Subsistence agriculture is characterized by

Subsistence agriculture is a type of farming that is characterized by small farm holders who rely mainly on their farm produce to meet the basic needs of their families. It involves farming on a small scale, without the use of modern machines and technologies, and with little or no input from external sources such as fertilizers and pesticides. The aim of subsistence agriculture is not to make a profit, but to produce enough food to feed the family and possibly have a surplus to sell or exchange in the local market. Therefore, it is the opposite of large scale production which is focused on producing crops or raising livestock for commercial purposes.