Consider the following statements regarding intensive subsistence agriculture:
• It is widely practiced in densely populated regions of monsoon Asia.
• The size of land holdings is generally very large.
• Machinery is fully utilized, and manual labor is minimal.
• Yield per unit area is high, but labor productivity is low.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Intensive subsistence agriculture:
\[
\text{Small farms + High labor input + High yield per area}
\]
Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Intensive subsistence agriculture is a type of farming characterized by high labor input per unit area to maximize yield from limited land.
It is prevalent in countries with high population densities. Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Statement 1 Analysis: This type of farming is found in the densely populated regions of South, Southeast, and East Asia, where the monsoon climate is dominant.
This is correct.
Statement 2 Analysis: Due to the high density of population and the law of inheritance leading to the subdivision of land, the holdings are usually very small and fragmented.
Therefore, statement 2 is incorrect.
Statement 3 Analysis: Small and fragmented land holdings make it difficult to use large machinery.
Most of the agricultural operations are done by human labor and animal power.
Therefore, statement 3 is incorrect.
Statement 4 Analysis: Because the land is limited and the population is huge, farmers apply intensive labor and use manure to get the maximum output.
This results in a high yield per unit area (per hectare).
However, since so many people are involved in a small plot of land, the output per worker (labor productivity) is very low.
Therefore, statement 4 is correct.
The correct statements are 1 and 4. Step 3: Final Answer:
By reviewing the characteristics of intensive subsistence farming, we confirm that it is characterized by small farms and high manual labor in monsoon Asia.
This leads to high land productivity but low labor productivity.
The correct answer is (C).
