Subsistence Farming vs Commercial Farming
The process of civilization led to the shift from hunting and gathering food to producing it, giving rise to the practice of farming. Subsistence farming and commercial farming emerged as two distinct systems with the evolution of farming. Although both systems cater to human needs, they differ in terms of methods, purpose, capacity, economy, and more.
What is Subsistence Farming?
The main focus of this farming system is self-sufficiency. Farmers concentrate on meeting their individual family needs by cultivating crops and raising animals for food and clothing. The farmer decides what crops their family will consume in the coming year and grows only those crops, resulting in a variety of crops being cultivated. Farming techniques are simple, and productivity is low. This system is more eco-friendly, with minimal or no environmental pollution.
What is Commercial Farming?
This farming system revolves around large-scale production of livestock and crops for the market. The harvested products often go through processing plants before reaching consumers. The primary objective is to earn as much profit as possible from low input, leading to high productivity. To achieve this, economies of scale, modern technology, and both synthetic and natural resources are utilized. This system is complex and contributes more to environmental pollution.
Key Takeaways
- Subsistence farming focuses on self-sufficiency and meeting individual family needs, while commercial farming targets large-scale production for the market and profit maximization.
- Subsistence farming involves simple techniques, low productivity, and minimal environmental pollution, while commercial farming uses modern technology, has high productivity, and contributes more to environmental pollution.
- Subsistence farming involves a variety of crops and livestock for personal consumption, while commercial farming usually focuses on just one or two crops or livestock for mass production and sale.
