United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/66/222

Sixty-sixth session Agenda item 25

The General Assembly,

Recalling resolution 16/2011 adopted on 2 July 2011 by the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations at its thirty-seventh session,

Recalling also General Assembly resolution 65/178 of 20 December 2010 on agriculture development and food security,

Noting the Declaration of the World Summit on Food Security, adopted on 18 November 2009, expressing, inter alia, support for the special needs of smallholder farmers, many of whom are women,

Recalling Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67 of 25 July 1980 on international years and anniversaries and General Assembly resolutions 53/199 of 15 December 1998 and 61/185 of 20 December 2006 on the proclamation of international years,

Affirming that family farming and smallholder farming are an important basis for sustainable food production aimed at achieving food security,

Recognizing the important contribution that family farming and smallholder farming can play in providing food security and eradicating poverty in the attainment of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals,

1. Decides to declare 2014 the International Year of Family Farming;

2. Invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, mindful of the provisions of the annex to Economic and Social Council resolution 1980/67, to facilitate the implementation of the International Year of Family Farming, in collaboration with Governments, the United Nations Development Programme, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and other relevant organizations of the United Nations system, as well as relevant non-governmental organizations, also invites the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to keep the General Assembly informed of progress made in this regard, and stresses that the costs of all activities that may arise from the implementation of the present resolution above and beyond activities currently within the mandate of the implementing agency should be met from voluntary contributions;

3. Encourages Member States to undertake activities within their respective national development programmes in support of the International Year of Family Farming.

91st plenary meeting 22 December 2011