FAO Leads Global Policy Dialogue for Family Farming Solutions

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) convened the first Global Policy Solutions Forum for Family Farming, an event that brought together representatives from countries across all regions of the world to exchange views on innovative tools and strategies that can guide public policy design and implementation, mobilize investment, and strengthen the transformative role of a sector that produces more than 80% of the world’s food.

The debate, held on September 24 and 25 in Rome, focused on how to improve access to and management of natural resources, strengthen resilience, expand market access opportunities, and reduce inequalities, positioning family farming as a central actor in this process.

At the opening of the event, Máximo Torero, FAO Chief Economist and Acting Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, sent a message recognizing the value of dialogue and regional contributions in fostering innovation and finding sustainable solutions.

“At FAO, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting our regions in achieving an inclusive and resilient rural transformation. We hope this event will mark a milestone in identifying priorities to guide our joint efforts,” he said.

For her part, Ada Francisca de Asís Fernández Rivera, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the UN agencies based in Rome and Chair of the International Steering Committee of the UN Decade of Family Farming, emphasized that:

“This forum is a unique opportunity to move forward with innovative policy solutions, going beyond traditional sectoral approaches and ensuring that policies respond to the real context and daily challenges faced by our family farmers.”

Meanwhile, Kati Partanen, Board Member of the World Farmers’ Organization and Vice-Chair of the International Steering Committee of the UN Decade of Family Farming, expressed hope that the forum would be a “catalyst for practical, evidence-based, farmer-driven policies.” She also stressed the central role of women in this sector, highlighting their contribution to sustainability, productivity, and farm management, despite persistent barriers in accessing land, financing, and decision-making.

The gathering, part of the initiatives of the Regional Technical Platform on Family Farming, is the outcome of a series of Interregional Dialogues on Family Farming held in Egypt, Nepal, and Italy between July and September 2025. These meetings promoted the exchange of innovative solutions and experiences among countries to identify ways to advance the implementation of global commitments under the UN Decade of Family Farming.

The conclusions and agreements of the Global Forum will be key to continuing to coordinate efforts and promote strategies that foster interregional cooperation through policy dialogue centered on family farmers, enabling their access to technologies, inclusive markets, and the empowerment of women and youth for an inclusive and sustainable rural transformation that leaves no one behind.

Special Session: “Characterization of Family Farming in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges, Evidence, and Perspectives”

The Global Solutions Forum also included a special session to present the document “Characterization of Family Farming in Latin America and the Caribbean: Challenges, Evidence, and Perspectives.” María Ignacia Hadad, FAO specialist in economic analysis and public policy, shared the findings on the importance of characterizing the sector and recognizing its diversity to design policies that do not leave communities behind.

As part of her recommendations, Hadad stressed: “If we want policies that truly reach family farmers, we need to know who they are and how many they are. Reliable data and clarity are fundamental.”

The session also featured contributions from Rima El Hajjar, Head of the Economic and Marketing Service of the Plant Resources Directorate at the Ministry of Agriculture of Lebanon; Arouna Lawani, Vice-President of the Network of Farmers’ and Agricultural Producers’ Organizations of West Africa (ROPPA); and Francisco Ameglio, Vice-Minister of the Ministry of Agricultural Development of Panama. They shared experiences in strengthening and including family farming, along with the sector’s challenges and opportunities.