freedom, warmth and resilience, sometimes deaf me? Hundreds? Thousands? Think only of the smell and resistant to economic pressures, sometimes of the earth. Then think of how the ground moves as proud of my technology. you walk on it. Dream of the sweet perfume of the strawberries, of the greenhouses where plants that I am composed of multiple experiences. My differ- will soon decorate the fields, all through the south- ences give my character and are the source of both ern , are now growing. my strength and my fragility.

Thinking of me brings back memories of the freshly I am all sorts of succession plans, like the one imag- mowed valleys of New England, of a father creating ined by the farmer who “adopted” a successor who a shelter in a bale of hay for his little boy to take a was not a member of the family, in order to hand on nap. I keep among my souvenirs the memory of in- what he called “his life’s work.” But to renew and genious grandparents, simple people full of good respond to the young people who want to live with sense… the grandfather who knew everything about dignity from their farming, I will have to invent new the forest and tried to teach it to me, how to cut a forms of transfer because I certainly intend to con- walking stick, the shepherd’s essential tool. Or those tinue to cultivate values. grandmothers who were so good at making the best of whatever food they had and already practiced the I am the Earth and its memory, as well as its future. principles of economy and recycling.

I feed on conviviality, on animated discussions; every day I challenge people to work together. But I am also stress and distress, uncertainty and insecurity, and I have the weakness of too often relegating my family to second place, even if I am described as a This text is based on the responses given by participants to the ‘family’ institution. North American Dialogue on Family Farming (on 7 and 8 April 2014 in Québec City) to the question: “In your daily life or your I mark territories, I design and redesign the land- memories, what farming woman or man, what farm, what scapes that are lovelier when they do not all look the landscape, what emotions do you associate with the family same. Everywhere I leave traces of human activity. farm?”

Portugal. Photo: Luís Sérgio de Carvalho Salgado Gonçalves Introduction The International Year of Family Farming

When 2014 was proclaimed as the by Hungary in March 2014, Brazil’s National Improving the situation of family farmers International Year of Family Farming (IYFF), Agroecology Conference on family farming around the world is a burning issue. And the United Nations put the spotlight on the in May 2014 and the International producing an estimated essential contribution of family farmers to Encounter on Family Farming and Research 70 percent of the world’s food, it is not just food security, community wellbeing, the in Montpellier in June 2014. This synthesis their issue either. This report highlights economy, conservation and global farm does not pretend to be exhaustive of such some of the key advances and proposals biodiversity, sustainable use of natural rich a debate but aims to grasp key issues made during this International Year of resources, and climate resilience. as they were raised by hundreds of Family Farming. And may the light of this participants worldwide. year continue to shine brightly for the The IYFF seeks to support the development future of those farmers and their communi- of policies conducive to promoting We can already see advances as a result of ties. sustainable family farming and create a the IYFF. The visibility and recognition of better understanding of the needs, family farmers has taken a leap. Importantly, Edith van Walsum constraints and potential of family farmers. there are many signs of greater political Director The trend in recent decades has been for commitment to support family farmers and ILEIA governments to focus on agricultural to create pro-family farming policies. The and free markets, with less farmers themselves, women, men and support to the producers themselves. The youth, have been able to articulate their Signs of greater political commit- majority of the world’s 500 million farming perspectives, needs and aspirations. Their ment to support family farmers can families and the communities in which they organisations are gaining strength, and be found across the globe. For live are being deprived of investments that they have effectively used the spaces example, in the Regional Initiatives would enable them to grow in their generated during the year. It is our hope endorsed during FAO’s 2014 Regional landscapes. This is leading to an unprec- that these empowering processes will Conferences, three of which specifi- edented outflow of young people to urban continue, which is especially urgent as there cally target family farming while most centres, the degradation of natural still remain areas of great concern. We can of the other initiatives address it resources, increased rural poverty and only truly celebrate the power of family indirectly. Strong commitment to chronic hunger especially in drylands and farmers when we also guarantee their support family farmers also came from other marginalized regions. rights, and when the political, economic the Heads of States and Governments and cultural space is created for them to of Latin America and the Caribbean The idea for an international year of family use their strength and choose their own (CELAC) gathered in Havana, Cuba in farming was born in the wake of the financial development paths. Secure tenure of land January 2014, as well as from the and food crisis in 2008 which put agriculture and other natural resources is a key issue, Declaration on Family Farming back on the political agenda. It was first especially in a time when global land adopted by the Latin American proposed by the World Rural Forum and the grabbing is unprecedented. As this Parliament on 26 August 2014. An Philippine government, followed by many synthesis points out, the implementation of important declaration of support for others, and finally endorsed by the UN in the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsi- family farming came from 34 Ministers 2011. The Food and Agriculture Organiza- ble Tenure of Land, Forests and Fisheries is and high level representatives as well tion (FAO) was appointed as the facilitating considered crucial on all continents. Yet a as FAO gathered in Paris in February agency of the Year. great number of obstacles have yet to be 2014, and from the Ministerial The voices presented in this synthesis overcome before these guidelines will offer Conference for the International Year summarize policy recommendations and any practical benefits for hundreds of of Family Farming for Asia and the best practices that were presented during millions of family farmers. Pacific held in Chennai, India, on 07 the International Year of Family Farming. It August 2014. In the Malabo Declara- builds on a series of regional dialogues, With an enabling policy environment, tion adopted by the 23rd Assembly of civil society consultations and FAO regional family farmers will improve food, nutrition the African Union in June 2014, African conferences that explored the topic of and economic security, and also help to states express commitment to strong family farming in the second half of 2013 safeguard soil health, restore biodiversity, support for smallholders. In September and throughout 2014, culminating in the recycle nutrients, build climate resilience 2014, the US Senate passed Resolution Global Family Farming Dialogue in October and save precious water. Pro-family farming 544, endorsing the International Year 2014. Important issues were raised in other policies will also be win-win if they of Family Farming (IYFF). And finally, relevant events as well, such as the Global encompass those that support agroecologi- family farming was the central theme Forum and Expo on Family Farming hosted cal practices. of World Food Day 2014. Africa

Regional Dialogue on Family Farming: Cape Town, 6 and 7 November 2013 Civil Society Consultation: Tunis, 21 and 22 March 2014 Regional Conference: Tunis, 24 – 28 March 2014

Family farmers in Africa are crucial for Core trends in food security, now and in the future. Some family farming of the most marginalized and vulnerable Regional Dialogue Family farms, defined at the Regional family farmers of the world live in sub- Dialogue as farms that rely on family Saharan Africa. Yet, as highlighted in the labour, feed and employ two-thirds of the African population and work 62 region’s conversations, family farmers lack percent of the land. In Sub-Saharan support, are faced with incoherent policies Africa, about 60 percent of the farms are smaller than one hectare, and and have insecure rights to resources. This these farms make up close to 20 is especially the case for women – often percent of the farmland. Further, 95 percent of farms are smaller than 5 undervalued even though they take up hectares and make up the majority of most of the farming work in many African farmland in Sub-Saharan Africa. Family farmers can be found along families- and youth – who see no future in the whole spectrum of food producers agriculture. Policies are needed to ensure in Africa: from livestock to crop pro- duction and from staple food to cash family farmers have control over resources, crop producers, and they produce for that facilitate the creation of farmers’ both subsistence and local markets. They rely mostly on traditional modes organizations and that support youth and of farming – many do not use irriga- women. Moreover, these policies should tion, chemical fertilizers or commer- cial seed varieties. These family be developed through a process that farmers also contribute significantly to includes a strong voice of family farmers ecosystem preservation and environ- mental protection. themselves. As FAO reports in its State of Food & Agriculture 2010-2011, on average, women make up a greater share of the agricultural labour force in sub-Saha- ran Africa. But, as Dialogue partici- pants pointed out, they enjoy less than their share of income and other bene-

2 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Africa tors narrated how supermarkets are spreading on the continent, land is Good practices being privatized and trade flows are Participants in the Regional intensifying, both within Africa and Dialogue noted some successes that globally. Most countries in Africa Africa can build upon. These suffer from unacceptable levels of include Ethiopia’s retention of hunger and many of these are forced that specialize in to depend on food aid or costly different coffee varieties, Namibia’s

Photo: Alfons Trigas Rodriguez Senegal. Photo: Alfons Trigas imports of food, feed and fibre. support for organic agriculture, Discussions at the Dialogue high- Rwanda’s accelerated growth in lighted how African governments in agricultural productivity through the past tended to adopt ‘one-size-fits- the professionalization of its farming fits. In many societies, land is usually all’ solutions suggested by their over- sector, Mali’s holistic arrangements inherited by male siblings, in most seas development partners. Partici- for participatory of the cases the oldest brother. It was high- pants agreed that these blueprint ap- rural space and Uganda’s budding lighted that women are also often dis- proaches to rural development (such successes in connecting consumers proportionately under-represented in as Structural Adjustment prescrip- with family farmers. decision making positions in agricul- tions) have not succeeded in the face However, participants noted that tural institutions, even in the very of the diversity of family farmers. They while some of these successes are at farmer organizations that claim to called for acknowledging Africa’s great national scale, many remain champion their interests. As for youth, diversity by making individual poli- localized pilots which can only it was generally observed that few want cies for each country: policies adapted really be meaningful through being to stay in agriculture: many seek to each country’s specific circumstanc- successfully scaled up. Africa can careers outside the sector, including es, but based on good general princi- claim real victory, they stated, when by moving to cities. ples and a strong commitment to family farmers are working and The context of African farmers is family farmers. living so well across all countries, rapidly changing. Dialogue contribu- The role of farmer associations and that they turn Africa into a continent of plenty, with sustained surpluses, profits and rural Ways in which producer organizations prosperity. deliver key support to family farmers Many positive experiences were • advocacy and lobbying to raise the voice of farmers for enabling policies, also shared at the Regional legislation, programmes, financial resources and protection of the rights of Conference. For instance, in family farmers; Algeria, US $1 billion in loans is • ensuring quantity and quality in production; allocated to young agricultural • facilitating post-harvest handling, including processing, preservation, graduates and 43 000 hectares of storage and marketing of farm produce; land is secured for them. In the first • helping to develop clear communication strategies for family farmers and year, the loans are interest-free and serving as a medium for mobilization and sensitization of farmers; after that the interest is set at three • facilitating mobilization of financial resources, technologies, percent for ten years. “This helps human resources and inputs; rural youth in establishing their • establishing partnerships among actors and collaborators along value agrofood businesses: 6 500 farms chains; and have already been created with • developing programmes and influence policies to make agriculture youth- support from the loans. We see this friendly and promote youth leadership in agriculture. as a model to get young people back Taken from the report of the African Regional Dialogue on Family Farming. into farming.” ☛

