International year of Family farming and Nepalese context

Khem Raj DahalAssociate Professor

Department of Agronomy, IAAS, Tribhuvan University, Rampur

Family Farms

• Family farm is a farm owned and operated by a family and ownership of which often passes to the next generation by inheritance.

• It is the basic unit of agricultural economy of much of human history and continues to be so in developing nations.

• It stands as an alternative to the farms run by family farms include those run by agribusiness, colloquially known as factory farms business farms

Family farms• Family farming includes all family-based

agricultural activities, and it is linked to several areas of rural development.

• It is a means of organizing agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral and aquaculture production which is managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labor, including both women’s and men’s.

• Both in developing and developed countries, family farming is the predominant form of agriculture in the food production sector.

Family Farmers• Family farmers are feeding the world and caring for

the earth and family farming is inextricably linked to national and global food security.

• There are more than 570 million farms in the world of which over 500 million are family owned

• They are responsible for at least 56% of agricultural production

• Family farmers work on a significant portion of the world’s farmland: N&C America (83%), Europe (68%)’ Asia (85%), South America (18%) and Africa (62%)

Family Farmers• Family farmers manage their lands to sustain

remarkably high levels of productivity despite having less access to productive resources such as agricultural inputs and support.

• Family farming preserves traditional food products, while contributing to a balanced diet and safeguarding the world’s agro-biodiversity and the sustainable use of natural resources.

• More than 3.5 billion people depend on rice for at least 20% of their daily calories Family farms are the main source of rice production especially in Asia

International Year of Family Farming

• On December 22, 2011, the UN General Assembly, in a plenary session, officially declared 2014 as the IYFF

• The desire of more than 360 organizations around the world had come true, not without the necessary doses of labor and perseverance; it was the first International Year preceded by a civil campaign for its declaration.

• It has thus opened a new way to raise awareness of the relevance and importance of Family Farming and the challenges facing this sustainable agricultural model.

• With this it was felt that UN recognized the importance of family farming in reducing poverty and improving global food security.

• It aims to promote new development policies, particularly at the national but also regional levels, that will help smallholder and family farmers eradicate hunger, reduce rural poverty and continue to play a major role in global food security through small-scale, sustainable agricultural production.

For what?• The IYFF provides a unique opportunity to pave the

way towards more inclusive and sustainable approaches to agricultural and rural development that:– Recognize the importance of smallholder and family

farmers for sustainable development– Place small-scale farming at the centre of national, regional

and global agricultural, environmental and social policies;– Elevate the role of smallholder farmers as agents for

alleviating rural poverty and ensuring food security for all; as stewards who manage and protect natural resources; and as drivers of sustainable development.

Development• The WRF is the recognized International Coordinator of Civil

Society for the IYFF, including some 360 civil society organizations from 60 countries that supported the campaign, plus other organizations that joined the movement later.

• It is guided by the World Consultative Committee (WCC), which has representatives from all continents. International organizations and NGOs also have representatives on the WCC.

• IYFF National Committees have been created to ensure that the year will concretely improve the situation of family farmers through communication and awareness activities, policy advocacy and research.

• Over 40 IYFF National Committees have been created.

National Organizations• The first National Committees to support the

International Year of Family Farming IYFF-2014 in Africa and Asia started during late 2012, through the commitment and dynamism of civil society in Burkina Faso (West Africa) and Nepal (Asia).

• Both working groups are born with the intention of becoming true epicenters of advocacy and dissemination on Family Farming in their respective countries

• These later joined the four IYFF-2014 national committees created in Latin America -Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Costa Rica and others

Nepalese Scenario• The Secretary Level Meeting held at Ministry of Agriculture

Development Nepal (MoAD Nepal) on April 02, 2014 has made many important decisions regarding the IYFF-2014

• Showed commitment to celebrate the IYFF • National Directive Committee has been formed under

patronage of Honorable Minister, MoAD Nepal and chairmanship of Secretary, MoAD consisting of 18 members

• District Agriculture Development Committee and Agriculture Livestock Service Department are made responsible to coordinate family farming activities at district level.

Contd…• The secretariat office of the Nepal Agriculture

Cooperative Central Federation (NACCFL) is the official agency to enforce the campaign in Nepal.

• The campaign makes efforts to reveal the value of family farming in the fight against hunger and poverty.

• It opens up a unique opportunity to promote public policies in favor of the development of family farming, whose role and potential as guarantor of food security is not sufficiently acknowledged

• Altogether 360 organizations are engaged in the IYFF-2014.

Contd…• On the occasion of International Year of Family Farming

2014, Government has conducted so many programs and campaigns.

• Government of Nepal has also sanctioned amount NPR 10 million to celebrate and promote family farming year 2014.

• Nepal Agricultural Cooperative Central Union has to allocate 20 lakhs through the collective way.

• At the occasion there was a press release which mentioned that the program has got the budget of 1 crore and 20 lakhs and many promotion programs were also announced

• Constituent members have also advocated about the program of flowerpot farming.

Contd..• IYFF 2014 National Implementation Committee Nepal

has distributed flowerpots to more than 100 farmers so that they can do balcony farming.

• The orientation, rally program was initiated in 75 districts with the campaign of Family Farming 2014. Along with that Model Farm Exhibition

• Orientation program in 500 VDCs and farmers are also given the training and information in 100 VDCs.

• interaction program related to monitoring and other agriculture related studies in campuses are also initiated.

• The porch farming has been given the priority since most of the foods are grown by using the pesticides.

Opportunities • Recognitions of importance of those involved in

farming• A strong way of family and community cohesion• Healthy product and sound local economy• Caring the health of people and ecosystem• Feeling of ownership of natural resources• Attraction of young people towards agriculture• Enhancing self dependence and environmental

quality

Limitations• Out migration of youth • School education that does not care about our own• Attitude of people towards agriculture• Generation gap and conflict• Growing urbanization with new employment

opportunities in the cities • Degradation of natural resources• Lack of pro-farmer policy and problems

implementation of existing ones• Lack of fair production and marketing system

Thank you for your Attention