FAO Looks Beyond International Year of Family Farming, Galvanizes Global Support
ROME - 
(NewMediaWire) - October 28, 2014 - How can governments,
farmers' organizations and the private sector seize current global momentum and
galvanize concrete action in support of family farmers beyond 2014? This is the
central question at the two-day Global Dialogue on Family Farming (GDFF),
opened at FAO headquarters today.
In his opening remarks, FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva addressed farmers and their organizations directly, stating that "Today, you are recognized as central to what FAO does, to what the world wants and to what the world needs: a sustainable and food secure future."
The Global Dialogue capitalizes on the mobilisation that has taken place as a result of United Nations General Assembly designating 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF), setting off a series of regional and country initiatives to support this sector that produces 80 percent of food worldwide.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #IYFF14
"Perhaps the greatest success of the International Year is the strong political commitment we achieved," said Graziano da Silva. "This can be seen, for example, in the attention that family farming is receiving in the post-2015 development agenda."
The FAO Director-General stressed the need to look beyond production and acknowledge family farms as transmitters of knowledge and central allies in providing healthier diets, including through strong local food systems that link farms to schools and communities.
Talking about the paradox facing family farmers worldwide, Graziano da Silva highlighted the widespread food insecurity that still haunts many rural areas – the same areas that serve as the breadbaskets for their communities and the world at large.
Recognizing clear advantages
As the international year of family farming draws to a close, the Global Dialogue is bringing together family farmers and their organizations, government representatives, civil society, private sector, academia and development agencies to take stock of progress thus far and identify key areas of work and international collaboration related to family farming beyond 2014.
"Acknowledging their clear advantage, small scale family farmers should be provided with an enabling policy environment to contribute to local and global food security objectives," said Hungarian Minister of Agriculture Sándor Fazekas, who outlined Hungary's efforts to make rural lifestyles more attractive, including improving rural infrastructure, facilitating access to credit and supporting agro-tourism and organic farming.
Fazekas, who called family farming "a model that meets all requirements of sustainability" and "the backbone of Hungarian agriculture," highlighted the economic, cultural and environmental dimension of family farms, crediting them for creating unique employment opportunities in rural areas and preserving traditions and natural resources.
"In addition to economic viability, family farmers are the guardians of environmental sustainability – they use and manage environmental resources, land and water, in a responsible way, keeping their lands fertile for future generations."
The Global Dialogue on Family Farming follows two weeks after governments agreed on a 60-point Framework of Action on Nutrition that's expected to be adopted at the upcoming Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) held November 19-21 in Rome.
Family farms have been acknowledged as a key link in the effort to building nutritious food systems that allow all people to lead healthy productive lives, as well as a cornerstone in the global fight against poverty.
The Global Dialogue on Family Farming can be followed via FAO webcast and on twitter under the hashtag #IYFF14
The closing of the International Year of Family Farming will take place on 27 November in The Philippines.
VIDEO:
Family farmers, feeding the world, caring for the earth
PHOTO GALLERY:
http://www.fao.org/family-farming-2014/resources/photos/en/#c251731
Global Dialogue on Family Farming on Flickr
LEARN MORE:
The International Year of Family Farming 2014
The State of Food and Agriculture 2014 - Innovation in family farming
Putting family farmers first to eradicate hunger
Supporting family farms key for healthy food systems
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ABOUT FAO
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts – to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. Our three main goals are: the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition; the elimination of poverty and the driving forward of economic and social progress for all; and, the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate and genetic resources for the benefit of present and future generations.
FAO creates and shares critical information about food, agriculture and natural resources in the form of global public goods. But this is not a one-way flow. We play a connector role, through identifying and working with different partners with established expertise, and facilitating a dialogue between those who have the knowledge and those who need it. By turning knowledge into action, FAO links the field to national, regional and global initiatives in a mutually reinforcing cycle. By joining forces, we facilitate partnerships for food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural development between governments, development partners, civil society and the private sector.
An intergovernmental organization, FAO has 194 Member Nations, two associate members and one member organization, the European Union. Headquartered in Rome, Italy, FAO is present in over 130 countries. http://www.fao.org
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Kim-Jenna Jurriaans Media Relations (Rome) (+39) 06 570 54277 KimJenna.Jurriaans@fao.org