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Africa 3 other member-based organizations in agriculture, forestry, livestock and fish- eries was also emphasized. These orga- nizations can not only help family farmers receive more cost-effective Photo: Rose Ogala support services but can also enable

them to support each other, jointly ar- Kenya. ticulate coherent proposals to govern- ments and advocate for more helpful policies (see box on page 3 for more that even existing mechanisms and ☛ In a similar vein, the detail). financing tools that are tailored to the delegate from Sudan shared how The African Dialogue concluded needs and realities of family farms they established a national young that family farmers can and must play have failed to deliver benefits. They farmers’ union, through which a central role in attaining a sustainable added that one reason for this may be they were able to reach a number future for agriculture, eradicating that allocating funds to industrial agri- of youth. Tunisia, the host hunger and poverty, achieving social culture under Public-Private Partner- country, said that young graduates cohesion, employment and sustain- ships is not always an appropriate in- were given appropriate technology able use of natural resources. strument to support family farming. which enabled them to establish Further, participants pointed out arable, livestock and fish farms. Civil society consultation that the needs of young people are The delegate from Congo These conclusions were echoed at the rarely addressed through policy, as in Brazzaville explained how the CSO Consultation in Tunis. There, many African countries the legal and government built houses for family Ms Elizabeth Atangana, of the Pan regulatory frameworks are weak and farmers to improve their living African Farmers Organization, first do not support agricultural projects for conditions. Mr Idudu Pascali, expressed appreciation to FAO for im- young people. Their land access and president of a Burkina Faso plementing the 2014 International tenure security needs are insufficiently cooperative, said that the funds Year of Family Farming and applaud- integrated. The same is the case for received from FAO are being ed the African Union for making 2014 other vulnerable groups such as successfully used to establish the Year of Agriculture. She contin- women and indigenous peoples. family farmers’ irrigation systems, ued, “Family farmers have been food infrastructure and markets. producers for quite a number of Regional Conference Tunisia emphasized its investment decades but nobody had thought of The minister of agriculture for Tunisia in natural resources protection and recognising their importance. As the also underscored the urgency of invest- the creation of early warning agricultural sector employs the majority ing in youth during the Regional Con- systems for climate change and of the rural population in Africa, espe- ference in Tunis: “To combat hunger in weather fluctuations. And cially women and youth, it is high time Africa, governments should support Mozambique said that since 2009 to invest in family farmers holistically.” young and small scale farmers and they have been reducing poverty Participating CSOs noted that make agriculture a more attractive by investing in small scale farmers family farmers in Africa face inconsis- venture.” He also highlighted the need and their organizations through tent and poorly implemented poli- to increase agricultural productivity, projects related to trees, fruits, cies, programmes and projects at local, supported with low interest rate loans bees, and high value agriculture national, regional and continental for small-scale farmers. He then made crops. Small scale farmers in levels. They highlighted how this com- a plea to include farmers in decision Mozambique can access promises food security, nutrition and making: “Small scale family farmers commercial credits if they have a poverty reduction. Pointing to the protect natural resources and biodiver- recommendation from the mixed record of the Maputo commit- sity. They will do this more effectively government which functions as a ments after 11 years and the low im- when they are involved in agricultural guarantee. plementation of CAADP, they argued decision making.”

4 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Africa Photo: FAO Africa Regional Conference.

In Africa, malnutrition reduced from integrity and contributing to commu- They called upon FAO to include Pro- 56% to 32% since 1999, as stated by nity togetherness. This includes im- ducer Organizations in its consulta- FAO South Africa’s representative. proving access to reliable and stable tions on family farming, along with all Delegates to the Conference recog- financing (from both public sources concerned ministries. nized challenges such as insufficient and from farming activities), ensuring rural infrastructure, harsh working con- that markets allow farming to be profit- Civil society consultation ditions, difficult access to productive able and supporting ‘technological This call was repeated by Ms Atan- resources and the growing divide upgrading’ of family farmers. gana at the opening of the civil society between youth aspirations and agricul- Better education and knowledge consultation. She requested that FAO tural opportunities. On a bright side, were identified as necessary compo- play a pivotal role in encouraging gov- they noted that Africa’s ongoing demo- nents to support family farmers in ernments to include farmers in deci- graphic transitions and the continent’s adapting to a world that is urbanizing, sion making on , growing agrifood markets offer enor- globalizing and becoming more com- from policy formulation through to mous potential for agricultural devel- petitive and where marketing chains the implementation stage. “Africa can opment for African youth. have gained a lot of power. feed itself because we have enough The Dialogue also called for specific arable land and fresh water. What is programmes to empower women and lacking is the commitment of our gov- Policy to reduce or eliminate adverse discrim- ernments to work hand-in-hand with all recommendations ination in access to land and other stakeholders including civil society. But resources, including knowledge. This the voices of food producers are crucial. Regional Dialogue can be done by investing in labour- Much attention has been given to in- Participants to the Regional Dialogue saving and productivity-enhancing dustrial agriculture which has ended up concluded that the overarching ambi- technologies and infrastructure to free ruining biodiversity, polluting waters tion for Africa was for it to be able to women’s time for other productive and degrading our soils. I applaud feed itself and contribute to global activities and by facilitating the partici- small scale producers and their organi- food security, and to do so by having a pation of women in flexible, efficient zations who put the spotlight on these more productive family farming sector and fair rural labour markets. A rec- issues. I encourage you all to continue that is able to defeat poverty and ommendation was made that FAO and pushing our governments as this will hunger and that engages men, women the African Union (AU) should aid help to improve the livelihoods of small- and future generations effectively. African governments in implementing holder producers in all sectors.” Dialogue participants called upon the Voluntary Guidelines on Land One major conclusion of the CSO FAO to recognize and support family Tenure and the Framework Guide- consultation was that consistent poli- farming as a sustainable model for lines of the AU with respect to land cies and funding should be adopted feeding the world. Policies and pro- tenure. Specific programmes are also that promote the integration of young grammes are needed to help farmers needed to make agriculture attractive people in agriculture. Vocational increase production while ensuring to youth. training should be designed to target security and smooth transfer of family Finally, participants emphasized agriculture and rural youth entrepre- patrimony, sustaining cultural herit- that producers need to organize in neurship where there are no existing age, ensuring territorial and landscape order to be able to assist themselves. programmes and existing programmes

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Africa 5

Photo: Alina Paul-Bossuet Alina Photo:

Ethiopia.

and programmes. This should to small producers and young farmers. include youth access to productive should be consolidated. Furthermore, The organizations strongly condemn resources, especially land and finan- CSOs recommended an inclusive land grabbing and support for indus- cial resources. They also recom- mechanism of dialogue involving gov- trial agricultural businesses and mended policies that encourage rural ernments, youth organizations and demand a moratorium on industrial transformation and investments in other stakeholders. agro-fuel production on the continent. young people’s technical, vocational CSOs also called for better targeting Finally, the organizations recom- and entrepreneurial skills. This could of support to family farms in the mended that the decentralization of include the development of activities framework of CAADP to ensure their FAO processes happen in an inclusive, across the agricultural value chain long-term sustainability. They called transparent and consistent way. Poli- that would encourage youth to for increasing funding and involving cies and programmes of the regional engage and remain in agriculture. small scale family farmers throughout office must be defined through dia- Finally, they called for greater facili- the process to respond to their needs logue with all actors, including the tation of youth engagement in agri- and concerns. They recommended organizations of small scale family cultural development programmes that the management of natural re- farmers and fisherfolk. and in decision making. sources be left in the hands of the food Regarding the CAADP, the Regional producers, guided by pro-family Regional Conference Conference recommended that African farming policies. Value chain ap- Mr Bukar Tijan, the Assistant Direc- governments effectively integrate nutri- proaches and policies should be inclu- tor-General of FAO, told the Regional tion goals into agricultural sector plans. sive, with support for family farmers as Conference that small scale farmers They suggested that constraints to im- a priority. Access to financing by small- and family farmers must be the main proved productivity, incomes and food scale family farmers should not be target group when developing agricul- security of small scale family farmers be hampered by bureaucracy and finan- ture on the continent. He added that addressed, preferably through support to cial institutions must stop looking at “FAO will do what it takes to support farmer organization and cooperatives farming as a risky investment. initiatives by the governments to invest and sustained investment in agricultural CSOs encouraged their govern- in smallholder agriculture and family research. Social protection programmes ments to implement the recommen- farmers to ensure food security and nu- and risk management instruments tar- dations of the Committee on Food trition on the continent.” geting family farmers should be estab- Security. Specific mention was made The Regional Conference recom- lished to foster resilience. Furthermore, of the need to implement the Volun- mended that governments make it was emphasized that country and re- tary Guidelines on Responsible Gov- agriculture more attractive to youth gional efforts should be strengthened to ernance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and create an enabling environment improve the formulation and imple- and Forests through involving all for youth within the overall agricul- mentation of legal frameworks govern- stakeholders, with particular attention tural and rural development policies ing land tenure. ■

6 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Africa Asia Pacific

Regional Dialogue on Family Farming: Bangkok, 21 and 22 November 2013 Civil Society Consultation: Ulaanbaatar, 8 and 9 March 2014 Regional Conference: Ulaanbaatar, 10-14 March 2014

In the highly diverse Asia and Pacific region, Core trends in family farmers face a lack of public support and family farming they face unfavourable policies. Many have been Regional Dialogue It is often said that the Asia-Pacific displaced and are threatened by climate change. region is the global home of small- Nevertheless various examples exist where family scale family farmers. The region holds 60 percent of the world’s population farmers worked together with others to strengthen and 70 percent of its family farmers. their farming systems and their voices. Policies And small-scale food producers, farmers, fishers and herders produce can play a role in supporting these processes, by 80 percent of the region’s food. Partici- protecting the rights of family farmers, especially pants to the Regional Dialogue noted that family farming in the Asia and the of women and forest dwellers, and by ensuring Pacific region is so diverse that it is that food prices are stable. Actors in the region difficult to come up with a simple and comprehensive definition of what make a clear call for more involvement of family family farming is. Presenters at the farmers in policy, research and extension. conference described it as family- based and small-scale, ranging from full-time family members farming with support of wage labour to small-scale and subsistence farmers. Various interventions at the Dia- logue highlighted how family farmers in the region contribute to local market development, community level coop- eration and resilience, and ultimately to countries’ global domestic products. Family farmers also help preserve and enhance local traditions, heritage and food systems, as well as community eco- systems and rural landscapes. is important in the

Photo: Truong Minh Dien Photo: Truong region – 80 to 90 percent of aquacul- ture farms in Asia are family based. These farms vary in size and crops and

Vietnam. in the gender roles assumed on them.

