A country in which subsistence agriculture

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What is subsistence agriculture?

Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families. In subsistence agriculture, farm output is targeted to survival and is mostly for local requirements with little or no surplus.

Where did subsistence agriculture emerge in the world?

Subsistence agriculture emerged in various areas including Mexico where it was based on maize and in the Andes where it was based on the domestication of the potato. Subsistence agriculture was the dominant mode of production in the world until recently, when market-based capitalism became widespread.

What is subsistence agriculture in the Andes?

Subsistence agriculture. Subsistence agriculture also emerged independently in Mexico where it was based on maize cultivation, and the Andes where it was based on the domestication of the potato. Subsistence agriculture was the dominant mode of production in the world until recently, when market-based capitalism became widespread.

Where do subsistence farmers operate today?

Most subsistence farmers today operate in developing countries. Although their amount of trade as measured in cash is less than that of consumers in countries with modern complex markets, many have important trade contacts and trade items that they can produce because of their special skills or special access to resources valued in the marketplace.

What countries have subsistence agriculture?

Subsistence farming can look as diverse as the planet we live on though, since it happens almost everywhere. Central and Western Asia, India, South-west Africa, Eurasia, the Philippines, Latin America – the list goes on and on.

What country uses subsistence?

In fact, a large percentage of the world’s indigenous peoples are able to survive by obtaining their daily necessities directly from subsistence activities. For example, the Inuit peoples of the Arctic regions continue to practice traditional, subsistence economies. This can be found in Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.

Which country has intensive subsistence agriculture?

Intensive subsistence farming is best developed in the monsoon lands of Asia. This type of agriculture can be found in China, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

What is an example of subsistence farming?

Subsistence farming may also mean shifting farming or nomadic herding (see nomadic people). Examples: A family has only one cow to give milk only for that family. A farmer grows only enough wheat to make bread for his or her family.

What is subsistence farming in Africa?

Roughly 65 percent of Africa’s population relies on subsistence farming. Subsistence farming, or smallholder agriculture, is when one family grows only enough to feed themselves. Without much left for trade, the surplus is usually stored to last the family until the following harvest.

Why is Indian agriculture called subsistence agriculture?

Indian agriculture is known as subsistence agriculture : In India most of the farmers produce crops for self – consumption only (in their small holdings ) instead of selling the crops. This is referred as subsistence agriculture.

Where is subsistence farming practiced in India?

In India, the farmers of West Bengal, Kerala, the coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu provide a good example of intensive subsistence wet paddy agriculture .

In which of the following states intensive subsistence farming is Practised?

Intensive subsistence farming is practised in Punjab,some parts of Rajasthan ,Uttar Pradesh, Madhaya Pradesh in India. It is a type of farming different from subsistence as more chemical fertilizers and modern means of agriculture are practised intensively by a individual farmer working on a small field.

In which of the following countries is Milpa known as primitive subsistence agriculture?

The ‘slash and burn’ agriculture is known as ‘Milpa’ in Mexico and Central America, ‘Conuco’ in Venzuela, ‘Roca’ in Brazil, ‘Masole’ in Central Africa, ‘Ladang’ in Indonesia, ‘Ray’ in Vietnam.

What type of agriculture is done in the United States?

Farm type or majority enterprise type Cash grains includes corn, soybeans and other grains (wheat, oats, barley, sorghum), dry edible beans, peas, and rice. Tobacco. Cotton.

Which of the following is a type of subsistence agriculture?

Here are some of the subsistence farming: Shifting agriculture. Primitive farming. Nomadic herding.

What is subsistence farming?

Agriculture in Vietnam. Subsistence agriculture occurs when farmers grow food crops to meet the needs of themselves and their families on smallholdings. Subsistence agriculturalists target farm output for survival and for mostly local requirements, with little or no surplus.

How is subsistence agriculture used?

Subsistence agriculture can be used as a poverty alleviation strategy , specifically as a safety net for food-price shocks and for food security. Poor countries are limited in fiscal and institutional resources that would allow them to contain rises in domestic prices as well as to manage social assistance programs, which is often because they are using policy tools that are intended for middle- and high-income countries. Low-income countries tend to have populations in which 80% of poor are in rural areas and more than 90% of rural households have access to land, yet a majority of these rural poor have insufficient access to food. Subsistence agriculture can be used in low-income countries as a part of policy responses to a food crisis in the short and medium term, and provide a safety net for the poor in these countries.

