Participatory process of public policy production on the Family Farming agenda: report on the development of the “United Nations Decade Plan for Family Farming in Argentina”

Abstract

We systematize and describe the participatory process of developing a public policy, the Argentine Decade Plan for Family Farming, combining secondary and primary information from international documents and interviews, in order to highlight the importance of this fundamental productive sector for national society and the economy. We present elements on the use of the concept of Family Farming in international organizations and its projection in national documents, as well as on the political process of developing and implementing public policies and regulations on Family Farming agendas in Argentina. The current political crisis and the dismantling of support institutions represent significant challenges for the implementation of the Plan. A holistic approach to public policy is required to guarantee the viability of Family Farming and strengthen its role in national rural development. We conclude that the Plan in question is presented as a critical tool for the sustainable development of Family Farming, underscoring the need for an institutional framework that supports the diversity and autonomy of the sector in a context of socioeconomic change.