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Asia Pacific 7 Good practices Various examples of good practices were presented at the Regional Dialogue. These included the successful experiences of cooperatives and self-help women’s groups, as well as those of advocacy and pressure groups. These represented key models for collective organizing to strengthen the roles and contributions of family farmers. Policy makers were encouraged to support these models

Photo: Binay Rungta Binay Photo: by facilitating the scaling up of

successful grassroots experiences

India. and other collective efforts so that they gain wider impact. One particularly successful example of scaling up was It was emphasized of livelihood and income, and curtail- presented by Chhaya Bhavsar of the that women play a major role in most ment of rights of small food producers Self Employed Women’s family farming, although this is poorly and consumers.” Many small farmers Association (SEWA) in India. She recognized. They contribute up to 85 and pastoralists are victims of landless- shared how their ‘Sustainable percent of the work in family farms ness, having been displaced due to Agriculture Campaign’ provides an but receive barely 20 percent of the land grabbing, large infrastructure and effective model to empower family’s farming income – only two mining projects. There is a lack of women farmers by improving their percent own assets. Rural women, genuine land reform. The tenure collective strength and bargaining particularly, remain invisible, under- rights of indigenous peoples that are power. SEWA worked with women valued and unrecognized. They have critical to their livelihood and survival farmers and their families to assist unequal access and control over re- are still not being recognized. them in establishing their own sources, despite their roles as seed In addition, agricultural workers are organizations, and ’trained the savers, land tillers, community leaders faced with low wages, job insecurity trainers’ on marketing, and family managers. and poor and hazardous working con- organizational development and In general, participants noted, ditions. Furthermore, fishers and fish access to finance. In this way, family farmers are confronted with a workers, including women, are being SEWA built a cadre of women lack of proper support, unfavourable marginalized due to the expanding farmer-trainers at the grassroots policies and lack of access to markets, commercial fisheries. Their need for level. These women have now assets, seeds and technology. On top of access to fishery resources has been opened agriculture schools to this they face emerging environmental ignored and they lack support in pro- provide knowledge and training to changes brought about by climate cessing and marketing. And the health other local women farmers, change, floods, diseases and pests. of aquatic ecosystems and biodiversity enhancing their access to financial Further, smallholder family farmers is not protected. and marketing services, tools and in the region face enormous challeng- The region also faces changes in technology, and processing facilities es due to rapid globalization of the rural population structures. The rural for their products. This integrated food sector and threats from large- population is ageing and young approach also eliminated the role of scale commercial farming and extrac- farmers and men are migrating, middlemen. The campaign initially tive industries. Participants pointed leaving behind an increasing number began in Gujarat and has been out that trade liberalization, privati- of elderly and women. Participants at replicated in 14 other Indian states, zation and deregulation have had a the Dialogue heard many cases of reaching more than five million very detrimental impact on family rural people who, seeing no jobs and farmers at the national level. farmers. These processes have reduced livelihood options for themselves on Based on their initial success, the capacities of countries and peoples the countryside, are forced to migrate SEWA felt the need for a national to ensure self-sufficient food produc- to cities. The youth who are abandon- learning and exchange platform for tion and have “worsened hunger, ing the family farm do not want to small and marginalized farmers and poverty, malnutrition, and contributed continue to have what they perceive as established the All India Women’s ☛ to the displacement, landlessness, loss ‘a miserable life’, in the words of one

8 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Asia Pacific ☛ Farmers’ Association, a country-wide network of women farmers. This concept has already been replicated in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh as a ‘Farmer’s Forum’. Women farmers from 2400 across these three countries and 11 Indian States now share participant. Instead, they seek jobs in natural resources base were identified their issues and best practices using industry, information technology, as major challenges. the Forum. This has empowered tourism (with its US dollars), and them in many ways, strengthening other work geared towards ‘sophisti- their production systems, improving cated’ lifestyles. Policy their livelihoods and increasing It was also agreed, however, that recommendations their visibility, voice and closer examination is needed to under- representation in local and national stand the situation of marginalized Regional Dialogue policy making processes. small-scale family farmers, especially Priority actions and key recommenda- the context of power relations, struc- tions formulated at the Regional Dia- tures and equity specific to each logue could, if implemented, go a country in the region. long way towards creating conditions A key element for making this in which family farmers can thrive, happen, are policies that support food Regional Conference flourish, gain their dignity, become sovereignty, according to participating Delegates to the Regional Conference self-sufficient and contribute to society civil society organizations. Food sover- noted that even if the Millennium as a whole. As Esther Penunia of the eignty can help achieve food security Development Goal target of ending Asian Farmers Association and ambas- and the eradication of hunger and extreme hunger and poverty is reached sador of the IYFF stated, “We want to poverty as it “recognizes and upholds by 2015 in Asia and the Pacific, more uplift the conditions of family farmers the rights of peoples to decide their than half a billion people in the region so that they can have real dignity and own food and agricultural policies and would still be undernourished. Achiev- be proud to be family farmers… and the right to develop ecologically, so- ing a food-secure Asia-Pacific region that the young generation will continue cially, economically and culturally by raising the productivity of small- to go to family farming, and thereby appropriate food systems.” Another holder family farmers and alleviating reduce poverty and increase food secu- main recommendation from the Dia- poverty while protecting the region’s rity and nutrition.” logue was the urgent reform of legal frameworks and policies in order to address the unfavourable macro-eco- nomic and trade policies that are major obstacles to tapping the poten- tial of family farmers. This is particu- larly relevant in relation to access to land and other resources such as credit and knowledge. Another priority identified at the Dialogue is to strengthen family farmers’ participation in decision making on policies and programmes at the national and regional levels through their organizations. The par- ticipants stated that FAO and IFAD have an important role to play in en- couraging governments to include farmer organizations. Jean Philippe Audinet, Senior Technical Adviser at ebileg Ulgiit Photo: Erden IFAD, agreed and argued for the rec- ommendations of the International Year of Family Farming to feed into

Mongolia. the Global Consultation on Responsi-

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Asia Pacific 9 Photo: FAO Asia Pacific Regional Conference.

ble Agriculture Investment. Civil society consultation prices for staple and basic food prod- Participants highlighted the need to The CSO community in the Asia- ucts. They also called for support in clarify and strengthen the respective Pacific region underscored the call for building the capacity of small food roles of governments, producer organi- genuine agrarian, aquatic, forestry and producers to create organizations that zations and cooperatives, civil society pastureland reform. This reform can allow them to use economies of and the private sector in delivering should incorporate the right to re- scale and establish better bargaining agricultural services and strengthening sources, including for women, and the power. family farmers. Emphasis was placed protection of ancestral domains and Civil society also formulated a series on capacity building programmes that territories for small food producers. In of recommendations for FAO. These are ‘family farmer-centred, owned and conjunction with this, they stated, call upon FAO to ensure meaningful led’, on issues such as climate change agroecological, integrated, diversified participation of social movements adaptation, disaster risk response, farming, fisheries and livestock prac- and CSOs in the formulation, imple- value addition and the influencing of tices should be promoted that protect mentation and monitoring of policies and engagement in policy dialogue. the traditional rights of peoples, local and guidelines. The Voluntary Guide- It was also recommended that pro- and indigenous knowledge and lines on Responsible Governance of ducer organizations develop income wisdom and provide the basis for Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests generating activities that allow family climate resilience. Governments were specifically emphasized. CSOs farmers to be more independent and should incorporate the principle of further call on FAO to ensure that the move towards self sustenance. Free Prior and Informed Consent in Principles for Responsible Agricultural A specific proposal from the Dia- their laws and regulations. Investment include the central role of logue was to compile country-specific Participating organizations argued small food producers in food produc- data on family farmers, including the further that to safeguard people’s right tion and as primary agricultural inves- roles and structures of producer or- to safe and nutritious food and to tors, and that it protects their rights. ganizations. One of the strategies that strengthen the livelihoods of small Specific attention was given to forest participants to the Dialogue recom- scale farmers, corporate technologies dwellers. It was recommended that mended was to support existing pro- such as genetically engineered seeds, FAO recognize them as food produc- ducer organization networks and hazardous pesticides, and agrofuel ers as well as protectors of the forest strategies that are making an impact plantations should no longer be pro- and natural resources. FAO should on family farming. A suggestion for moted. Instead, they called for the fa- support forest dwellers’ initiatives on doing so was to include more producer cilitation of farmer-led agricultural climate change mitigation, and any organizations and lead farmers in research and extension, technology projects for forest restoration and refor- IYFF activities and making these ac- and training, as well as the develop- estation should be done in a way that tivities more meaningful, for example ment of local markets and jobs that are respects forest dwellers and their by organising field visits. Finally, they appropriate for small scale food pro- future generations. expressed the need for a long-term ducers, particularly rural women. Finally, the CSOs recommended strategy to support family farmers, They also called upon governments that FAO continue the dialogue on perhaps in the form of an Internation- to implement laws and mechanisms the concept of family farming consid- al Decade of Family Farming. that provide affordable and stable ering different contexts of small food

10 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Asia Pacific producers. They proposed that FAO establish national committees that are farmer led and initiate policies and programmes that serve small scale

food producers and their communi- Velas Photo: Irvin Jethro ties. The civil society committed to working together with FAO, govern- ments and with other international institutions to meet the needs of small Philippines. food producers and their aspirations for food sovereignty. services. Delegates acknowledged that and policy work to improve food and Regional Conference discussions on the future of agriculture nutrition security, fostering linkages The Regional Conference acknowl- and meeting farmers’ aspirations between social protection programmes edged that a transition to sustainable should include more than just the ag- and the agricultural sector in order to production in agriculture should focus riculture and natural resources sectors. make farmers more productive and on supporting the prosperity of family They should also include, as a start, resilient. farmers and rural communities, while issues related to urbanization, rural With regards to forests dwellers, the addressing key sustainability issues infrastructure, traditional and indig- conference highlighted the many en- related to the management of land enous knowledge and culture, educa- vironmental, social and economic and water resources. Recognizing the tion and support services and youth benefits that can accrue from effective multifunctionality of family farmers, development. forest and grassland restoration, while the conference highlighted the impor- The conference also proposed that stressing the need for safeguards to tance of expanding income opportuni- FAO assist member countries in creat- ensure that restoration activities ties in rural areas, including non-farm ing opportunities and resources for protect and enhance biodiversity and income such as agri-tourism and tar- women and youth, and promote respect the rights and interests of geted payments for specific ecosystem under-utilized indigenous food re- local people, especially indigenous sources. It recommended analytical people and traditional forest and grass- land dwellers. In that respect, collec- tive action by member countries, FAO and other development partners was urged in order to accelerate the pace of restoration in the region, accompa- nied by secure tenure rights. The conference encouraged member countries to facilitate multi- sectoral and multi-stakeholder public policy dialogues on rural poverty re- duction and the long-term future of agriculture, especially with respect to family farmers. It urged FAO and member countries to use the Interna- tional Year of Family Farming as an

