What does subsistence agriculture mean?

Subsistence agriculture is a farming system in which the farmer grows crops and raises livestock primarily to feed the household rather than to sell for profit. The produce is consumed directly by the farming family, with little or no surplus entering the market.

This contrasts with commercial agriculture (agricultural production for cash), where the primary aim is to sell produce in local or international markets for income.

The terms extensive and intensive agriculture describe how land and labour are used, not the purpose of production. Extensive agriculture uses large areas of land with relatively low inputs per hectare, while intensive agriculture applies high levels of labour, capital, or technology to smaller plots. Either of these can be subsistence or commercial in nature.

The defining feature of subsistence agriculture is therefore that production is for household consumption, not for sale.