Step 1: Alternate structuring: input side vs. output side:
Input side — abundant cheap labour, small plots, heavy irrigation and fertiliser use; Output side — very high yield per hectare (though not necessarily per worker), multiple crops a year, output mostly consumed by the farm family itself.
Step 2: Bring these together:
This input-output pattern is what makes the system 'intensive' (heavy input per unit area) and 'subsistence' (produce mainly meets the farmer's own needs, not the market).
Step 3: Final Answer:
Small holdings farmed with intense labour and inputs to achieve high per-hectare yield through multiple cropping, mainly for the farmer's own family consumption.