Photo: Kyaw Kyaw Winn opportunity to facilitate such policy dialogue, including through the crea- tion of long-term, national follow-up

Myanmar. mechanisms such as National Com- mittees. ■

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Asia Pacific 11 Europe and Central Asia

Regional Dialogue on Family Farming: Brussels, 11 and 12 December 2013 Civil society consultation: Bucharest, 29 and 30 March 2014 Regional Conference: Bucharest, 2 and 3 April 2014

Family farms account for a vast majority Core trends in of farms in Europe and they are the family farming biggest investors in agriculture and food Regional Dialogue Family farms were defined at the Re- production. However, they are trying to gional Dialogue as those that have a survive in a context of an ageing farming high proportion of family labour, where the family has managerial population and policies that favour large control and where farm continuity is scale corporate farms and free trade secured through inter-generational succession. Family farms in the Euro- agreements. At the same time, numerous pean Union, apart from , examples of productive and resilient family account for more than 85 per cent of all farms. One third to one half of the farmers exist, often strengthened by farmer population in the region lives in rural organizations and regional food systems. areas – nearly two thirds in Central Asia – and most of these people are Among the region’s recommendations is involved in agriculture, predominantly the re-direction of public investments and family farming. Many of their farms have been in the same family for a knowledge towards family farmers and very long time and there is a cultural their needs, and removal of constraints so attachment to the land. The farms are of many different types and sizes, with they can “step up productivity and create both full- and part-time farmers, and even more jobs in the rural areas”. those with and without other sources of income. Some are specialized busi- ness operations and some are semi- subsistence. In the EU, semi-subsist- ence farmers are more concentrated in

12 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Europe and Central Asia Photo: Hakan Yayla Turkey.

the new members states and in Civil society consultation ments are set up in an opaque and Greece, Italy and Portugal. In some The virtues of family farming were non-democratic manner, and have a countries of Central and Eastern also highlighted at the civil society negative effect on small and medium Europe, a large share of land is con- consultation. A representative of the scale farmers and on food standards, centrated in production cooperatives organization Alburnus Maior while the food processing industry, and corporate farms as a result of post- explained that when the financial traders and transnational communist land reforms. crisis hit Romania, the least affected companies are the ones that benefit. The Dialogue emphasized that the were those small scale family farmers They emphasized that in the end, roles played by family farmers and the who were not very dependent on inter- family farmers are the biggest inves- challenges they face are similar to national markets. He also spoke about tors in agriculture and food produc- those in the other regions in the world. the productivity potential of family tion, providing not only food, but also Among these challenges, and a farmers: “We can produce employment: “Programs on innovation concern for many participants in the food for the entire humanity if we are should not be run entirely through the Dialogue, are policies that favour allowed to do so. But we need secure private sector. Peasant family farmers larger and corporate farmers, often access to our land. In Rosia Montana, should be included in these programs, influenced by multinationals. A where I live, I felt what it means when because they are the real innovators. related obstacle for many family somebody comes to your territory to take One of the initiatives that is driven by farmers was quality and hygiene it for mining operations.” the private sector, Climate Smart Agri- standards. These are generally de- Other representatives shared con- culture, is not a solution. This very high signed for and cerns, especially those regarding access input agriculture is not efficient, makes not for the realities that family farmers to land, finance, inputs and natural farmers dependent and degradates face. Combined, the policies and the resources. These concerns are espe- water and soil. The real responses to the standards make it very difficult for cially cogent regarding young people. climate crisis and to food waste and small scale farmers to continue to In Europe, participants noted, only losses are in agroecological production, produce. This causes youth to leave seven percent of farmers are below 35 with high yields, vital rural communi- the rural areas and drives women out years. ties, biodiversity and healthy soils and of food production, after which corpo- The ‘so-called free trade agreements’ water.” rate farms, financed by foreign inves- were highlighted as a threat. The or- It was observed that the current cel- tors, take over the land. ganizations argued that the agree- ebration of the International Year of

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Europe and Central Asia 13 Good practices Participants at the Regional Dialogue agreed that family farming is rich in good practices and fulfils various functions. Numerous examples were shared of family farmers producing healthy food while re-using waste and maintaining biodiversity. Family farmers are, moreover, climate resilient, have good relations with the local community and generate rural employment. Cooperatives

Photo: Martina Thaler and other types of producer organizations were mentioned as a

Italy. successful means to strengthen the position of family farmers especially in relation to the market. It was, Family Farming contrasts directly with production of beans and potatoes however, noted that membership current trade policies. “Many of the suffer from severe soil degradation. control often diminishes with an current policies, including those pro- The regional conference empha- increase in cooperative size, and moted by the World Trade Organiza- sized the key responsibility of govern- that, in contrast to grassroots tion and adopted in free trade agree- ments in the achievement of national cooperatives, large cooperatives are ments, have led to the displacement of food security and nutrition. The often no longer under the control of peasant family farmers. There is a need region is making good progress in the producers. It was emphasized that for a political framework that allows fight against hunger, as the vast major- trust, willingness to cooperate and family farms to produce in a remunera- ity of countries have already achieved loyalty are central to cooperatives’ tive way and get fair prices for their rates of undernourishment below five success and that their development products”. percent. Insufficient calorie intake is requires the long-term commitment no longer the major problem in the of all partners, including family Regional Conference region, with almost all countries farmers, local communities, At the opening of the Regional Con- having reached the 2001 Millennium government and donors. ference, family farming was also pre- Development Goal hunger target. sented as unique and important. The However, there are other challenges in Participants at the civil society Austrian delegate pointed out that, the area such as malnutrition (includ- consultation highlighted the “Family farmers are a social and eco- ing obesity) and reducing food loss benefits of regional food systems nomic unit. Frequently, three genera- and waste. The conference discussed which require less fuel for transport, tions are living under one roof and the serious impact of food losses and and often lead to less food waste working together, unlike industrial type waste on hunger and malnutrition, because supply can respond better agriculture. Family farmers take respon- recognizing that reducing food losses to demand and the quality of sibility for their products, produce sus- and waste is closely linked to the Right produce is generally better. Here tainably, preserve cultural heritage and to Adequate Food for all people in the family farmers can have direct maintain landscapes.” The Swiss rep- world. It was stressed that the reduc- relation with consumers in short resentative stated that “family farming tion of food losses and waste should be chains, leading to them receiving is the backbone of our agriculture. All embedded in the broader concept of remunerative prices for their our agricultural policies are inspired by promoting sustainable food systems, products. Nutritional and health family farming and the diversification which encompasses food production benefits of regional food systems of farming”. Family farming is also a on the one hand, and diets and con- were also mentioned. In addition, dynamic sector in Belarus. The coun- sumption on the other. The reduction new ways for people to become try’s delegate shared that 2500 families of food losses and waste in regional, farmers were noted, including provide 60 percent of the country’s short chain food systems was empha- through the establishment of agrarian production, producing both sized. community farms or by buying land for markets and for themselves. But Other challenges noted were from outside the family. there were also concerns. Kyrgyzstan, strengthening sustainable family Government policies can help to for example, shared that its regions farming and small-scale production; support these processes. ☛ that are based on the monoculture and building resilience in the face of

14 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Europe and Central Asia ☛ Civil society organizations offered to contribute to strengthen- ing these new developments by circulating experiences and good practices around new ways to organize farm and food systems, by enabling the sharing of farmers’ knowledge and by offering their climate change. Referring to the They added that small and medium capacity to implement projects and alarming report of the Intergovern- scale family farmers need to be ex- to organize people. mental Panel on Climate Change, empted from policy measures that José Graziano da Silva, director of have been designed for larger farmers. At the regional conference, the FAO, said “We really need to step up They also emphasized the need for delegate from Tadzhikistan shared efforts to mitigate, to adapt and, most land-related regulations, such as a number of initiatives. “In the years importantly, to shift to more sustain- those covering the use of communal of our independence we have able food systems”. Mr Da Silva an- land and pastures, penalizing the developed a total of 150 nounced FAO’s first regional initiative ‘grabbing’ of land and water, and fa- organizations that enhance family in Europe for 2014-2015, which aims cilitating improved access to natural farming and we have increased to reduce rural poverty by supporting resources. production by over € 50 billion in family farmers and smallholders, by The importance of cooperatives and the past 50 years. About 25 percent focusing on sustainable production other types of producer organizations of our GDP comes from the technologies, land tenure, access to in providing a balance to the econom- agricultural sector and farming is a markets, and income diversification. ic and political power of other actors priority in our development policies.” FAO will also advise national govern- in the value chain was also noted. The The delegate from Kyrgyzstan ments on policies and strategies in Dialogue highlighted the particular shared the impact of their land favour of family farming and small- importance of these organizations in tenure reform, which established scale production. consolidating the voice of family 350,000 farms. Some of these farms In short, participants at the Regional farmers in the policy-making process. are governmental, some are owned Conference considered family farming Furthermore, the Dialogue recom- by stock companies, some are to be crucial for the sustainability of mended that education, training, in- owned by cooperatives, and many agriculture, for achieving food security formation, research and investments are owned by family farmers. and for the preservation of natural re- should be better directed at family sources and cultural heritage. The Conference agreed that the sustain- ability of family farming requires an enabling environment. Legal frame- works should provide much needed access to natural resources, in particu- lar land, seeds and water, and to finance. And supportive policies should also contribute to improve- ments in rural infrastructure and edu- Photo: FAO cation and encourage equal opportu- nities for men and women.

Policy recommendations Regional Dialogue National and regional authorities need to recognize the specific policy needs of family farmers and design policies that will protect them and increase their future sustainability, agreed the participants of the Regional Dialogue. and Central Asia Regional Conference. Europe

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Europe and Central Asia 15

curement from local family farms and Photo: Benito Zapata Benito Photo: other smallholders, and enhancing

support for local processing facilities.

