subsistence farming

American  

Or subsistence agriculture

noun

1. farming whose products are intended to provide for the basic needs of the farmer, with little surplus for marketing.

2. farming that brings little or no profit to the farmer, allowing only for a marginal livelihood.

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subsistence farming British  

noun

1. a type of farming in which most of the produce ( subsistence crop ) is consumed by the farmer and his family, leaving little or nothing to be marketed

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subsistence farming Cultural  

1. Farming that provides enough food for the farmer and his family but not enough for sale. By comparison, commercial farming is farming that provides products for sale.

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Etymology

Origin of subsistence farming

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

Its agro-ecological diversity is critical for subsistence farming and staple food crops, such as avocados, cassava and maize, as well as export products like cocoa, coffee, bananas and cotton.

From Barron's

The change forced many Mexican farmers to shift to subsistence farming or to take up seasonal work far from their homes.

From Los Angeles Times

All food gardens that sustain the village’s subsistence farming population were destroyed and the three streams that provide drinking water were buried by the landslide, which also blocked the province’s main highway.

From Seattle Times

“It was like subsistence farming — we were living hand to mouth,” he said.

From Seattle Times

The problem is worse in rural areas, where subsistence farming -many peoples’ only real option for making money - is threatened by armed conflict and climate change.

From Washington Times