Posted by Chester Morton / Sunday 1 January 2017 / No comments
The disadvantages of subsistence farming
Definition
Subsistence farming may be defined as the method of farming by
which production of crops is mainly to feed the farmer and his/her immediate
family. The primary aim is not to sell the produce for income. However,
sometimes, some of the little surplus is sold to take care of some basic
financial needs of the family.
DISADVANTAGES
It is rain fed
One of the disadvantages of subsistence farming is that it
depends on the rain to do well. For this reason, farming activity is restricted
only to the rainy season. Sometimes the rain may fail leading to great loses to
the people.
Inability to irrigate the land
The answer to the problem of rainfall is to resort to
irrigation. However, subsistence farmers are mainly poor rural folks who are
cultivating just about between one and five acres of land. The level of rural
poverty does not allow them to venture into irrigation, hence their restriction
to farming in the farming alone.
Limited production
The farm activity is mainly on personal or family lands held
by individuals therefore the farmers are unable to produce much. They produce
only to feed their own families. Not much contribution is done towards national
production of crops.
No room for profit making
The level of production is very low, intended to feed only
the family. If any surpluses are sold to other people, it is not to make any
meaningful profit. It is only to make ends meet. So subsistence farming does
not lead to financial profits in the real sense of the word.
Not attractive to investors
Private entrepreneurs enter farming for business purposes.
Their aim is to make profits. This being so, they are not attracted to
subsistence farming. This is because there is no profit to be made. They prefer
to engage in large commercial farming.
Cannot take advantage of increased demands
Another disadvantage of subsistence farming is that the
farmers cannot take advantage of an increased demand for their produce. The
reason is that they can only produce so much and therefore even if the demand
for their product increases, they cannot take advantage of it. Their output is
constantly low.
SAMPLE QUESTIONS
1. Highlight six disadvantages of subsistence farming.
2, Describe six ways in which subsistence farmers are
discouraged in their farming activity.
