What is subsistence farming?
Subsistence farming or subsistence agriculture is a system of farming that involves carrying out Agricultural processes such as planting Crops and rearing Animals for the farmer’s consumption or use. Subsistence farming and its benefits.
The world of Agriculture or farming is very practicable and beautiful. Farming is the same word that has the same meaning as the word Agriculture. Farming is defined as the rearing of Animals and growing Crops for consumption and other uses.
Agriculture has some systems that can be applied to achieve the desired farming output.
What is an Agricultural system of farming?
An Agricultural system of farming is the method of farming an Agriculturist decides to adopt to achieve a desired farming result. The farmer will be required to put into consideration every available resource to him to determine the Agricultural system of farming to adopt. Resources such as Capital, Land spacing, Raw materials available, etc.
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Seven types of Agricultural Systems of farming
There is an Agricultural system of farming that can be adopted. Seven types of Agricultural Systems of farming are listed below:
- Mixed farming
- Shifting cultivation
- Plantation farming
- Subsistence farming System
- Nomadic farming
- Arable farming
- Pastoral/ Livestock farming
In this post, our focus will be on the Subsistence system of Farming.
The Subsistence farming system is one that is focused on satisfying the farmer alone. In this system of farming, the farmer has no plans to sell the produce that will be harvested but the produce will majorly be consumed by the farmer and his loved ones.
History of subsistence farming
The subsistence system of farming is commonly practiced by farmers in developed countries where there are s very few available vacant land for farming.
It is also practiced by farmers in underdeveloped or developing countries of the world.
It is believed that subsistence farming started when Man began to know how to domesticate Crops.
This system started about 12,000 years ago. Prior to this time, man went out to hunt for food to survive. As time went on, there was advancement in the way man lived which resulted in the domestication of Crops.
Six types of subsistence farming Systems
1- Intensive subsistence farming
This is a type of subsistence farming in which a farmer decides to plant two or more crops. This process is carried out by the farmer using local tools like cutlass, Hoes, Rakes, etc. The farmer also applies local practices such as the use of waste from Animals for manures for his Crops.
This type of farming aims to produce food to be consumed by the farmer and his family.
2- Shifting cultivation
This type of subsistence farming involves clearing and planting arable crops on forest lands for a few years. After successful harvesting of the crops on the land, the land is left to undergo regeneration between 10 to 20 years. The slash-and-burn method is applied for the clearing of the forest.
3- Sedentary farming
This type of farming involves the burning of leftovers of crops on the land. The ash and available animal waste are used for manure.
4- Peasant agriculture
Farmers who practice peasant agriculture usually focus on what they can feed on and sell. This system of farming is commonly practiced by farmers in rural areas.
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5- Nomadic herding
This can be said to be practiced by animal farmers. They raise animals by moving from one location to another to ensure they and their animals live and produce well. Examples of such Animals are Sheep, Camels, Goats, Cattle, etc.
6- Horticulture farming
Farmers grow special crops like vegetables and fruits for their consumption using local means.
Seven examples of subsistence crops and animals
It has been earlier explained that subsistence farming is a small-scale farming system focused on grasping crops or raising animals for the consumption of the farmer and his loved ones.
Some various crops and animals that can be produced under subsistence farming such as:
1- Vegetables: Vegetables are one of the best crips to plant under subsistence farming because they can be easily grown with little or no financial demand. Examples of vegetables to grow are Lettuce, Spinach, Onions, Tomatoes, Okra, Ladyfinger, Mushrooms, etc.
2- Fruits: Subsistence farmers prefer growing fruit trees because they will get a good output for a long period from a little farming activity like growing other short time crops like Vegetables.
3- Staple crops: These are crops that have a high daily consumption rate. They are very essential for the health of man. Examples of such crops are Rice, Sorghum, Soybeans, Cassava, and Maize.
These crops are mostly planted by subsidence farmers because of the need to feed themselves and their families.
4- Legumes: These are also foods that are consumed daily. They have a lot of nutritional benefits to the body which makes subsistence farmers go for them. Examples of such foods are Peas, Beans, Lentils, etc.
5- Livestock: Livestock are raised under subsistence farming for consumption by the farmer or to provide labor for their farming activities. Live stocks are known to have a lot of products and byproducts which are great benefits to the farmer either for consumption or for business purposes in rare cases.
6- Poultry: In subsistence farming, birds are raised for consumption purposes or business in cases where the birds are in excess. The birds are domesticated and raised by the farmers full they are of table size or big enough for the collection of some of their products and by-products.
7- Root crops: These are underground parts of a plant that are edible. They are good crops for subsistence farming because they are food that can be consumed by the farmer and his family.
