Agricultural cooperatives are important for helping agriculture and rural areas grow, especially in developing countries and during economic crises. The United Nations recognized their significance in 2012, highlighting how they can reduce poverty, improve food security, and create jobs in rural areas. This article looks at the characteristics of agricultural cooperatives worldwide and in Serbia, showing how they can help develop agriculture and reduce poverty. It also examines the relationship between family farms and cooperatives, using data from the 2012 Census of Agriculture. The article emphasizes the need for accurate statistics on cooperatives to show their impact on rural development.