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Family Farmingwww.fao.org/family- farming-2014/enwww.fondazione- slowfood.it/it/263/ slow-food-in-africa32 almanaCing, although large-scale farming also plays an important role in ensuring the global food supply. The highly diversified nature of family agricultural activities gives them a central role in promoting environmental sustainability, safeguarding biodiversity, and contributing to healthier, more balanced diets. Family farmers also play a pivotal role in local production, marketing and consumption, creating jobs, generating income and stimulating and diversifying local economies.leSSonS from Small-Scale farmerSWe still have much to learn about the sustainable practices of smallholders and medium-scale farmers, indigenous peoples, forest farmers, fisher folk, pastoral- ists and others. Whether they build terraces in the Philippines or adopt zero-tillage practices in Zambia, family farmers have consistently succeeded in maintaining production on often-marginal lands.The International Year of Family Farming does more than simply draw attention to the essential role of family farmers; it also sets goals to strive for. It encour- ages governments to provide more effective policy and institutional support for