What are some examples of livestock?

Examples are the nomadic Bhotiyas and Gujjars of the Himalayas. They carry their belongings, such as tents, etc., on the backs of donkeys, horses, and camels. In mountainous regions, like Tibet and the Andes, yak and llama are reared. Reindeer are the livestock in arctic and sub-arctic areas.

How many people were farmers in 2015?

In 2015, about 2 billion people (slightly more than 25% of the world’s population) in 500 million households living in rural areas of developing nations survive as ” smallholder ” farmers, working less than 2 hectares (5 acres) of land.

What is the name of the farming method that involves bringing animals from one place to another?

Nomadic herding. In this type of farming people migrate along with their animals from one place to another in search of fodder for their animals. Generally they rear cattle, sheep, goats, camels and/or yaks for milk, skin, meat and wool.

Where are rice paddies found?

Such fields are found in densely populated parts of Asia, such as in the Philippines. They may also intensify by using manure, artificial irrigation and animal waste as fertilizer.

Who said subsistence peasants grow what they eat?

Tony Waters writes: “Subsistence peasants are people who grow what they eat, build their own houses, and live without regularly making purchases in the marketplace.”. Despite the primacy of self-sufficiency in subsistence farming, today.

What are the disadvantages of subsistence farming?

It has the advantage of being ecologically sound, with locally adapted and resilient species and cultivars. The disadvantage, however, is low productivity. Various pressures are leading to the elimination of agroecological farming practices, such as fallow rotation systems, more reliance on commercial seed, and higher chemical and resource input systems. These practices have led to economic losses and environmental damage, including loss of biodiversity, and increases in diseases and pests, particularly crop pests that are resistant to common pesticides.

What is poor farming?

Poor farmers practice subsistence agriculture and usually have a hand to mouth living. Their annual year’s income is dependent on monsoons. Any changes in the rainfall and temperature extremes can impact the crop production and adversely impact their livelihoods.

What is non-ruminant livestock?

Above subsistence farming levels, non-ruminant livestock are typically fed harvested and processed feeds that can be controlled in terms of both quantity and quality. Some of these feeds may have been grown or manufactured locally, while others will have been transported thousands of miles by road, rail and water. Commercial units of free-range pigs and poultry may provide greater space for their livestock, but there is commonly little divergence from the diet that is fed to animals maintained indoors. Organically grown stock are fed different diets, in that they do not include genetically modified materials or feeds that have been produced with the aid of pesticides or inorganic fertilisers. However, like conventional feeds, organic feed materials are not all grown locally and they too may have been subjected to different climatic and storage conditions, and different legislative controls, from those at home.

What is the diet of a dairy cow?

The diet of highly productive dairy cows often comprises a high proportion of nutrient-dense feeds with only a minimum proportion of herbage, forage or straw – long fibrous feeds provided to ensure satisfactory rumen function.

What are the steps a farmer can take to manage risk?

Steps a farmer can take to manage such risk include savings, diversification of enterprises, emergency borrowing, and purchase of hazard insurance against output risk, or some form of forward pricing against price risk. It remains open to question however how risk averse farmers are.

How much of India’s population is dependent on agriculture?

In India, about 50-75% of the labor population is dependent on agriculture. Increased vulnerability of agriculture to climate change will adversely impact the livelihoods of the small and marginal farmers, and the labor population who are highly dependent on this sector.

Do ruminants live outdoors?

Most ruminant stock spend at least part of their lives outdoors and graze grassland and forage crops that may have been grown for the purpose. However, in upland areas non-dairy sheep and goats may pass much of their lives outdoors and consume diets that owe much to nature and less to the design of man.

What is poor farming?

Poor farmers practice subsistence agriculture and usually have a hand to mouth living. Their annual year’s income is dependent on monsoons. Any changes in the rainfall and temperature extremes can impact the crop production and adversely impact their livelihoods.

What countries in Southeast Asia have deforested?

