Image by USDAgov
Farmer Tom Heess at Leafy Greens, in the Salinas Valley, California on Thursday, June 16, 2011. Leafy Greens grows row crops of lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower sweet peas and seed beans. He uses rotational crop plantings to control weeds and plant disease. When a plot of land is at rest, he plants a cover crop of barley and rye grass because the roots hold the topsoil reducing erosion of the soil. He is converting his irrigation system from conventional sprinklers to micro irrigation. Where one system produces runoff and erosion of the soil; the other has little or no erosion, less maintenance, easy harvest and less water is needed. When seasonal rains produce runoff, the silt that flows with it is caught in sediment ponds. The ponds have grass, bushes and trees to hold the structure and allow the silt to settle. Spillways lead to holding ponds and eventually the Salinas River, a tributary of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. So far, because of its design and efficiency, no water has made it to the river. USDA Photo by Lance Cheung.
Question by : Which of the following individuals is engaged in subsistence agriculture?
A. Victor owns a small farm and sells his produce in a city market every Friday morning.
B. Nareesh works in a factory during the day but also cultivates a small vegetable garden so his family can enjoy some fresh produce.
C. Roberto runs a farm that covers 100 hectares and sells his crops to a pet food manufacturer.
D. Chang farms a small plot of land from which he harvests just enough food to feed his family.
What do you think? Answer below!
Look up the definition of “subsistence” and you’ll be able to identify the correct answer.
kaliesq
February 15, 2012 at 11:04 pm
D, Chang has enough to survive, but not enough to make a profit or have extra. This is what subsistence agriculture is. Hope this helps
Emily
February 15, 2012 at 11:25 pm