Differentiate between ‘Subsistence Agriculture’ and ‘Commercial Agriculture’.
(Give atleast 4 points
Answers
Subsistence & Commercial Defined:
Subsistence Agriculture is the production of food primarily for consumption by the farmer's family.
Commercial Agriculture is the production of cash crops primarily for sale off the farm.
Rwanda- Subsistence (LDC) Case Study:
Percent of farmers in the labor force: 73%
Use of Technology: Less than .10 tractors per square km of farmland
Farm Size: .72 hectares or 1.78 acres
Primary Grain Consumed: Other
Primary Source of Protein: Other
Rwanda Country Crops
USA- Commercial (MDC) Case Study:
Percent of farmers in the labor force: 1%
Use of Technology: Greater than 1 tractor per square km of farmland
Farm Size: 442 acres
Primary Grain Consumed: Wheat
Primary Source of Protein: Meat- at least 25%
Esri, FAO, NOAA
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USA County Crops
Conclusion:
While the United States and Rwanda differ in the agricultural practices and challenges they face, there still continues to be a common link towards the effects of population on agricultural development. The USA practices commercial farming with a much smaller ratio of farmers to the overall population, whereas Rwandans primarily focus on subsistence farming with a majority of the population farming to feed their own families. Some of the challenges the United States faces in agriculture includes resource depletion, land management, food waste, demographic changes, and socio-political challenges which have all become common challenges for developed nations. Due to the strong link between agriculture and poverty, the challenges in the agriculture sector of Rwanda are also drivers of rural poverty. Despite remarkable improvements over recent years Rwanda still faces many challenges including land degradation and soil erosion, land use and distribution, strong dependence on rainfalls and vulnerability to climate shocks, and low levels of productivity for both crops and livestock due to low input use, poor production techniques and inefficient farming practices. In comparing both countries, it became very apparent that as an LDC Rwanda faces more issues of sustainability and overall development of their agriculture whereas the U.S as an MDC faces issues of resource allocation and putting value and government support towards the agricultural labor force.