What Is Intensive Subsistence Farming? More and more farmers around the world want to do the job properly by using high-quality seeds and producing the finest possible crop on their farms. There are many different sorts of farms, some of which opted for more modern methods while others choose more conventional ones. Intensive subsistence farming is one of these. So, what exactly is intense subsistence farming and what traits does it have?
In intensive subsistence farming, a tiny plot of land is farmed using basic tools and a lot of manual effort. These farmers utilise their land to cultivate an abundance of food for both local consumption and trade. There are numerous ways to use intense subsistence farming. In order to produce enough food for their families or local consumption, farmers typically work on small parcels of land. Others sell the remainder of their products and goods to nearby supermarkets. There are also farmers who desire to produce organic food for their own consumption.
What Is Intensive Subsistence Farming
Numerous alternative strategies can be used with intensive subsistence farming. Producing enough food for their families or local consumption is often what farmers do on small plots of land. Some people further sell the remainder of their products and goods to the neighbourhood supermarkets. Farmers who desire to raise organic food for their own consumption also exist.
The phrase “intense subsistence farming” is still used to characterise agricultural systems that are unmistakably more advanced than primitive agriculture, despite the changes. In some cases, intensive subsistence agriculture is also referred to as monsoon agriculture.
Which Regions Practise Intensive Subsistence Farming?
The monsoon regions of Asia are where intensive subsistence farming is most advanced. China, Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, a significant portion of continental South-East Asia, and a few islands in South-East Asia all practise this form of agriculture.
It’s crucial to note that some rural areas in Aisa have larger population densities than industrial districts in the West. In order to support a dense population, farming in wet lowlands must be quite intense. Many of those areas with extensive subsistence farming also have highly developed societies, like China and India, which have a long history of civilisation.
What Characterizes Intensified Subsistence Farming?
Small Holdings
Very smallholdings are one of the primary characteristics of intensive subsistence farming. Because these farms have been divided up over many generations, they are now incredibly small and frequently quite unprofitable to operate. It is sufficient to note that a farm in Japan typically occupies 1.5 acres, although farms in India and other parts of Asia may be significantly less.
Extremely Intense Farming
Even though there is a shortage of farmland, some peasants in Monsoon Asia are so ‘land-hungry’ that they cultivate every square inch of land that can be used for farming. Only small, hand-made ridges and trails that allow farmers to move about their farms divide these fields. To conserve vital land space, those ridges are kept exceedingly narrow.
By draining swampy areas, irrigating dry parts, and terracing hill slopes to create flat surfaces ideal for agricultural growth, farmers attempt to increase the amount of land that is available for cultivation. Only the most difficult terrain, including the sharpest hills and infertile regions, are left uncultivated.
Farmers strive to make the most money possible with their crops because there is a very small amount of land that can be used for agriculture. They may double- or triple-crop because of the intense nature of the cultivation. This refers to planting a variety of crops on the same piece of land over the course of a year. Farmers aim to maximise their use of their property in this way, which is fantastic.
Demands a Lot of Manual Labor:
Because they don’t employ a lot of machinery or technology, intensive subsistence farmers require a lot of manual labour. These farmers typically employ time-tested methods and basic equipment to obtain the best results.
Some farmers who keep animals on their farms use horses or buffalos to help with the ploughing. The farm’s management family rakes the fields by hand and plants the crops in neat rows. Typically, harvesting is done by hand threshing and using sickles. Simple tools are not required although they might be useful.
Ploughs, a form of spade, and hoes are the fundamental implements that are frequently employed. Although some farms are using increasingly cutting-edge equipment and technology, it is uncommon for intensive subsistence farms to own that kind of equipment.
Because most farmers lack the resources to purchase them, these devices are not commonly employed on intensive subsistence farms, but they are extensively used in more affluent Japan and are progressively spreading throughout Monsoon Asia. Farmers may also rent this equipment, which is held by businesses or cooperatives.
Use of Plant and Animal Manures
Farmers employ a wide range of methods to guarantee excellent harvests and ongoing fertility. That is why farmers commonly employ every accessible sort of manure such as farm wastes, rotten vegetables, clippings, fish wastes, animal faeces, and human excreta as well. They make use of animal waste, particularly that from pigsties and poultry yards.
Some governments, like those in China, India, and Japan, advise or provide support for using more artificial fertilisers. Phosphates, nitrates, and potash are the three main fertilisers used, and they all work to replace essential plant nutrients in the soil.
