Subsistence farming

Subsistence producers exist on a combination of subsistence and, when there is a surplus harvest, commercial activities. One study found that in Ethiopia, subsistence agriculture can account for 58 per cent of rural households’ calorie consumption. (See Sibhatu & Qaim, 2017, for more information.)

Subsistence farming can result in more intense use of farm inputs, which is measured as high levels of productivity, but subsistence farming can also be associated with unsustainable farm practices. For example, continuously cultivating on the same plot can drain the soil and reduce the quality and quantity of future yields. (See Fan & Rue, 2020, for more information.)

Sustainable agriculture

Sustainable agriculture is a way of earning a living that meets people’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. A subsistence farm is usually small, but a sustainable farm can be of any size.

Reading

Shenggen Fan, S., & Rue, C. (2020). The role of small farms in a changing world. In S. Gomez y Paloma, L. Riesgo, & K. Louhichi (Eds), The Role of Smallholder Farms in Food and Nutrition Security (pp. 29-43). Springer Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42148-9
Licence: Open access; CC BY 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International

Sibhatu, K. T., & Qaim, M. (2017). Rural food security, subsistence agriculture and seasonality. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0186406
Licence: Open access; CC BY