Abstract— More than 3 billion people in the world live in rural area and nearly 2,5 billion work in the sector of agriculture. Enterprises which make agricultural production have the rank of family farmer. 56% of total agricultural land is operated by family farming. 85% of total agricultural area in Asian Countries, 62% in Africa, 83% in North and Central America, 68% in Europe and 18% in South American countries are run by family farming. In Turkey, 23% of the population lives in rural area and live off agriculture sector. When all these factors are considered, family farming has an important place throughout the world. Therefore UN and FAO declared the year 2014 “International Year of Family Farming”. Though there is not a clear definition of family farming, some countries started their study by making definition of family farming. According to the definition of FAO, disregarding gender, family farming is the vegetable, animal production, fishery and forestry activities carried out by using family labor force. According to the European Commission family farming is accepted as family corporation. In order to keep production sustainable and efficient of family farmers who conduct traditional production, official definition of family farming was done in United States of America and some Southern American countries. Size of land was defined according to income and production resources in Mexico and according to the income of household. Although there is no specific definition of family farming in Asian countries and in Turkey, agricultural family businesses have an important place in the economy of country. Therefore, structure and development of family farming was analyzed depending on the literature. Keywords— Family farming, farming, rural area, Turkey. I. INTRODUCTION Family farming is the enterprises where family-based activities are run regardless of gender. Family farming which based on family labor force and gives particular importance to sustainability of natural resources and environment has a crucial place throughout the world. Therefore UN and FAO declared the year 2014 “International Year of Family Farming”. Of all 570 million agricultural enterprises in the world, 500 million are run by family farming and 457 million enterprises has less than 2 hectars of production field [1], [2], [3]. Family farmers which compose 95% of total enterprises in the world run 56% of total land in the sense of agricultural field [4]. Agriculture sector is quite important for countries throughout the world. Aysun YENER Selçuk University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics (phone: +905305661666 e-mail: aysunyener@ selcuk.edu.tr) Developing countries compose four third of world agricultural production and agricultural sector covers 30% of their GDP in most of these countries (1). 23% of the population lives in rural area in Turkey and live off agricultural production. 99,28% of nearly 3 million agricultural enterprises are family enterprises. Agricultural sectors covers 8,34% of GDP [5]. As it can be understood from here, family farming is one of the most effective components of agriculture in food production both in developing and developed countries [6]. In fact, 842 millions of people are starving throughout the world. Therefore, agricultural sector in which food production is done is quite important as main sector [7]. In order to keep production sustainable and efficient of family farmers who conduct traditional production, studies started by making an official definition of family farming which is quite important in the World and in Turkey was done in United States of America and some Southern American countries [8]. There is no clear definition of family farming in Asian countries or in Turkey. With this study, the importance of family farming throughout the world was stated and suggestions were put forward. II. FAMILY FARMING ACCORDING TO COUNTRIES Since family farming is effective in decreasing poverty, protecting agricultural diversity, food security, sustainability of natural resources and environment, preventing migration from rural to urban area, protection of cultural values; current status of family farming was analyzed according to countries below. A. Family Farming in European Union In AB-28, family farming is defined as agricultural organization where all risks related with agricultural enterprises are adopted. Enterprises which conduct family farming provide majority of their capital from family and most of their income from enterprises. There are 13 million agricultural enterprises in European Union averagely and 97% of these enterprises are enterprise owners [9]. Average land width of these enterprises is 14,2 hectare and 85% conduct family farming. 68% of total agricultural land is run [10]. The Importance and Place of Family Farming in the World and in Turkey Aysun YENER International Conference on Literature, History, Humanities and Social Sciences (LHHSS-17) Jan. 1-2, 2017 Dubai (UAE) https://doi.org/10.15242/ICEHM.ED0117033 46