Before humans arrived, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Thailand were completely forested (see Fig. 3 ). Their rich dipterocarp forests were heavily logged (primarily for export) after the war ended. The Philippines currently retains less than 20% of its original forest cover; Malaysia retains more forest, but it is being extensively harvested ( Fig. 11 ). The rates of deforestation in the Philippines are well documented and staggering ( Collins et al., 1991; Kummer, 1992 ). From 1948 to 1987, 55% of the forest was lost. From 1969 to 1988, the rate of deforestation was over 2% per year—or 2 ha every 5 minutes!

What are the limitations of soil in tropical regions?

The predominant soil limitation in humid tropical regions is low chemical fertility. Major areas of soil are formed from geologic material that contains very limited quantities of life-essential phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. The most chemically infertile soils are present as uplands in the interiors of Africa and South America. Most of these soils are physically deep and have reliable moisture for one or two food-crops each year. The most infertile of these soils do not support enough natural biomass to sustain even slash-and-burn subsistence agriculture. Where rapid and reliable infrastructure has been developed, sustained commercial agriculture is now practiced. Reliable markets, fertilizer, lime, and fuel supplies are essential. A sufficient amount of phosphorus must be applied and mixed into the soil to saturate the iron and aluminum oxide surfaces to the extent that sufficient phosphorus becomes available before crops can be grown. Carbonate, in the form of crushed limestone, must be applied to raise the pH of the soil and inactivate the extractable aluminum. Nitrogen fertilizer is needed for nonlegume crops. Potassium is required for high yields, and small amounts of copper, zinc, boron, and molybdenum are needed in many areas. After an initial investment is made in altering the chemical conditions, fertilizer requirements are annually no greater than in other grain-growing soils around the world. Modern soil-testing technology is utilized to determine annual fertilizer formulations and rates. The physical stability of the inert soil minerals, a paucity of river systems that must be bridged, and the gentle topography aid in economical road construction in most parts of the region.

Why is agriculture important?

Agriculture was one of the highlights in human evolution and was a factor leading to the rise of sedentary human civilization.

What is the most important sector of Guinea-Bissau?

The most important sector of the Guinea-Bissau economy is the agricultural sector which accounts for 55.8% of the country’s GDP. The colonial influence of the Portuguese in Guinea-Bissau is still felt with the major commercial crops of the country having been brought by the Portuguese and they include cashew nuts.

How much was the agricultural surplus in Liberia in 2001?

Due to Liberia’s reliance on agriculture, the country had an agricultural trade surplus of $14million in 2001.

What is the economy of Liberia?

The economy of Liberia is heavily reliant on its agriculture which accounts for 76.9% of the West-African country’s GDP, the highest in the world. The agricultural sector is the largest employer in the country with the sector accounting for 68% of the national labor force. The small country has been plagued by years of civil war which has had a devastating effect on its economy and its agricultural sector in particular. Liberia has located a region with some of the most favorable conditions for agriculture with most of the country having well-drained, rain forest soils ideal for tree crop cultivation. The leading cash crop in Liberia is Rubber with the country producing over 35,000 tons each year. Another important crop in Liberia is palm oil with an annual production of 42,000 tons. Due to Liberia’s reliance on agriculture, the country had an agricultural trade surplus of $14million in 2001.

History of Subsistence Agriculture

Subsistence farming was the first type of agriculture seen in early civilization, developed over 12,000 years ago. Archeological evidence points to grains being some of the first subsistence crops farmed and cultivated by people.

Subsistence Agriculture Features

In subsistence farming, fields are often a mix of crop groups. Polyculture, or mixed cropping, allows for many crops to be planted together in complimentary groups. Planting certain crops together helps to replicate a natural ecosystem and improves the quality of the soil.

Shifting Agriculture

Shifting agriculture is a type of farming that moves the location of fields after nutrients are depleted, allowing natural vegetation to reclaim the used areas. This form of subsistence farming is mostly found in areas with large forest ecosystems. Trees are chopped or burned down, allowing room for crops to be planted.

Primitive Farming

Primitive farming is the most simplistic form of subsistence farming. The level of technology used for maintaining subsistence crops is relatively basic. Small gardens near homesteads are an example of primitive farming. These gardens benefit from the use of common household fertilizers, such as compost, animal manure, or ash from fireplaces.

What is subsistence farming in LDCs?