Spain. Spain. Finally, the organizations stressed that the participation of youth and women in agriculture should be ment the Right to strengthened in all possible ways, as farmers, particularly women and Food guidelines and use them as a “the generation and gender gaps are the youth. For instance, public invest- baseline to assess the state of food in biggest threats to family farming.” ments should target rural infrastruc- the world. It was also recommended ture that makes it easy for (women) that the right of farmers to produce, Regional Conference farmers and their families to move into reproduce, exchange and sell their The Regional Conference reiterated new farming and non-farming activi- seeds, as stated in the International the importance of family farming from ties. Participants also felt that in order Treaty on Plant and Genetic Resourc- economic, socio-cultural and environ- to stimulate youth to become farmers, es for Food and Agriculture, be recog- mental perspectives. Strengthening of states should guarantee education, nized, because “Without land, water family farms was seen as a key part of access to land, seeds and financial and seeds, no peasant family farming is comprehensive approaches to revive support in the context of revitalized possible”. the rural sector and enhance food rural programmes. Civil society organizations also security and livelihoods. Civil society As many existing dialogue mecha- argued that trade agreements and organizations offered to contribute to nisms between farmers and policy policies should serve smallholders this process, using their relevant makers are weak, the Dialogue pro- and local populations or be reconsid- knowledge and their ability to organize posed permanent national civil society ered when they are harmful. Notably, farmers and the rural population. committees to support family farmers. concerns were expressed regarding the Various participants emphasized the transatlantic free trade agreement regional relevance of the Voluntary Civil society consultation between the EU and the USA (TTIP), Guidelines on Responsible Govern- At the civil society consultation, ten the Common Agricultural Policy and ance of Tenure of Land, Forestry and key recommendations were formu- the Stabilization and Association Fisheries, which countries have yet to lated to protect and support peasant Agreements. It was also argued that implement, and of the on-going family farmers, women and other agriculture should be excluded from process to develop Principles for Re- people working in rural areas. Sum- the World Trade Organization. As pro- sponsible Agricultural Investments. marising these ten points, Natalia posed by civil society, FAO should When discussing food waste, the con- Laiño of the World Forum of Fisher develop new rules for the trade of food ference requested that FAO take the People said: “We are not seeking subsi- and agricultural products that are in lead in sharing knowledge and best dies, we are seeking legislation that line with the obligations of states practices to reduce food losses and facilitates the lives of small scale under the Right to Food guidelines. waste, including at the small scale farmers and fisherfolk.” Policies should also promote local farm level in the region. Among the ten recommendations is production in short food supply Participants at the regional confer- the call for governments to guarantee chains that are accessible to all, in- ence noted that so far the commitment access to natural resources to peasants cluding the most vulnerable. This in- to family farming in the region has and other rural communities. In this cludes using public procurement to been mainly focused on awareness regard, the implementation of the Vol- make local purchases from smallhold- raising. In the words of the delegate untary Guidelines on Responsible ers. These systems currently lack from France: “It is now time to develop Governance of Tenure of Land, Fish- support and participants pointed at public policy to support the development eries and Forests was strongly recom- various ways to strengthen these of family farmers, and to remove con- mended. systems. Some examples: establishing straints, so they can step up productivity Participating organizations empha- points of distribution specifically for and create even more jobs in the rural sized was that it is now time to imple- small volumes, supporting public pro- areas, particularly for young people.” ■

16 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Europe and Central Asia Latin America and Caribbean

Regional Dialogue: Santiago de Chile, 30 and 31 October 2013 Civil society consultation: Santiago de Chile, 4 and 5 May 2014 Regional Conference: Santiago de Chile, 6-9 May 2014

Latin America and the Caribbean have made the greatest advances with regards to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. In this region, the contribution of family farming to development is increasingly being recognized, policies related to food and nutrition security are becoming more prevalent and independence

and equality for women in the fight Franco Castro Photo: Joseluis Alfredo against poverty is being promoted. On the continent, is deepening Peru. and social and environmental movements are gaining strength. And, the second Presidential Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States in January 2014 gave “the highest priority” to the development of agriculture including family and peasant farming. At the same time, many challenges remain including the persecution of farmer leaders, low participation of farmers in organizations, and policies that do not favour small scale producers. Building on successful rural development programmes and public procurement schemes were emphasized as important ways to reverse the situation, as well as policies in support of food sovereignty.

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Latin America and Caribbean 17 region. The countries in the Southern Hernan Vanegas Ochoa Hernan Vanegas Cone are the most advanced in this respect. Where family farming pro- grammes are in place however, they

Colombia. often emphasize increased production above connection to consumers and markets. At this moment, family Core trends in this has become even more urgent as farmers in the region are confronted family farming the region has been experiencing with high costs for their inputs and low changes in rainfall patterns and in prices for their products. However, it Regional Dialogue temperature, making family farmers was noted, future growth of the world’s At the Regional Dialogue, many even more vulnerable, especially the population will result in a rising shared the view that family farming is most marginalized farmers. They do demand for food – at least in the short not defined only by its agricultural not always have the resources to adapt term. This provides an excellent op- characteristics, but is rather a way of to this new scenario in a timely portunity to strengthen trade in and life that respects the environment, pro- manner, such as by using appropriate markets for the products of family tects biodiversity, conserves cultural irrigation technologies, developing farmers. However, participants cau- traditions and promotes rural develop- resilient varieties or adjusting their tioned that seizing that opportunity ment. harvest calendars. Others lack ade- requires programmes and instruments Family farmers currently produce up quate technical assistance to make the that are explicitly geared towards small to 70 percent of the basic food basket necessary changes. scale family farmers, otherwise it is of various countries in the region. Dia- Another factor that impedes family likely that only large scale farmers with logue participants emphasized that farmers from reaching their full poten- their greater resources will be able to family farming has the potential to tial is the low availability of adequate benefit from the new opportunity. increase food supply and improve the sources of financing. The credit in- Farmer organizations can enable living conditions of the most vulner- struments that do exist often use rules farmers to overcome some of these able rural people. Family farmers can and requirements that do not corre- challenges and to raise the political also contribute to employment, the spond with the reality of family profile of the sector. However, the par- conservation of natural resources and farmers. Loan guarantees, for example, ticipation of family farmers in rural biodiversity, the preservation of cul- are impossible to obtain for small scale organizations is low in most countries tural traditions, multi-ethnic diversity family farmers without assets. For of the region. It was observed that in and rural poverty eradication. But this women farmers access to credit is even great potential, as the Dialogue high- more difficult in most countries of the lighted, is not currently fully recog- region. This contributes to greater nized by society and in policy. poverty in households headed by For example, family farmers have women. Participants pointed to the limited access to land and water. need to analyze the causes underlying This was seen as a consequence of this inequality. highly concentrated land property pat- Since youth see limited opportuni- terns in many countries, and the use ties in agriculture, and policies so far of land and water for purposes other have not encouraged them to remain than agriculture. The increasingly low in rural areas, many young people quality and limited availability of soil migrate to urban areas in search of and water resources has undermined greater opportunities. the productive systems of family The Dialogue highlighted that farming and is alarming for the many public policies and institutions for Photo: Hélène Labrousse family farmers that do not have irriga- family farming have not developed at tion systems in place. In recent years, the same level in all countries of the Peru.

18 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Latin America and Caribbean some countries the persecution of

Photo: Claudia Calder farmer leaders has further weakened these organizations. The International Year of Family

Farming was considered by Dialogue Honduras. participants to be a unique opportunity to highlight family farmers’ important cution and murder of peasants, in- roles and make them a key pillar of digenous peoples and members of Good practices strategies to achieve food security and rural workers unions. REAF, the Specialized Meeting food sovereignty and to eradicate on Family Farming of hunger and malnutrition in the region. Regional Conference MERCOSUR countries and The region has made significant pro- associates, is a space for dialogue Civil society consultation gress towards achieving food security. between family farmers and the It is remarkable that despite the many At the same time, major challenges public sector. It emerged as difficulties family farmers face, includ- remain. Apart from climate change, governments recognized the ing little support from governments, forest loss was mentioned as a new risk political and socio-economic they have proven to be able to feed to food and livelihood security, as importance of family farming. two thirds of the world population, the forest resources play a key role in sus- REAF aims to develop adequate civil society organizations present at taining the livelihoods of family public policies for family farming the Consultation noted. Moreover, farmers, pastoralists and fisherfolk. and to promote trade in products these farmers maintain the diversity of At the Conference, Chile’s Minister produced by family farmers. ancient and traditional cultures and of Agriculture, Mr. Carlos Furche, Ultimately, this should reduce protect and conserve natural resources stressed that the meeting was an ex- market asymmetries and bring rural and biodiversity. According to the or- pression of his commitment to a type development to the region. ganizations, there is ample evidence of agricultural development that em- REAF has already achieved that the industrial model of food pro- phasizes peasant family farming. The considerable results in terms of duction and marketing with its large- delegate from Guyana pointed out institutional change based on scale monocultures of genetically that everyone is born with the right political dialogue and consensus. modified crops sustained by chemical to food, but that in today’s world this For example, criteria have been fertilizers and pesticides, has not only right is often denied. The delegate defined for family farming at the failed to resolve human poverty and added that the provision of food is a national level, a Family Farming hunger but has in fact deepened these responsibility that should be shared by Fund has been created, there are problems. all ministries, and that national, re- now guidelines for gender equality Participants highlighted family gional and global policies should be in public policies and a regional farmers’ great capacity for resistance harmonized to strengthen the fight gender programme, and there is and resilience, which enables them to against poverty. both a regional knowledge sharing generate healthy food for people every- Brazil’s institutional recognition of programme and a training where. They argued that the reason family farming was presented as an programme for rural youth. As that this food does not reach all people outcome of a political decision to quantitative information on family lies mainly in fact that the means of include trade unions and social move- farming in the region is scarce, production and distribution of food ments in policy making processes. As a REAF has also encouraged the is concentrated largely in the hands of result, family farming policies are de- establishment of National Registries the major agrochemical and biotech- veloped in direct relation with policies of Family Farming, which enables nology corporations. on other contemporary issues such as countries to measure the The civil society organizations also climate change, housing and econom- contribution of family farming and stressed that in many countries there ic development. Such integrated, provides key information for new are high rates of violence against cross-sectoral policies must have a policies and programmes. REAF ☛ women in rural areas, as well as perse- special focus on land reform and be

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Latin America and Caribbean 19 ☛ expressed its commitment to promote South-South cooperation, share experiences, and expand the process of integration between family farmers. The Dialogue recommended that countries explore the feasibility of replicating the REAF methodology in other tees can be covered sub-regions.

