sustainable development 20 years on from the ... - José Eli da Veiga

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Family farming also represents a significant share of sectoral employment in some countries in
the region, including Brazil, where family farms employ 77% of all agricultural workers, or Mexico,
where the figure is 70%.
Despite its contribution, family farming faces multiple challenges, including lack of access to
extension services; lack of access to and linkages with markets for goods and services; lack of access to
quality seed; pest and pesticide risks; limited production resources; and low awareness of these factors on
the part of decision makers. Climate change poses additional challenges for the sector. Other areas where
there are deficiencies are: access to agricultural inputs and capital; rescheduling farm debt; and promoting
the use of farm insurance.