The FAO Representation in the Islamic Republic of Iran together with the Iranian Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture celebrated the World Food Day 2014 theme "Family Farming: Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth" in Tehran today to raise the profile of smallholder farmers in the country and acknowledge their potential to promote more productive and sustainable food systems.

His Excellency Mr. Mahmoud Hojjati, Iran's Minister for Jihad-e-Agriculture, together with several Deputy Ministers from the Ministry, the UN Resident Coordinator, Ambassadors, Heads of missions and Representatives from international organizations, and a wide range of experts and academics from the country's public and private sectors attended the ceremony.

Mr José Graziano da Silva's, FAO Director-General, video message on the occasion of the World Food Day was aired during the ceremony and Mr. Serge Nakouzi, FAO Representative to the Islamic Republic of Iran, presented a statement outlining the significance of the contribution to be made by family farmers as part of the shift in paradigm required to address the scourges of food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty whilst safeguarding existing resources in the face of increasingly challenging environmental conditions.

The full text of his statements reads:

Honorable Minister, Excellencies, Distinguished Ambassadors and Representatives, Esteemed colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is an honour for me to participate with all of you in today's ceremony of the World Food Day not only to commemorate the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, but also to reflect on this occasion on the scourges of hunger, food insecurity and poverty that we continue to face in the world notwithstanding the past effort of the global community to eradicate these blights.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Recent hunger estimates reveal that over 800 million people still suffer from chronic hunger. More than half of the world´s population suffers from some form of malnutrition such as under-nutrition, micronutrient deficiencies or obesity. There is an unequivocal need to increase food production by over 60 percent to meet the expected demand from a global population projected to reach over 9 billion in 2050. Despite the fact that the per capita food availability has increased by over 40 percent during the past four decades and FAO is proud to have played a key role in this notable achievement, we still need to increase food production, especially in poor and developing countries. However, this should be done in a more sustainable manner. The approaches from the past have shown their limits. We can no longer rely only on an input-intensive model to increase food production. We need a paradigm shift towards healthier and more sustainable food systems. We need to use less agricultural inputs, especially water and chemicals, in order to put agriculture, forestry and fisheries on a more sustainable and productive long-term path. We need to save and grow. This shift in paradigm is critical if we are to win the war against hunger and food insecurity. Yet its success will depend also in great part on our ability to pursue a more holistic approach that embraces social participation and advocates the significant contribution made by family farmers in this endeavour.

Accordingly, the 2014 World Food Day theme – "Family Farming: Feeding the World, Caring for the Earth" - has been chosen to raise the profile of smallholder farmers. It focuses world attention on the significant role of family farming in eradicating hunger and poverty, providing food security and nutrition, improving livelihoods, managing natural resources, protecting the environment, and achieving sustainable development, in particular in rural areas.

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 labour, including both that of women and men. Family farming has an important socio-economic, environmental and cultural role. Family farmers manage their lands in a manner to sustain remarkably high levels of productivity despite having less access to productive resources such as agricultural inputs and support.

The UN General Assembly has designated 2014 "International Year of Family Farming." In this context, FAO in collaboration with its partners, is facilitating the implementation of the year with the following four objectives: 1. Support the development of agricultural, environmental and social policies conducive to sustainable family farming; 2. Increase knowledge, communication and public awareness; 3. Attain better understanding of family farming needs, potential and constraints and ensure technical support; and, 4. Create synergies for sustainability.

The designation of this International Year by the UN sends a strong signal that the international community recognizes the important contribution of family farmers to world food security. There are over 500 million family farms in the world which comprise a wide range of smallholders and medium scale farmers, as well as indigenous people, traditional communities, fisherfolk and pastoralists. In many regions, they are the main producers of the foodstuff consumed every day in our meals.

Family Farmers run crop-diversification based agricultural systems and preserve traditional food products, contributing both to a balanced diet and to the safeguarding of the world's agro-biodiversity. They are embedded in territorial networks and local cultures, and spend their incomes mostly within local and regional markets, generating many agricultural and non-agricultural jobs. Local production and consumption circuits based on family farming have a major part to play in fighting hunger especially when linked to social protection policies that address the needs of vulnerable people. All of these characteristics highlight that family farmers hold a unique potential to move towards more productive and sustainable food systems if policy environments support them in this path.

Over 70 percent of the world's food insecure population lives in rural areas of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Near East. Many of them are family farmers, especially smallholders, with poor access to natural resources, policies and technologies. There is overwhelming evidence that poor family farmers can quickly deploy their productivity potential if the appropriate policy environment is effectively put in place. Access is the major barrier to food security today. Facilitating access to land, water and other natural resources and implementing specific public policies for family farmers (credit, technical assistance, insurance, market access, public purchases, and appropriate technologies) are key components for increasing agricultural productivity, eradicating poverty and achieving world food security.

Agro-ecology and climate-smart agriculture provide alternative viable options to sustainably increase food production, whilst addressing climate change, and build resilience, benefitting small-scale and family farmers in particular. Our passion should drive us to find the best solutions – sustainable, accessible, and respectful of local characteristics and context.

At national level, there are a number of factors that are key for a successful development of family farming, such as: agro-ecological conditions and territorial characteristics; policy environment; access to markets; access to land and natural resources; access to technology and extension services; access to finance; demographic, economic and socio-cultural conditions; and, availability of specialized education among others. Family farmers in the Islamic Republic of Iran play an important role in the production of the strategic crops as well as other agricultural products for domestic consumption and also export purposes. As we embark on the formulation of the Sixth National Five-Year Development Plan for the country, consideration could be given to the significance of family farming for food security and nutrition, natural resource management and local economy generation. It may be timely in this context to revisit the role of family farmers in the value chain of agricultural production, identify their needs and to foresee the development of specific policies, programmes and effective strategies aimed at enhancing their contributions in this respect.

The International Year of Family Farming and the World Food Day of this year provide us with a clear opportunity to further underscore the strategic role of family farmers in agricultural and rural development and to contribute to the strengthening of their capacities. Governments may demonstrate their political commitment building juridical framework, institutions and policies for family farmers. Establishing platforms for policy dialogue with family farmers' organization in order to generate consensus, build and implement effective policies is a major target of the International Year of Family Farming. International cooperation can foster policy dialogue among all stakeholders and help building concrete and sustainable solutions.

May I conclude by highlighting once again the crucial role family farmers paly in defining the solution for a world free from poverty and hunger. I trust we can all carry this thought with us as we strive in our respective endeavours to achieve this noble goal.

Thank you for your attention.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Islamic Republic of Iran