Photo: Andrés Lofiego Andrés Photo: through the imple- Public procurement systems for mentation of Guar- family farming products are in antee Funds, which place in various countries in the

have been used in region, Brazil’s being the most ad-

Argentina. Southern Cone vanced. These systems facilitate the countries. participation of family farmers in a Improving access market with fair prices, while pro- developed with the participa- to land and water should be prioritized moting access to food for vulner- tion of many actors. It was agreed that through special programmes which able people and stimulating local the public purchasing programmes include land use and water manage- development. A decade ago Brazil developed in Brazil, where products ment plans. These should be comple- implemented an exemplary system are purchased from family farmers and mented by programmes for farmer-led that has three components: the links are promoted between local pro- experimentation and the use of new Food Purchase Programme ducers and consumers in local water harvesting and soil conservation (PAA),the National School Feeding markets, are a successful means to practices. Education should also be Programme (PNAE) and Institu- strengthen the food security of family strengthened, especially regarding tional Purchases for municipalities, farmers and other citizens. such sustainable production prac- states and the federal government. tices. Re-directing public spending to In order to create awareness of the local producers has achieved Policy benefits of family farming in society, notable results, including access to recommendations the Dialogue recommended that gov- more nutritious and diverse diets, ernments develop communication better prices for family farmers, re- Regional Dialogue strategies to provide information on vitalized local cultures and knowl- There was agreement at the Dialogue their socio-economic and productive edge and more financial security that the priority for countries should contributions, especially emphasizing for farmers, enabling them to make be the creation of a new generation of the contribution of women, youth and investments and grow. public policies that form a strong insti- indigenous communities. One specific Argentina has replicated this tutional framework to develop family suggestion was that countries establish initiative at the provincial level, farming. Where policies and institu- a national Day of the Family Farmer, while Uruguay and Bolivia are tions exist that support family farming, which may help to highlight the place studying the feasibility of they should be evaluated in terms of of family farming in each country. implementing similar systems. their impact. The International Year of It was also recommended that coun- There are still multiple challenges Family Farming constitutes a historic tries build on successful initiatives in the system, for example in the opportunity for countries to imple- that are already in place in the region, areas of food safety, farmers’ ment such policies, said participants, such as family farming registries, cross- cooperatives and diversification of many of which can be taken up in the sectoral rural development pro- production. Some of these may be short term. grammes and public purchasing pro- addressed through coordinated Budgets should be increased to grammes (see Good practices). If they actions, exchange of experiences develop programmes and policies that use a harmonized methodology, coun- and joint proposals by countries in respond to the needs of farmers in re- tries can compare information, and the region. lation to technical assistance, research better evaluate the impacts of public Rural development programmes and credit. It was repeatedly observed policies on family farming. This will that are developed and that financing instruments are re- require not only solid data, but also implemented across sectors can quired to meet the specific needs of relevant, reliable and measurable per- ensure a systemic view on rural family farming, with regulations that formance indicators that are devel- development and family farming. facilitate their use by the farmers who oped in an inclusive way. Focusing resources and actions ☛ need them. For example, loan guaran- Generally, it was felt that the par-

20 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Latin America and Caribbean Photo: FAO Latin America and Caribbean Regional Conference.

ticipation of farmers in the formula- The advantages when farmers work tion of policies and programmes im- together to decrease costs and access ☛ where they are needed benefits proves their effectiveness. This can, for to markets are evident. Therefore, the farmers and their families more example, be achieved through Perma- Dialogue recommends that govern- efficiently. In this context, the nent Working Groups for policy devel- ments promote the creation of family education of farmers deserves opment and research that include farming organizations, noting that they special attention because it can both governments and farmers. should not be imposed from above but generate synergies and encourage Strong recommendations were come from the farmers themselves. an integral approach. Two made to develop specific policies to Key incentives for the development initiatives were highlighted at the support rural women and youth. of rural organizations are education Dialogue: Mexico’s Integrated These should take into account and training programmes for rural Rural Development Program, women’s combined tasks of farming leaders and support for the exchange which coordinates support for and domestic activities. Regarding of experiences between farming or- family farming across 16 ministries, youth, a holistic view of their needs is ganisations. and Ecuador’s Good Rural Living required, including offering work and Governments should also strength- Plan, an inter-ministerial living conditions that are better than en family farmers’ access to markets programme that supports family those currently available in many rural and ensure fair prices, and the Dia- farmers. In another example, the areas. Positive discrimination must be logue suggests various ways to do so: government of Nicaragua, a put in place for both women and promoting local markets, public pur- country with an alarming context of youth, especially regarding access to chases from family farmers, collective almost 25 percent of people living land and capital. The implementation marketing and improved storage and in extreme poverty, focuses on the of the Voluntary Guidelines on Re- transport logistics. It was suggested that holistic development of small and sponsible Governance for Land the value of family farming products medium scale producers through Tenure, Fisheries and Forests were can be heightened by establishing comprehensive policies and mentioned as a valuable tool to rules of origin, or creating specific programmes that involve people at promote this process. family farming labels. all levels from the community to It was emphasized that all pro-family the country. And Guatemala farming policies must be developed launched the National Policy on and implemented in a cross-sectoral Integrated Rural Development, manner, in other words through col- which brings together a number of laboration with non-agricultural sectoral policies in an effort to sectors such as housing and education, strengthen family farming. which will enhance their impact in FAO’s Regional Initiatives in the the field. This can be done for region were also mentioned as good example through rural development examples of ways family farming programmes (see Good practices). can be supported. The initiatives Finally, the Dialogue recommended are: Support to a Hunger Free a broad platform for dialogue and Latin America and Caribbean, exchange of experiences on family Family Farming and Rural Photo: Natalia Virginia Lozano Broncales Photo: Natalia Virginia farming. A Regional Committee could Territorial Development and be created as an international platform Improving National and Regional Peru. for the development of family farming Food and Feed systems in the in order to promote the creation of Caribbean. policies conducive to the consolida-

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Latin America and Caribbean 21 Photo: Carlos Lebrato Uruguay.

tion of the sector. Various institutions the promotion of food sovereignty. Conference is a huge regional commit- have offered to contribute to this Furthermore, addressing the climate ment to food security at the level of gov- effort. crisis implies a move away from a sec- ernments, civil society and the private toral approach towards a territorial sector, which has been turned into a Civil society consultation approach. Recommended actions concrete agenda of actions to eradicate FAO must prioritize the promotion include restoring degraded ecosys- hunger”, said FAO Director-General, and implementation of public poli- tems, promoting native seeds for the José Graziano da Silva. The impor- cies that strengthen food sovereignty benefit of farmers, pastoralists and fish- tance of including forest producers as a key way to eradicate hunger, the erfolk and valuing community knowl- in the development of policies and civil society organizations stated. They edge. national development programmes also recommended that governments The organizations recommend that was specifically noted. recognize and demarcate indigenous agroecological production be pro- The regional conference further territories, where indigenous people moted and supported through specific agreed that small scale family farmers, can develop their livelihoods. The im- policies, especially in the transition especially women, youth and indig- portance of guaranteeing the human, phase, recognizing the potential of enous people, should have access to economic, social and cultural rights of agroecology for mitigating and adapt- production factors such as land and small scale family farmers and food ing to climate change. Emphasis was water. Again, it was agreed that access workers by respecting national laws also put on the need to implement to land can be best guaranteed and international commitments, and policies and programs that support the through the implementation of the implementing campaigns against slave development of food processing on a Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsi- labour and violence in rural areas was small scale, and the marketing of food ble Governance of Tenure of Land, emphasized. A specific call was made directly between producer and con- Fisheries and Forests. for governments to renew their com- sumer. This should take place in the Public purchasing from family mitment to implementation of the ten framework of agroecology and social farms and rural producers was high- year old Guidelines on the Right to solidarity economies and would lighted during the conference as a very Food. include the promotion of the nutri- effective way to enhance food security, In order to stop migration to urban tional benefits of products of artisanal as proven in Brazil’s experience. The areas, participating organizations and smallholder family farmers. As conference recommended more ex- called upon governments to imple- civil society stated, “The IYFF should change of such best practices and of ment comprehensive agrarian reform be the beginning of a longer process other types of knowledge and experi- for land development and public poli- that ... strengthens non-patriarchal, ences related to family farming. cies for men and women to gain indigenous and peasant family farming Finally, participants expressed, FAO access to land, water and irrigation, from an agroecological perspective. We should not only cooperate with govern- infrastructure, education, health and are part of the solution.” ments but also promote a broad and marketing . Public policies for young dynamic debate that involves civil people should be formulated and im- Regional Conference society and academia in analyzing the plemented to ensure their right to live It was agreed at the regional confer- concept of food sovereignty, as its their lives in their own territory. ence that in order to strengthen family meaning has not yet been agreed by As women farmers possess specific farmers, national frameworks are governments or the United Nations capacities and knowledge, the civil needed for policies and strategies to system. Such a process should take society organizations called for region- secure food security, protect natural account of recent experiences, includ- al programmes and policies that resources, reduce risks and improve ing discussions held during the adop- enable women to use their skills for rural people’s resilience to climate tion of the Strategic Framework of the example in the marketing of food and change. “What we have seen in this Committee on World Food Security. ■

22 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Latin America and Caribbean Near East and North Africa

Regional Dialogue on Family Farming: Tunis, 21 and 22 November 2013 Regional Conference: Rome, 24 – 28 February 2014

Forty percent of the region’s population Core trends in lives and works in rural areas and nearly 85 family farming percent of agricultural land holdings are Regional Dialogue The Dialogue defined family farming farmed by families. However, agriculture as a type of agricultural production only represents 5.5 percent of regional Gross system that is managed by one or more members of a family, and is primarily Domestic Product. The reason is that oil reliant on non-wage family labour. and gas production makes up a major part Family farming, including agricul- tural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral and of the region’s income. Just looking at GDP aquaculture activities, is often charac- therefore does not do justice to agriculture’s terized by multifunctionality as the family tries to diversify its income and important contribution to employment and protect itself from external shocks. food and nutrition security in the region. Family farmers in the region are often, but not necessarily always, small-hold- Insecure land tenure, violent conflicts, water ers, while nearly all small-holders tend scarcity and the impacts of climate change to be family farmers. The average size of a family farm in the region is less are some of the contextual elements that than two hectares and this is steadily make life very hard for family farmers. Key decreasing as a result of population growth and the division of farms on recommendations include the provision . of land titles, greater autonomy for farmer Despite being large in number, family farms control only 25 percent of organizations and more inclusive policy arable land, while 75 percent is in the making processes. hands of corporate-type agriculture. Participants in the Dialogue expressed concern that governments in the region have neglected family farming and have focused on the development

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Near East and North Africa 23 Good practices Various good practices were mentioned during the Regional