For instance, agriculture in a least-developed country is often that of subsistence farming, in which goods are produced for the consumption and survival of one’s family group. In this subsistence lifestyle, all goods are produced by the family group for the family group. They are not being sold at road-side stands or being shipped to market in big 18-wheeler trucks. Many of the people groups living within the region of Sub-Saharan Africa practice subsistence farming.

What does intensive agriculture mean?

Intensive agriculture includes the use of things as rudimentary as a horse-drawn cart.

How do LDCs shift their cultivation?

As subsistence farmers, many living in LDCs practice shifting cultivation, in which they plant a piece of land for a short time, then leave it at rest for many years in order to allow its nutrients to renew. As the name implies, they will then shift their planting to another piece of land.

What is the technique used to burn wild vegetation?

After a certain amount of time, the shifting farmer will return to the dormant land and use the slash-and-burn technique, in which the wild vegetation is cut down and burned off, allowing the nutrients of the charred plants to nourish the soil.

What is pastoralism in the world?

Pastoralism is a form of living in which survival is based directly or indirectly on the maintenance of domesticated animals. When speaking of pastoralism in least-developed countries, it is usually seen in areas that are semi-arid, or having very little rainfall.

What is a least developed country?

A least-developed country is a country that has been classified by the United Nations due to its low gross national income, its small population and workforce, and its economic weakness. Many inhabitants of LDCs take part in subsistence farming, in which goods are produced for the consumption and survival of one’s family group.

Is farming a part of life?

It’s just a part of life living in a farming community in the United States of America. However, it’s very different than how many other parts of the world do farming. In fact, today we’re going to step out of our Westernized paradigm of farming to explore what agriculture looks like in some of the least-developed regions of the world.

What is subsistence farming?

What Is A Subsistence Economy? In many countries across Africa, subsistence farming is practiced by the rural people of the nation for survival.

Where are subsistence economies located?

These are primarily located throughout Latin America, Africa, Asia, and small Pacific islands. Additionally, very few countries today can be considered solely subsistence in nature.

Why are subsistence markets so vulnerable?

As previously mentioned, subsistence markets are extremely vulnerable to external influences. Because of this vulnerability, these economies are becoming more scarce around the world. In the past, for example, large populations of indigenous peoples lived throughout North America. The continent’s entire economy was reliant on subsistence practices like hunting, fishing, and gathering. Once European colonists began arriving, however, the economic traditions suffered great losses and underwent significant change. The European market economy was stronger, and the subsistent communities were further weakened by war, disease, and genocide. In a relatively short period of time, the subsistence economy of Native Americans gave way to currency over trade and bartering. Additionally, these cultures began to incorporate newer technology and goods, like metal and guns. Today, only small populations of indigenous peoples living on reservations or in rural areas of Alaska continue to practice an altered version of the subsistence lifestyle. The same is true for similar communities around the world.

What are the disadvantages of a subsistence economy?

Disadvantages Of A Subsistence Economy. Despite its advantages, many people believe the disadvantages to a subsistence economy outweigh the advantages. The principal disadvantage found in these types of economies is the reliance on what nature can provide. This means that unexpected climate changes can have drastically negative results on …

What are the characteristics of a subsistence economy?

Characteristics Of A Subsistence Economy. Perhaps the principal characteristic of a subsistence economy is its lack of industry, technology, and profit. These economies are generally small and participate in trade and bartering practices. The principal goods and services of these markets are based on local customs, beliefs, and values.

How do indigenous people survive?

In fact, a large percentage of the world’s indigenous peoples are able to survive by obtaining their daily necessities directly from subsistence activities. For example, the Inuit peoples of the Arctic regions continue to practice traditional, subsistence economies. This can be found in Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.

Why do rich countries invade subsistence economies?

These wealthier nations often invade or occupy countries with subsistence economies in order to take advantage of the undeveloped environment. This results in an imposition of their industries, which can be detrimental to the local environment.

Overview

Contemporary practices

Subsistence farming continues today in large parts of rural Africa, and parts of Asia and Latin America. In 2015, about 2 billion people (slightly more than 25% of the world’s population) in 500 million households living in rural areas of developing nations survive as “smallholder” farmers, working less than 2 hectares (5 acres) of land. Around 98% of China’s farmers work on small farms, and China accounts for around half of the total world farms. In India, 80% of the total farmers ar…

History

Types of subsistence farming

Poverty alleviation

See also

Further reading