A global forum is currently underway to highlight the relevance of family farming in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals with an eye on boosting support for family farmers and agricultural development worldwide even as the world backslides in its efforts to eliminate hunger and malnutrition.
The key objectives of the Global Forum involve providing a global push to the relevance of family farming towards its role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; highlighting the main outcomes of the first three years of implementation, and re-orient the UNDFF agenda through the practical lessons learned so far.
The UN Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 (UNDFF) began three years ago and the forum is convened by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The UNDFF has a key role to play in eliminating hunger and malnutrition. FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu noted that the number of people facing hunger increased in 2021 and it could worsen as it threatens food security for the most vulnerable, of which almost 80 percent live in rural areas and are small-scale, family farmers.
Family farmers around the world face new challenges due to climate crises and conflict. The situation is further worsened by the war in Ukraine which is threatening already fragile agrifood systems.
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Qu added that Family Farmers need to be the focal point of efforts to transform agrifood systems if we aim to end hunger.
Family Farming contributes to the production of 80 percent of the world’s food. However, paradoxically these family farmers have difficulty feeding their own families.
Since this program started lot many efforts have been taken to promote integrated policies and investments to support family farmers.
Several other steps including the FAO initiative to facilitate the exchange of experience, innovation, and specialized knowledge through the Family Farming Knowledge Platform have been given priority.
Also, Supporting small-scale food producers and delivering concrete results is one of the key objectives of FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31.
National governments, governmental agencies, UN agencies, family farmers and their organizations, civil society organizations, as well as NGOs; the private sector, the media, and academia representatives are participating in this Forum.
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