A United Nations organisation is running the International Year of Family Farming in 2014 with the aim of raising the profile of family farmers and smallholders in developing and developed nations.
The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation is running the International Year of Family Farming in 2014 with the aim of raising the profile of family farmers and smallholders in developing and developed nations.
One of the New Zealand ambassadors for the year is Lake Grassmere sheep and beef farmer Doug Avery who says family farms are incredibly important as they provide people with what they need to exist - food.
He says worldwide families are responsible for most of the world's food production which gives meaning to the slogan 'every family needs a farmer'.
Family farms are defined as those that still rely primarily on family members for labour and management.
The United Nations says family farms are vital for food security, for agricultural sustainability and for preserving the environment and traditional foods.
There are an estimated 400 million family farms around the world.
The team co-ordinating New Zealand's efforts will hold seminars throughout 2014, bring international speakers to the country, and put a spotlight on family farming at the National Agricultural Fieldays in Waikato.
