It Takes the Whole Family: Why Family Farming Builds (Climate) Resilience

Irish, you work closely with farming communities across Asia. What does climate resilience look like from their perspective?

We recently asked AFAs members this question during our General Assembly, and they described resilience at different levels. At the farmer level, they envisioned really achieving resilience at the family farming level. So, farming is done by the entire family. Even family members who are working outside agriculture can still contribute by investing back in the farm.

 

At the farm level, resilience means having a diversified and integrated farming system. A farm needs a main crop which is the “income earner”. However, it should also have other crops or livestock. If there is a pest outbreak, a market shock or an extreme weather event, the family can still harvest something and secure its food. This also allows them to generate substantial income to save and invest. Farmers are facing increasing uncertainty, and savings help families bounce back after shocks.

 

And finally, another aspect of resiliency is being a part of a cooperative or farmers' organization. Cooperatives provide many services that individual farmers often cannot access on their own. They offer machinery, savings and credit, storage facilities, processing equipment and market opportunities.

 

There is a lot of discussion about young people leaving agriculture – what are your thoughts on that?

We recognise that many young people migrate to cities or take jobs outside farming. But even then, they often continue contributing to the family farm. They send money home, help buy farm inputs or invest in farm infrastructure.

 

Of course, some young people will stay and continue farming directly. But even when others leave, farming remains a family enterprise. That is an important perspective if we want small-scale farming to remain sustainable.

 

You speak a lot about family farming. Why is this concept so important?

Because this is already the reality in many rural communities. If you visit a typical farm, you will often see the husband and the wife working together.

 

We also need to recognize that the farm does not only belong to the male farmer. It is really the whole family's farm.

 

And if we look at the role of women specifically in farming. What are the biggest challenges they face?

The first step is to recognize that women farmers are really bearing a lot of the burden. Women contribute to farming activities, but they also carry out household chores, care for children and often look after elderly family members. These responsibilities limit their opportunities to attend trainings or take on leadership roles within cooperatives and communities. That is why we believe care work should not be the responsibility of women alone. It should be a shared responsibility within the family. When women are less burdened, they have more opportunities to strengthen their businesses and participate in decision-making. We also need services that respond to women's realities. Many agricultural machines are simply not designed for women. Some equipment is too heavy or too large for women farmers to use comfortably.

 

And do you have an example where you are already seeing progress?

Yes, some companies are now designing machinery and processing equipment that is more suitable for women. For example, women cacao farmers can process small quantities of cacao into chocolate products using equipment that matches their production scale. This allows them to generate additional income and sell products directly in local markets. Digitalisation can also make a real difference. In one project, we introduced a simple financial management software for women's cooperatives. Many women were doing bookkeeping manually, which required a great deal of time. The software reduced their workload, improved financial reporting and strengthened trust within the cooperatives.

 

Can well-intentioned development programmes sometimes make gender inequalities worse?

Yes, that can happen. Many interventions are designed from the top down without first analysing the realities that women face. As a result, some projects introduce additional livelihood activities that simply increase women's workload instead of reducing it. That is why every programme should begin with a good gender analysis. We need to understand the existing gender gaps, the resources women already control and the capacities they already have. Otherwise, even well-intentioned interventions may unintentionally worsen the situation.

 

Climate finance was another one of the key topics during the Bonn Climate Conference. What are farmers asking for?

Farmers continue to call for climate finance that is aligned with their realities. Adaptation finance needs to become more available, more accessible and more predictable for farmers. Too often, resources exist, but they do not reach farming communities. One concrete solution is expanding direct access mechanisms so that farmers and their organizations can benefit from climate finance without having to overcome unnecessary barriers.

 

If you could leave policymakers and donors with one message, what would it be?

We need much more inclusive governance. Governments, donors and development partners should create spaces where farmers and local communities genuinely participate in shaping programmes and policies. Their knowledge and experience should inform decisions from the beginning. At the same time, we need greater investment in agricultural cooperatives and farmers' organizations. These institutions help farmers access services, strengthen their resilience and collectively respond to the challenges they face. Supporting these organizations is one of the most effective ways to strengthen family farming, increase resilience and improve livelihoods in rural communities.