In 2025, in occasion of World Rural Development Day (July 6), the World Farmers Markets Coalition counted farmers at farmers markets to measure how and by how much farmers markets contribute to rural development and to the livelihoods of family farmers.
What: A census of the in farmers markets
Where: 34 farmers markets in 11 countries
When: The week of World Rural Development Day, 6 July 2025
Who: Local farmers market managers surveyed the markets they manage, where farmers sell directly to consumers on recurring bases.
Why:
- To take a snapshot of how farmers markets serve farmers’ quest for economic development in World Farmers Market Coalition members’ markets;
- To cultivate a culture of evaluation among farmers market managers (who are often preoccupied with the miracle of staging recurring farmers markets with limited resources);
- To demonstrate how and that farmers markets contribute to the livelihoods of farmers.
The interim results reveal a clear picture: farmers markets are far from informal or incidental. They operate as stable, strategically structured institutions that strengthen rural livelihoods year-round. The data shows high levels of formality, digital readiness, proximity to peri-urban farming communities, and meaningful participation of women. Across regions and market sizes, farmers describe farmers markets as reliable, accessible, and economically essential spaces that help them sustain their businesses and plan for the future.
