FARMERS MARKETS: PROTECTING LIFE THROUGH DAILY EXCHANGES THAT CONNECT PEOPLE, PRODUCTS, AND PLANET

Farmers markets are far more than places of exchange. They are living spaces where food, culture, biodiversity, and community intersect every day.

This position paper emerged from the collective reflections of the World Farmers Markets Coalition during its Third General Assembly, where our global network came together to address the evolving challenges facing agriculture and food systems worldwide. At the heart of these discussions was the need for a clear, shared understanding of what farmers markets truly represent. The paper calls for an internationally recognized definition of farmers markets that reflects their unique role: spaces of direct connection between producers and consumers, guardians of agrobiodiversity, engines of local economies, and social and cultural hubs rooted in their communities. Without a clear definition, supportive policies risk being fragmented or ineffective. By articulating the essential characteristics and values of farmers markets, this paper lays the foundation for stronger recognition, protection, and policy support at local, national, and international levels ensuring that farmers markets can continue to protect life through daily exchanges that connect people, products, and planet.