Minecraft wiki entry for Villager, associated text: Villagers can become willing by having either 3 bread, 12 carrots, 12 potatoes, or 12 beetroots in one slot in their inventory. Any villager with an excess of food (usually farmers) throws food to other villagers, allowing them to pick it up and obtain enough food to become willing. The player can also throw bread, carrots, beetroots, or potatoes at the villagers themselves to encourage breeding. Villagers consume the required food upon becoming willing. If /gamerule mobGriefing is false, villagers don't pick up food or break crops.