Photo: Amin Allahabi Amin Photo: Dialogue. Several of these were in

the area of credit and finance. The

Yemen. Micro Finance Development Facility of Sudan has supported the creation of 16 new micro finance institutions and has reached nearly half a million beneficiaries. About of large-scale agriculture. Examples The Dialogue also discussed the 80 percent of funding under this were mentioned of projects that aim to special role of women and youth in programme is directed to build canals of over 100 km and irri- family farming. Between 25 and 40 agriculture activities, notably small gate hundreds of thousands of hectares percent of the labour on family farms investments by family farmers. It in the region. Some participants is provided by women and, as partici- gives special preference to women argued that those large scale projects pants in the Dialogue pointed out, and youth. In another example, often have dubious economic, social their role is increasing, because rising Lebanon’s ‘Disaster Fund for and environmental impacts while not numbers of male family members are Agriculture’ provides financial benefitting small scale family farmers. migrating to oil-rich countries and to compensation to farmers suffering Various constraints to family farming cities in order to earn a better living from bad weather conditions and were mentioned. Dialogue participants and send remittances to their families natural disasters. Half of the agreed that access to financeand in- back on the farm. Women, however, resources for this Fund are vestment resources is one of the most suffer even more than men from lack provided by the government and important challenges in the region. of access to land, credit and technol- the other half by the farmers Existing financial institutions, credit ogy. They generally represent less than themselves. Algeria’s Plan for instruments and bank procedures are five percent of landholders in the Agriculture and Rural Renewal also ill-adapted to the needs of family region. Land fragmentation, which is introduces an insurance scheme to farmers, they say, and many banks con- widespread in the region, poses a protect farmers from the impact of sider agriculture to be too risky. special problem for women, who are natural shocks that affect output. In Access to land was mentioned as hampered by social norms from addition, it provides family farmers another important challenge for moving between plots. In addition, with interest free crop financing, family farmers. Many family farmers women have even greater difficulties and reinforces the system of leasing in the region do not have a title to than men in obtaining rural credit, in order to facilitate purchase of their very small holdings. And in some which often require literacy and a hus- farm machinery and equipment. countries, land continues to be legally band’s agreement, which is in many Responding to the issue of access owned by the state, and farmers are cases impossible for women to get. to land, Kuwait offers family considered as tenants, although they Youth unemployment is another farmers 20 year leases to land. The often lack a legal document proving major challenge facing the region leases are renewable provided the this relationship. This makes it diffi- today, with rates of around 25 percent. family continues to farm the land. cult for family farmers to obtain credit, Participants in the Dialogue pointed The leases can also be used to while uncertainty about their owner- out that youth are increasingly losing obtain finance, and they are ship of land also discourages them interest in agriculture and are looking inherited by the farmer’s children. from investing. Inheritance laws that for jobs in urban areas. They noted And in the area of international divide land among children and the that this is putting pressure on urban trade, Egypt shared several absence of well-functioning land infrastructure and is depriving rural innovative aspects of its West markets that allow consolidation com- areas and family farms of important Noubaria rural development plicate access to land in the region labour resources that are generally project, including arrangements ☛ even further. more educated and dynamic.

24 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Near East and North Africa Photo: Salah Ahmed Ali Almashraqi Yemen.

Participants stated that family Regional Conference ☛ between Egyptian family farmers in the region tend to retain a The Regional Conference noted the farmers producing organic potatoes very small share of value added from high number of chronically under- and an Italian trading company, their products, partly as a result of poor nourished people in the Region, esti- which links the farmers to new marketing. They also expressed mated at 79.4 million in 2010-13, or markets and better prices. concern that many extension workers 11.2 percent of the population. At the Another international effort, a are underfunded and often not trained same time, they observed, obesity is successful knowledge and advocacy to communicate with family farmers, estimated at one quarter of the total initiative across countries, was making them ineffective. Most exten- population. They recognized the criti- shared by the Union of and sion programmes lack qualified per- cal importance of agricultural water Goat Growers Associations in the sonnel, have limited capacity, or do management for sustainable develop- Maghreb (UMOAC). This Union not take women’s cultural and time ment in the region. was created in 2011, with support constraints into account. The delegates also noted that con- from FAO by growers associations The region is heavily affected by flicts and civil insecurity are major in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and climate change and this is likely to driving factors for major and increas- Mauritania. Its over-arching continue. Higher temperatures, less ing food insecurity in the region. objective is to set up a regional rainfall and increased land salinity are professional framework for sheep expected in a region that is already and goat growers’ organizations so as very hot and arid and where per capita Policy to contribute to the development of water availability is the lowest in the recommendations the subsector in the countries of the world. The Dialogue expressed Maghreb. It facilitates knowledge concern over the future of family Regional Dialogue sharing across the sub-region, and farmers in this scenario. Participants in the Dialogue called for works to elaborate joint strategies The region is further characterized various reforms in finance to support and programmes as well as joint by a multiplicity of weak producer family farmers. They recommended coordination mechanisms among its organizations that are highly depend- the creation of new institutions or the member organizations. UMOAC ent and under the authority of govern- reinforcement of existing ones and also operates as an advocacy group ments, which restricts their autonomy simplification of lending procedures to to defend the interests of its and ability to support family farmers. It adapt them to the realities of family membership. As a union of several was also noted that many producer farmers. Other suggestions included national producer organizations it organizations in the region suffer from the establishment of government lines has more political weight than any inadequate human, financial and ma- of credit to encourage banks to lend to of its individual members and terial resources which severely limits family farmers, developing insurance hence can be a more effective their ability to participate in agricul- and guarantee facilities to reduce the interlocutor with governments. tural and rural development. risk of lending to agriculture, and en-

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Near East and North Africa 25 Photo: FAO

governments to develop coherent policy frameworks for food security

Near East and North Africa Regional Conference. and nutrition at the national and re- gional levels. They expressed their support for the Regional Initiative on couraging the development and farm- ernments promote family farmers’ ‘Building resilience for improved food er-centred financial institutions in products by establishing special labels security and nutrition’ as a vehicle to which farmers have a stake. They also and developing information cam- promote food security and nutrition in argued for increased public invest- paigns to emphasize the benefits of the region, and called on FAO and ment in rural areas to build the social consuming local products. member nations to mobilize extra- and physical infrastructure necessary Dialogue participants called upon budgetary funding for this purpose. for the development of family farming. governments to support producer or- They also requested that member To ensure secure access and control ganizations, cooperatives and other nations collect, analyze and dissemi- over land, Dialogue participants also civil society organizations working nate statistics about the situation of recommended that governments facili- with family farmers, and to ensure women in the agriculture and rural tate land titling for farmers, and in their political and financial independ- sector, and requested FAO to provide some cases distribute public and col- ence. Producer organizations and co- technical support for this effort. Simi- lective land to small family farmers. operatives can play an important role larly, they requested FAO to undertake Further, in order to protect the rights in strengthening the governance an assessment of institutional capaci- of small tenants, laws and regulations system of the agriculture sector, in- ties in the region to respond to climate have to be changed. creasing productivity, enhancing change and its impact on agriculture To support women farmers, the Dia- family farmers’ access to technology, and food security, and to establish a logue recommended the revision of inputs and markets. Producer organi- mechanism for promoting collabora- existing laws concerning access to land zations could also facilitate the ex- tion in this area. This mechanism and credit, and the adaption of exten- change of experience and know-how should include provisions for combat- sion services to the realities of women between farmers and ensure that ing drought and desertification. farmers. To attract more youth to farmers’ voices are heard in policy dis- Generally, the regional conference farming, they argued for greater avail- cussions. Supporting these organiza- appreciated the efforts made by FAO ability of adequate services and job tions requires legal and policy to promote family farming and noted opportunities, as well as privileged changes that provide more autonomy the recommendations to support access to land, credit and knowledge. to civil society organizations, moves family farming as developed at the re- The Dialogue concluded that there is them out of governments’ gional dialogue. ■ a need to consider innovative types of control, and provides them research and extension that put with greater financial and farmers at the centre instead of at the operational freedom. end. This is particularly needed to Finally, participants rec- help family farmers adapt to the ommended the creation of impact of climate change. While national committees/plat- many farmers are already employing forms for family farming, new strategies, for example by adjust- which would allow different ing planting times, research and exten- actors to discuss and agree sion can be helpful in strengthening upon public policies and these strategies, such as by informing programmes to support farmers about new cropping patterns family farmers. and jointly develop ways to efficiently use limited water resources. Regional Conference Photo: Issam Zerrok Regarding marketing of products, Delegates to the regional the Dialogue recommended that gov- conference encouraged

Morocco.

26 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Near East and North Africa North America Regional Dialogue on Family Farming: Québec City, 7 and 8 February 2014

In the North America region, which includes the Core trends in US, Canada and Mexico, a Regional Dialogue family farming highlighted how the countryside is being emptied According to socio-economist Jean- Michel Sourisseau, in his address at and that food products are generally sold at the Regional Dialogue, we can speak the lowest price. This situation needs to be of family farming in cases where the farming operation cannot be disassoci- reversed, the Dialogue said, and called for new ated from the family, with both entities trade policies and better access to finance and organically connected to each other. He also identified specific characteris- farmland. tics that can be used to place a farming system in the spectrum of family farmers towards industrial farming, which include the source of the permanent labour on the farm; the source of capital; the ultimate destina- tion of its production; the landholding status and the farm’s legal status. The Dialogue also highlighted that com- pared to large corporations dependent on fossil fuels, family farms are very flexible and therefore much better able to adapt to climate change. Farms are disappearing rapidly in the region. According to Sourisseau,

Photo: Evan Wiens the dominant North American pro- duction model, based on capital and

USA. technology, is reducing the number of farmers and emptying the countryside. The number of farms has decreased by 10 percent between the last two cen- suses, both in the United States and Canada. This makes it all the more urgent to promote farming among young people, who don’t have the same relationship to farm work and want to enjoy free time and modern life, as Dialogue participants noted. Photo: Marina Belloc Various other challenges to family farming were raised. One of these is USA. that we need to move away from the