Examples of Root crops are Carrots, Cocoyam, Irish potato, sweet potato, and Yam.
Ten characteristics of Subsistence farming
1- Small scale production
The farm focuses on the available resources before carrying out this production. In subsistence farming, the resources are always small and result in small-scale production by the subsistence farmer. The portion of land is majorly small, resulting in small production output. Subsistence farming and its benefits.
2- Small Capital Requirement
Farmers who practice subsistence farming usually go for improvised or cheap farming materials such as manual watering systems instead of Automatic irrigation systems, crop waste for mulching, and Animal waste instead of processed fertilizer.
Subsistence farming makes it possible for a former to spend little or no financial cost for his production if he can manage his production well.
3- Local farming tools
Farmers who practice subsistence farming make use of local farming tools such as Cutlass, Hoes, Rakes, etc for their farming activities because their production capacity is very small.
4- Low labor requirement
The process involved in subsistence farming usually requires a few people. In most cases, it is the farmer and his family members that carry out the labor.
5- Poor financial status
Many of the farmers who practice subsistence farming are known to have poor financial status because they are limited to the few available farming resources. They cannot carry out large-scale agricultural production that can bring income to them through sales of farm produce, instead, they only plant for their consumption and use.
6- Mixed cropping
Subsistence farmers often plant two or more types of Crops on their farms to derive various benefits such as easy prevention of Pests and diseases and reduction of the need to carry out fertilizer application. It also causes a reduction in the growth of weeds.
7- Little or no technological application
There is little or no technological application by subsistence farmers because they produce on small scale. The majority of the subsistence farmers can not afford the cost of new and improved Agricultural facilities for their production. Subsistence farming and its benefits.
8- Poor yield
Subsistence farming is characterized by poor yields because the farmers often go for traditional seeds instead of hybrid seeds. They do so because of the high cost of these new hybrid seeds.
9- Fight against hunger
Subsistence farming helps to fight against hunger for the farmer and his family. Although, there is a limitation to these due to the low level of food production that can be gotten from the system of farming.
10- Less Stressful
Subsistence farming can be said to be less stressful than other large-scale Agricultural systems of farming. This is because the available resources are small making the production capacity and yield to be small.
Advantages and disadvantages of subsistence farming
Advantages of subsistence farming
1- Little or no cost of production: The practice of subsistence farming requires little or no cost of production because it is done on a small scale.
2- Environmentally friendly: Every process involved does not cause any form of destruction to the environment because involves the use of natural inputs.
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3- Food security: Subsistence farming makes it possible for the farmer to have food consistently because he can continue to repeat the same farming process.
4- Low labor requirement: Subsistence farming has low labor requirements because it is done on a small scale. The labor requirement can be handled by the farmer and his family.
5- Sustainability: Subsistence farming is an age-long practice that has been known to work. It can be practiced throughout the year making food always available.
6- Biodiversity: In subsistence farming, two or more crops can be planted. This makes the farming process derive better yield and other benefits.
7- Little or no technical knowledge: Subsistence farming is a small-scale system of farming therefore, all farming activities can be done through local means.
8- Skill acquisition: People can be trained in subsistence farming. It is a skill with which people can learn and be empowered. This will make people able to produce their food for their consumption.
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Disadvantages of subsistence farming
1- Low yields: The yield is sometimes low because of the low availability of resources to the farmer.
2- Bad health conditions: The subsistence farmer may face bad health conditions because of his exposure to local farming processes rather than the use of technological facilities. Stress due to manual labor will affect the farmer’s health.
3- Little or no income generation: The subsistence farmer either makes very little income or no income at all because the production in subsistence farming is usually small.
4- Lack of technological facilities: Subsistence farmers lack technological facilities that are capable of making them have better yields from their production. Due to the high cost of these facilities, they find it difficult to acquire them.
5- Poor knowledge of agricultural production: Subsistence farming is characterized by farmers who have poor knowledge of agricultural processes and this leads to poor output.
Differences between subsistence and commercial farming
The major difference between subsistence and commercial farming is in their production capacity and the farmer’s purpose of production.
Subsistence farming is known to be a small-scale agricultural production and is done majorly to produce food for the subsistence farmer and his family.
In a few cases, the farmer may decide to sell from the little yield to get an income.
Types of subsistence farming are:
- Intensive subsistence farming
- Shifting cultivation
- Sedentary farming
- Peasant agriculture
- Nomadic herding
- Horticulture farming
Commercial farming can be defined as a system of farming that involves the growing of crops and the rearing of animals for economic purposes.
This is known as large-scale agricultural production in which the focus of the farmer is to make profit.
Types of commercial farming are:
Commercial grain farming
Mixed farming
Subsistence farming and its benefits.
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