Forming is for little or no profit and just to meet basic needs
Forming, in this context, refers to the act of producing or creating something. When forming is done for little or no profit, it means that the main aim of the activity is not to generate financial gain, but rather to meet fundamental or essential needs.
This could pertain to activities such as subsistence farming, where individuals grow crops or raise livestock primarily to provide for themselves and their families, rather than for commercial purposes. Another example could be a community garden, where people come together to cultivate fruits, vegetables, and herbs mainly for personal consumption, sharing the produce among themselves.
Forming for basic needs emphasizes the importance of self-sufficiency and fulfilling fundamental requirements, rather than prioritizing profit or surplus production. It can be a way to ensure food security, reduce dependency on external sources, and promote sustainability in resource utilization.
By engaging in forming for basic needs, individuals and communities can address their immediate requirements in a cost-effective manner, while also fostering a sense of community, skill-sharing, and resilience.
Forming for little or no profit to meet basic needs is commonly referred to as subsistence farming. Here are the steps involved in subsistence farming:
1. Land Selection: Choose a suitable piece of land to farm. Factors to consider include soil fertility, availability of water sources, and proximity to the farmer's residence.
2. Crop Selection: Select crops that can provide essential nutrients and meet basic dietary requirements. Common crops grown in subsistence farming include grains like wheat, maize, rice, and millet, as well as vegetables and fruits.
3. Clearing and Preparation: Clear the land by removing any vegetation or debris. Use simple tools like s or machetes to prepare the soil for planting. Depending on the soil type, farmers may need to add compost or manure to improve fertility.
4. Planting: Plant the selected crops using traditional methods such as broadcasting or row planting. Consider the appropriate spacing and depth for each crop. Timing is crucial, and farmers should align their planting with the appropriate season and climate.
5. Irrigation: Implement irrigation methods if access to water is limited or unreliable. This can include techniques such as manual watering using buckets or traditional irrigation systems like canals or ditches.
6. Weed and Pest Control: Regularly remove weeds manually or through traditional methods like hand weeding or use of simple tools like s. Employ natural pest control methods such as companion planting, crop rotation, or culturally accepted remedies.
7. Harvesting: Monitor crops for maturity and harvest when ready. Use appropriate methods for each crop type, such as cutting stalks or uprooting plants. Proper handling and storage techniques should be adopted to prevent spoilage and ensure long-term food security.
8. Post-harvest Preservation: Preserve surplus crops by drying, canning, fermenting, or engaging in simple food processing techniques. This will help to ensure a continuous food supply during periods of scarcity or crop failure.
9. Livestock Rearing: In some cases, subsistence farmers may also engage in livestock rearing to meet their basic needs. Common livestock animals include chickens, goats, cows, or pigs. They provide food (meat, milk, eggs) and other resources like manure for fertilizer or labor for farm work.
10. Reinvestment and Self-sufficiency: Allocate a portion of the harvest for future planting and self-sufficiency. Save seeds or propagate plants for the next planting season, ensuring sustainability in the long run.
It's important to note that subsistence farming is often practiced in rural or remote areas, where access to modern farming techniques and technologies is limited.
Forming, or subsistence farming, refers to a type of agriculture where the primary goal is to produce enough food to meet the basic needs of a family or small community, rather than for commercial purposes or profit. It is typically practiced by small-scale farmers who rely on traditional farming methods and have limited resources and access to modern agricultural technologies.
To understand why subsistence farming is done, we need to consider the basic needs it aims to meet. These needs include food security, which means having a reliable and sufficient food supply to sustain the farmer and their family. Subsistence farming also helps meet the need for self-sufficiency, as it allows farmers to produce their own food and reduce reliance on external sources.
To engage in subsistence farming, individuals or families primarily focus on producing staple crops and food items such as grains, vegetables, fruits, and livestock. They typically cultivate small plots of land using labor-intensive methods like hand tools or manual labor from family members. Traditional farming techniques, such as intercropping (growing different crops together) or crop rotation (altering the type of crop grown to preserve soil fertility), are commonly employed.
Due to the lack of specialization and focus on profitability, subsistence farming often yields a more diverse range of crops compared to commercial farming. Farmers prioritize meeting their own needs rather than maximizing output or profit. They may also engage in other activities like gathering wild foods, hunting, or small-scale fishing to supplement their diet.
While subsistence farming is essential for meeting basic needs in many rural communities, it often faces challenges. Limited access to resources such as land, tools, seeds, fertilizers, and irrigation systems can hamper productivity. Additionally, factors like climate change, pests, and diseases can have severe impacts on subsistence farmers, putting their livelihoods at risk.
In summary, subsistence farming is done primarily to meet basic needs such as food security and self-sufficiency. It involves small-scale farmers using traditional methods to produce enough crops and livestock to sustain their families or communities, without an emphasis on generating profit.