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | North America 27 Good practices Sanders Farm, located near the Québec-Vermont border, sells 90% of its output to the United States through the Deep Root Organic Coop. The cooperative sells the products of some fifteen producers. Trucks come to the farm from New York and Boston to collect pallets of vegetables every week. The farm has a number of cold rooms to store its Photo: Alain Soloro products. With its 2013-2018 National Mexico. Development Plan, the Mexican government allocates budgets and puts emphasis on supporting the 5.4 million small farmers spread over 52 widespread practice of selling food tions that ensure its percent of its territory and producing products at the lowest price, which survival. According to Martin Caron, 28 percent of the country’s farm and impoverishes family farmers and does the vice president of the Union des fishing output. The plan emphasizes not reflect the value of their work, Producteurs Agricoles in Québec, the education and an agrifood and knowledge and competence. In addi- family farm is there to stay as long as fisheries system that guarantees the tion, cumbersome, complex and its owners maintain strong farm or- country’s food security. Farm often contradictory regulations are ganizations, unions or cooperatives. productivity is increased by making difficult for average-size family farms These are needed in order to adopt a use of the human capital and its to comply with. Finally, a number of collective vision and to influence the natural resources in a sustainable participants consider themselves ex- development of the family farms. He way. This is accompanied by cluded from food procurement deci- also suggests innovative fiscal practices technical assistance around efficient sions, especially by the large super- that do not penalize producers who water management and soil conser- market chains, who seem to disregard retire and that facilitate the transfer of vation, and cooperative networking the potential and possibilities of local farms to the next generation. for better marketing connections. food products. Participants to the Dialogue devel- Unlike many other American It was mentioned that consumers oped a set of recommendations. First states, Minnesota still has a will decide the future of the family off, they call for the promotion of a Corporate Farm Law in force, which farm, but that they often have a mis- new generation of young farmers. keeps ownership of farmland in the guided image of farming. This could They also emphasized the need for hands of family farms and avoids their be explained by the fact that in the better access to financing, farmland being bought out by large companies. United States, consumers and urban and knowledge and called for policies The province of Newfoundland also decision-makers have been cut off focused on the recognition of the mul- limits land purchases by from their rural roots for six genera- tiple functions of family farming for multinationals while Québec has a tions. And finally, the phenomenon of the benefit of society as a whole. law governing the acquisition of land grab was raised. Farmland is Trade policies specifically need to be farmland by non-residents, impeding being purchased by investment funds, changed to ensure a fairer price for purchase by speculators. Certain multinational seed companies, farm farmers, the organizations say. Reform municipal authorities in Québec also machinery companies, banks, etc. of the cheap food policy is needed to promote the development of This changes land-use and the look of address climatic and social realities agriculture by leasing municipal land the countryside and poses serious risks and promote a policy of food sover- to young farmers, in order to to rural communities. eignty. They recommended that revitalize the community. farmers, through their organizations, Finally, supply management is a be in the driver’s seat when these poli- central element of Canadian policy. Policy cies are developed. In addition, they It is based on three pillars: import recommendations said that it is necessary to adopt social controls, production controls and policies given the fact that some price controls. The experience shows To properly formulate public policies people simply do not have access to that this helps to attract young designed to support family farming, quality food. “Family farming is an producers. said Dialogue participants, it will be element of the solution, but it cannot necessary to create favourable condi- be the only one”. ■

28 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | North America Conclusion

Throughout this International Year of gaining access to land and other re- their great potential to provide food Family Farming, the importance of sources, including genetic ones espe- security, build climate resilience, family farming from an economic, cially when they have to confront manage biodiversity and sustain re- socio-cultural and environmental per- climate change. These problems have gional economies. This requires a spective was reiterated. Regional con- different local and regional expres- stronger family farming sector that texts and policy environments differ, sions, but the underlying causes are engages men, women, youth and but they also exhibit many similarities, global in nature. Effective responses future generations effectively and sus- and strikingly so. In all regions of the must be developed and applied at all tainably. Recommendations for policy world, family farmers are the leading levels. change proposed by governments, civil producers of food, though public poli- This much has become clear in the society, academics and other actors are cies do not reflect this and are gener- International Year of Family Farming strikingly similar across regions, and ally not geared towards supporting – it is crucial that an enabling policy key, common building blocks are them. Family farmers and their organi- environment be created in which highlighted below. zations are often excluded from deci- family farmers can thrive. And this is sion making processes. This poses important not just for farming com- serious challenges to family farmers, munities, but for society as a whole. Cross-sectoral and women and youth in particular, in Pro-family farming policies will unlock approaches Delegates at the various events ac- knowledged that discussions on farming should include more than just the agriculture and natural resources sectors. They should also address ur- banization, rural infrastructure, tradi- tional and indigenous knowledge and culture, education and support ser- Photo: Edward Echwalu Edward Photo: vices, and youth development. It was

therefore emphasized that all pro-fam-

Uganda. ily farming policies must be developed and implemented in a cross-sectoral, territorial manner, for example through integrated rural development programmes. This is especially perti- nent in the context of climate change. Agroecological, integrated and diversi- fied practices should be promoted, that protect and use local and indig- enous knowledge and provide the basis for climate resilience and support is needed, especially in the transition phase. Education should also be strengthened, notably on these sustainable production practices. Rec- ognizing the multifunctionality of family farmers, the importance of ex- panding income opportunities in rural areas was also emphasized, including non-farm income such as agri-tourism.

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Conclusion 29 Photo: Danilo O. Victoriano

markets, public purchases from family

Philippines. farmers, collective marketing and im- proved storage and transport logistics. Promoting public purchasing from Agrarian reform also recommended that the right of family farms and rural producers was farmers to produce, reproduce, ex- highlighted as a very effective way to Repeated calls were made for genuine change and sell their seeds be guaran- enhance food security. It was suggested agrarian, aquatic, forestry and pastoral teed, because “Without land, water that the value of family farming prod- reform. Such reforms must incorpo- and seeds, no peasant family farming is ucts can be heightened by establishing rate the right and fair and equitable possible”. Safeguards should be put in rules of origin, or creating specific access to land, water, seeds, infrastruc- place to ensure that forest and grass- family farming labels. Governments ture, education, health and markets, land restoration not only enhances should develop communication strate- including for women. This would also biodiversity, but also respects the rights gies to provide information on the socio- help to curb migration to urban areas. and interests of local people. Land economic and productive contributions Small scale family farmers need to be grabbing was condemned, and there of family farmers and the nutritional exempted from policy measures that was a call for a moratorium on indus- and health value of their products. have been designed for larger farmers. trial agro-fuel production. Overwhelm- A call was made for FAO to ensure ing support was expressed in all that the Principles for Responsible regions for governments to implement Access to credit Agricultural Investment include the the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsi- and finance central role of small scale producers ble Governance of Tenure of Land, and as primary agricultural investors in Fisheries and Forests, and for FAO to Improving the access of family farmers food production, and that the princi- support this process. This was consid- to reliable and stable financing ples protect their rights. Furthermore, ered the most effective means to guar- through instruments that respond to the right to food sovereignty should be antee access to natural resources for their needs and realities was recom- promoted as a way to strengthen family small scale family farmers. mended in all regions. Various con- farmers, achieve food security and crete proposals were made, such as eradicate hunger and poverty. It was simplified lending procedures, the suggested that FAO promote a broad, Improving trade establishment of governmental lines of inclusive and dynamic analysis of the and building credit, insurance and guarantee facili- concept of food sovereignty. ties to reduce the risk of lending to markets agriculture, and the development of Trade agreements and trade policies farmer-centred financial institutions in Access to natural should be reformed, so that they better which farmers have a stake. resources and serve the needs of smallholder family farmers, starting with reconsidering implementation those that are harmful. Guaranteeing of the Voluntary the human, economic, social and cul- Guidelines tural rights of small scale family farmers and food workers by respecting national Improving access to land and water laws and international commitments should be prioritized through special was emphasized. A specific call was programmes that include land use and made for governments to implement water management plans. These the ten year old Guidelines on the should be complemented by pro- Right to Food. Governments should grammes for farmer-led experimenta- also strengthen family farmers’ access to tion and the use of water harvesting markets and ensure fair prices, for and soil conservation practices. It was example through the promotion of local

30 Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Conclusion Gender equity Specific programmes are needed to empower women farmers. This can be done by facilitating the participation of women in decision making and in flex-

PPhoto: Mahmoud Illean ible, efficient and fair rural labour markets. Positive discrimination must be put in place for women, especially regarding access to natural resources Palestine. and capital. The implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines on Responsi- ble Governance for Land Tenure, Fish- provide them eries and Forests was mentioned as a with greater financial and opera- valuable tool to promote this process. tional freedom. Key incentives for the farming.” It was recommended that development of rural organizations are vocational training be geared more education and training programmes towards agriculture and rural youth Stronger farmer for rural leaders, and support for the entrepreneurship. Policies must organizations exchange of experiences between support the increase of youth access to farming organizations. Women’s active productive resources, especially land The importance of producer organiza- involvement in producer organisations and finance. A holistic view of young tions in balancing the economic and is crucial. It was also recommended people’s needs is required, and effec- political power of other actors and in that FAO and IFAD encourage gov- tive policies have to ensure the right of consolidating the voice of family ernments to include more farmer or- young people to live their lives in their farmers in policy-making processes ganizations in more inclusive dialogue own territory. was highlighted. Producers need to and decision making processes. organize themselves to help them- selves. Emphasis was placed on capac- … and after the ity building programmes that are Farmer-led International ‘family farmer-centred, owned and led’, research and and on issues such as climate change Year of Family adaptation, value addition and policy extension Farming? dialogue. Legal and policy changes are The need to develop innovative types needed that move such organizations of research and extension that put In all regions and by all actors, the out of government control, and farmers at the centre was expressed. need was expressed for a long-term This is particularly relevant as family strategy to support family farmers. farmers are actively adapting to the An annual Day of the Family Farmer impact of climate change on their and an International Decade of own. Whereas many farmers are Family Farming were both suggested. already employing new strategies, re- Permanent national or regional com- search and extension can be helpful in mittees should continue the dialogue strengthening these strategies. and build on the recommendations of the IYFF. As farmer organizations from Latin America stated, “the Photo: Claudia Xavier Kau Attracting youth IYFF should be the beginning of a The participation of youth in agricul- longer process that strengthens non-

Brazil. ture should be enhanced in all possi- patriarchal, indigenous and peasant ble ways, as “generation and gender family farming. We are part of the gaps are the biggest threats to family solution”. ■

Towards stronger family farms. Voices in the IYFF | Conclusion 31 “We want to uplift the conditions of family “To produce food for the world, for farmers so that they can humanity, is one of the have real dignity and Towards stronger noblest occupations. be proud to be family An international year farmers… and that the dedicated to family young generation will FAMILY farmers profoundly continue to go to family honours our work.” farming, and thereby FARMS - Francisca Rodriguez of CLOC - La Via Campesina in a video produced by FAO. reduce poverty and increase food security and nutrition.” - Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association, FAO Special Ambassador for the International Year of Family Farming at the Asia Pacific Regional Dialogue, page 9.

“Africa can feed itself because we have enough arable land and fresh water. What is lacking is the commitment of our governments to work hand-in-hand with all stakeholders. The voices of food producers are crucial.”

– Elisabeth Atangana of the Pan African Farmers Organization at the Africa civil society consultation, page 5.

“We are not seeking subsidies, we are seeking legislation that facilitates the lives of small scale farmers and fisherfolk.” - Natalia Laiño of the World Forum of Fisher People at the Europe and Central Asia civil society consultation, page 16. I4171E/1/10.14

Voices in the International Year of Family Farming