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Introduction:

This task has the character of an experience. 
If you study the subsistence economy for farmers and try to find out how a small farmer survives through his work, you will find that these farmers face two major challenges: They must be able to balance the economic situation throughout the land preparation, the growing season and similarly just after the short harvest period.&nbsp;
During land preparation and the growing season, the subsistence farmer cannot sell any products, because he is in the process of preparing the land and caring for the plants until harvest.

At harvest time, he can sell his products and thus get money for survival. Getting the money and food products for own consumption to last through the next long period before the next harvest is always a challenge.

In addition to this, the farmer is very vulnerable to pests and drought. When facing poor harvest because of pests, droughts or floods the farmer needs to find other ways of earning income to obtain money for his/her family. Therefore, the subsistence farmer must be very creative in finding ways to obtain money through his plot of land, and he must also be disciplined on how he spends his products and the money earned.&nbsp;

Subsistence farming is practiced by poor households in rural and suburban areas.&nbsp; Often these are families who have no other way of earning money. In Mozambique subsistence farming is practiced mostly by women, because a number of men have found more permanent ways of earning money.&nbsp;

In subsistence farming practiced by poor people, the land and their personal strength are what constitute the capital to start and run the business.

The balance between sufficient income and facing hunger is laser sharp. Subsistence farmers all over the world are struggling to survive and keep out of debt. Those who end up in endless debt, find it impossible to see a way out. In India there has been an epidemic of suicides among small indebted farmers.&nbsp;

Directive:

<ol>
	<li>Read the file</li>
	<li>Explain the problems that subsistence farmers are facing in their daily lives. Why do you think the situation is like that and how can they improve their methods of production and earning more income? What does it take to achieve such a goal?</li>
	<li>Write an example of a family with a &frac12; ha piece of land, what they can produce, how they can raise money to get income for clothes and school fees. Having such a picture, assess the life of the subsistence farmer and come up with other alternatives that the farmers can employ to sustain their lives. </li>
	<li>Send your answer to the tutor for comments</li>
</ol>
 
Files:&nbsp; 
 
F1. The Production Conundrum,from The Nation. www.thenation.com/article/163398/production-conundrum

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