subsistence agriculture
Grow your food
Subsistence agriculture is farming that produces only enough food to feed the farmer's household, with little or no surplus for sale.
It contrasts with commercial agriculture, where crops are grown primarily for market.
The term often describes traditional farming in developing regions: Many rural families still depend on subsistence agriculture.
The practice typically involves small plots, manual labor, and diverse crops to reduce risk of total failure.
- seed savingPreserving plant material for replanting
- hand toolsUnpowered grip-operated devices
- irrigationArtificial water supply for agriculture
- crop rotationAlternating field plantings yearly
- food securityGuaranteed adequate nutrition access
soil fertility · terracing · heritage crops · indigenous knowledge · deforestation · drought resistance · rainfall patterns · overgrazing · family farm · self-sufficiency · farming · barter economy · manual labor · intercropping · growing season · dry season · slash-and-burn · oral traditions
- Millet
- Miskito
subsistence agriculturecommercial agriculture
Profit-driven large-scale farming
commercial farming · agribusiness · plantation agriculture · market gardening
subsistence agricultureindustrial agriculture
Large-scale mechanized farming
mechanized farming · factory farming · intensive agriculture · corporate farming · scientific farming