Subsistence farming

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/subsistence-farming

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Subsistence farming known for?Feeds a significant portion of the world's population, particularly in developing regions
2. What is the primary economic driver?Household consumption and direct use, not market profit
3. What is the land tenure?Often smallholder farms, family-owned, or communal land access
4. Why do people still farm this way today?It helps families stay safe from hunger, especially where money or big machines are hard to get, and keeps old traditions alive.
5. How do subsistence farmers keep their crops healthy?They grow many different plants, rotate crops, and use simple tools like hoes and animal help to keep soil good and pests away.

Agrobiodiversity: The variety of crops, livestock, and other organisms used in agriculture.
Monoculture: The cultivation of a single crop or species in a given area.
Food Security: The condition of having reliable access to sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.