What Are the 4 Types of Agriculture?
There are four types of agriculture. There is intensive subsistence agriculture, commercial farming, and mixed farming. Each type has its own benefits and disadvantages. Learn more about these farming types. Then, learn about some of the different ways to apply them to your own situation. These farming methods can be very beneficial to your daily life, but they require a different approach.
Intensive subsistence farming
Intensive subsistence farming (ISF) is a form of agriculture that focuses on producing food for the farmer’s family. This type of farming is typically done with fewer tools and more labor. The result is a high amount of food, but for a small amount of land. The surplus is sold to local groceries. Some farmers also grow organic food for their own use.
Intensive subsistence farming is a form of agriculture that emphasizes small-scale land holdings. Smallholdings, usually just a quarter or half an acre, are divided up into many smaller plots. Each plot of land is managed by an individual farmer. These plots are not large enough to generate a profit. In addition to their small size, intensive subsistence farming involves growing crops for the family’s survival and are not influenced by market fluctuations.
The primary tools used in this style of farming are hoes and a kind of spade. Although some farmers now own machinery, many still rely on hand labor and traditional methods. For example, some farmers use buffaloes to plow fields, and use handmade wooden plows and spades. In addition, harvesting crops is usually done by hand using sickles or rakes.
Most people who practice intensive subsistence farming practice rice as the primary crop. However, other food crops vary according to location. For example, barley and wheat are important in the northern part of China, while gorghum and millet are popular in areas where rainfall is scarce.
Mixed farming
Mixed farming, also called intercropping, involves planting multiple crops in one field at the same time. These crops are interdigitated so that they ripen during different seasons, which results in a more balanced yield. The practice is also beneficial to the environment. It helps maintain soil nutrient balance and provides weed suppression and pest resistance. It also allows farmers to manage land with limited resources more efficiently.
This system covers 99 million ha of land in China and smaller areas in Mongolia. These regions are largely mountainous and hilly, and have a high incidence of food insecurity. The climatic conditions in these areas are typically subhumid. The dominant crops in this system are wheat and corn, as well as maize, soybeans, and sweet potato.
The other three types of agriculture are intensive farming and extensive farming. In intensive farming, animals are kept on small farms. The livestock must be housed in special shelters and fed every possible type of food. This method often involves mass breeding of animals, which goes against the natural breeding habits of those animals.
In intensive production of perishable, high-value commodities, the agricultural sector has expanded in many large towns and cities, employing seven million people. This type of farming is not mapped, but it has many common characteristics. These crops have high external inputs and functional links with the surrounding rural areas. They provide fodder and feed for livestock and help reduce poverty.
Commercial farming
Commercial farming involves raising large quantities of livestock and crops for sale. This type of farming requires a lot of land and specialized knowledge and equipment to produce high-quality products. The main goal of commercial farming is profit, and large-scale farming often involves the use of modern technology, irrigation methods, pesticides, fertilizers, and other inputs.
Commercial farming involves a high capital investment, large-scale farming, and modern machinery to increase productivity and efficiency. The end result is a high-profit margin for the commercial farmer. Crops produced in this type of farming are usually sold on the market and are in high demand for export or as a raw material for industries.
There are many types of commercial farming, but most are related to producing food. For example, dairy farming is an important part of commercial farming. Dairy farms are those that produce milk for human consumption. Cattle are the main crop in dairy farms, but in some areas, donkeys are also raised for milk. Other livestock that are commonly used for dairy farming are goats, sheep, and camels.
Subsistence farming uses less advanced agricultural techniques and manual labour. In this type of farming, the farmer may be dependent on family members for manual labour. Most of the output produced by subsistence farms is consumed locally, and surplus crops are sold to local markets. In these farming practices, cropping decisions are based on the needs of the family and the market price.
