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Student ID: 320038970

Course Code: FOUN 1001

The University of the West Indies

Open Campus

Student’s Name: Chelsea Moorley

Course Title: English for Academic Purposes

Assignment Title: Assignment 3 – Compare and Contrast Essay

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Topic: Subsistence Agriculture & Industrialized Agriculture

Thesis Statement: Although they both generate crops, grain and rear animals for food,

subsistence and industrialized agriculture differ in their farming techniques as well as their

agricultural production scale.

Farming Techniques Industrialized agriculture utilizes farming

techniques that are different from the
techniques used in subsistence agriculture.
Agricultural Production Scale The scale of agricultural production in
subsistence agriculture is opposite to that of
industrialized agriculture.

Generating of foods and grain Subsistence and industrialized agriculture both

generate crops, grain and rear animals for food.

Agriculture is the "art and science"(National Geographic Society), of

nurturing soil to cultivate various crops as well as the rearing of livestock,

which provides most of the food that is eaten worldwide as well as many

other by-products. Industrializing agriculture was seen as a necessity to

fill the growing demand for food (FoodPrint), but in many rural

communities, persons tend to their own crops and animals to feed their

families (Africa Development Promise). This practice is known as

subsistence agriculture. Although they both generate food and grain,

subsistence and industrialized agriculture differ in their farming

techniques as well as their agricultural production scale.

Industrialized agriculture utilizes farming techniques that are different

from the techniques used in subsistence agriculture. Many major

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industrial agriculture operations rely on heavy machinery, chemical

pesticides, and inorganic fertilizers, which also contain harmful

chemicals. According to (Donley), millions of pounds of pesticides are still

used every year in the United States and have been associated with many

cases of fatal poisoning. In contrast, persons practicing subsistence

agriculture use simple tools and organic techniques, such as acquiring

manure from their cows, goats and other animals to fertilize the soil and

relying on predators to act as a natural form of pest control (Study.com).

On Californian vineyards and farms, (Bennett) states that farmers built

barn owl boxes for the birds of prey to nest, which deter pests such as

mice and gophers. Thus, the distinction between the inorganic farming

techniques of industrialized agriculture and the natural techniques utilized

in subsistence agriculture is clear.

The scale of agricultural production in subsistence agriculture is opposite

to that of industrialized agriculture. Subsistence agriculture is mainly

practiced by individuals and families whose main source of food comes

from their farm and livestock. This means that all the intensive labour is

done by the members of the household; therefore, production is small-

scale, and if any of the yields remains, it’s either kept for personal

consumption or sold to a small local market (Britannica). For some African

nations, like Tanzania, where over 70% of the people are subsistence

farmers, the country’s GDP in the agricultural sector is a measly 28%

(Undlin). In contrast, industrialized agricultural production is highly

commercial, with products sold on a global level. Agriculture on such a

large-scale supports growing food demands through intense irrigation

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using modern technology and exploitation of hectares of farmland. The

Food and Agriculture Organization statistics put this in perspective, with

China producing over 130 million tons of wheat in 2019 alone (FAO). It is

reasonable to state that the scale of industrialized agricultural production

far exceeds that of subsistence agriculture.

Subsistence and industrialized agriculture both generate crops, grain and

rear animals. Most of the food we consume originates from small farms or

large industrial facilities. Corn, tomatoes, beans and rice are common

foods that are grown by subsistence farmers as well as agricultural

corporations (Link). In the United States, corn is the most important crop

in the agriculture industry and corporations have dedicated 90 million

acres of land to producing it (Real Food Media). Corn is also a precious

crop for many smaller farmers. Based on one (1) census in 2017, local

harvesters in Iowa worked tirelessly to produce corn for themselves and

their commercial consumers year-round (Iowa State University).

Generating beef from cattle rearing is also highly valued in both

subsistence and industrial agriculture. In Brazil, the world’s largest

exporter of beef, subsistence farming principles are used to raise cattle as

90% are grass-fed and allowed to roam in open pastures. Industrialized

agriculture finds its place in the advanced technology used in sanitization,

breeding, and genetics (Brazilian Farmers - CNA Senar). The food supply

generated from both subsistence and industrialized agriculture creates

the common ground where these agricultural opponents intersect.

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Agriculture can be either subsistence or industrialized. Inorganic

techniques and technology-driven techniques are utilized by industrial

agriculture, which produces yields on a massive global scale. On the other

hand, organic, sustainable and simple techniques govern subsistence

agriculture and unlike its industrial relative, production is small-scale. The

differences are distinct and irrefutable; however, a similarity emerges as

crops, grains and food from animals are all generated from both

subsistence and industrialized agriculture as they feed millions worldwide.

References

Africa Development Promise. “What Is Subsistence Farming?” Africa Development Promise,

6 Oct. 2014, www.africadevelopmentpromise.org/what-is-subsistence-farming.

Bennett, P. “What’s the Most Sustainable Way to Manage Rodents?” World Economic

Forum, 26 Oct. 2021, www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/10/california-vineyards-owls-

pesticides-sustainability.

Brazilian Farmers - CNA Senar. “Beef | Brazilian Farmers.” Brazilian Farmers |, 1 July

2021, brazilianfarmers.com/beef.

Britannica. “Subsistence Farming | Definition, Characteristics, & Facts.” Encyclopedia

Britannica, 21 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/topic/subsistence-farming.

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Donley, Nathan. “The USA Lags behind Other Agricultural Nations in Banning Harmful

Pesticides.” Environmental Health, vol. 18, no. 1, 2019. Crossref,

doi:10.1186/s12940-019-0488-0.

FAO. “FAOSTAT.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2019,

www.fao.org/faostat/en/#rankings/countries_by_commodity.

FoodPrint. “Sustainable Agriculture vs. Industrial Agriculture.” FoodPrint, 5 Feb. 2021,

foodprint.org/issues/sustainable-agriculture-vs-industrial-agriculture.

Iowa State University. “Sweet Corn Planting.” Small Farm Sustainability, Mar. 2021,

www.extension.iastate.edu/smallfarms/sweet-corn-planting.

Link, Kristen. “The Rise of Industrial Corn Production.” FoodPrint, 24 May 2019,

foodprint.org/blog/the-rise-of-industrial-corn-production.

National Geographic Society. “Agriculture.” National Geographic Society, 9 Oct. 2012,

www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/agriculture.

Real Food Media. “Agriculture & Food Production.” Real Food Media, 24 July 2019,

realfoodmedia.org/issues/agriculture-food-production.

Study.com. “Study.Com | Take Online Courses. Earn College Credit. Research Schools,

Degrees & Careers.” Study.Com, 2013, study.com/academy/lesson/types-of-

agriculture-industrialized-and-subsistence-agriculture.html#:%7E:text=In%20contrast

%20to%20industrialized%20agriculture,are%20planted%20in%20one%20area.

Undlin, Siri. “What Is Subsistence Farming? - PlantSnap.” Plantsnap - Identify Plants, Trees,

Mushrooms With An App, 3 Sept. 2019, www.plantsnap.com/blog/what-is-

subsistence-farming.
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