Subsistence Agriculture Regions

Chapter 10 section 6

Terms/Concepts

• Shifting Cultivation• Slash-and-burn agriculture• Swidden• Pastoral nomadism• Intensive subsistence agriculture• Plantation

Comparing Subsistence and Commercial Agriculture

• Subsistence Agriculture- the production of food primarily for consumption by the farmer’s family

• Commercial Agriculture- the production of food primarily for sale off the farm

Comparison

Subsistence • LDC nations• Small size (1.7 acres)• Hand farmed

Commercial• MDC nations• Large size (444 acres)• Mechanization

4 Types of Subsistence Agriculture Regions

• Shifting Cultivation (slash-and-burn agriculture)- fields are cleared by slashing the vegetation and burning the debris

• Swidden- the cleared area of land– Can only support crops for 3 years

• Slowly disappearing and being replaced by logging, cattle ranching, and cash crops

Pastoral Nomadism

• Pastoral Nomadism- based on the herding of domesticated animals– Adapted to dry climates where crop

planting is impossible– Consume mainly grain- typically their

animals are not slaughtered– 15 million people today

Intensive Subsistence

• Intensive Subsistence agriculture- when farmers must expend a relatively large amount of effort to produce the maximum feasible yield from a parcel of land– Occur where there is large populations

and not much arable land

Plantation

• Plantation- a large farm that specializes in one or two crops and the crops are usually sold to MDCs–Many LDCs have plantations where they

are owned and operated by Europeans or N. Americans

Terms/Concepts

• Shifting Cultivation• Slash-and-burn agriculture• Swidden• Pastoral nomadism• Intensive subsistence agriculture• Plantation